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Winter Grain & Roasted Vegetable Salad With Balsamic Dressing

February 17, 2020

It’s happened.  I found a salad recipe I love.  True, it’s packed with roasted vegetables and hearty grains in addition to the baby kale…

But still, I absolutely love this recipe, and for a person who’s not really into salad, that is saying something!

Healthy winter roasted vegetable salad with grains and balsamic dressing

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it’s CRAZY adaptable, takes very little hands-on time, and you can use store-bought ingredients to make things simpler.  I used pre-cooked beets (I still went ahead and roasted them after), and a clamshell of baby kale which is tender and doesn’t need shredded.

This roasted vegetable salad is also a great dumping ground for other leftovers…I’ve tossed in roasted veggies, grilled chicken, and anything else that caught my fancy.  It made a great make-ahead lunch for taking to work all week, and I actually *looked forward* to pulling it out of the fridge.

a roasted vegetable salad with grains

Besides swapping out  the wild rice for a hearty grain like barley, and I played with the dressing proportions quite a bit…in particular, I decreased the olive oil so it makes less dressing but the flavor is stronger—so you need less and cut the calories down a little.

Because I use baby kale and it’s more tender, this works okay, and you can add the dressing ahead of time without everything getting too soggy.  It packs a punch!

roasted vegetable salad with baby kale, dried cherries, and more

First, get the veggies roasting.  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Line a sheet pan with tin foil or parchment paper.  Toss the beets and sweet potatoes with some olive oil, then sprinkle with a little sea salt and garlic powder.  Spread on the pans and roast, stirring every 10 minutes.  Depending on the size of the cubes it will be 20-30 minutes.

If you have other vegetables, feel free to throw those in as well.  I had leftover roasted brussels sprouts and grilled peppers that I tossed into the final salad just to use them up.

roasted beets and sweet potatoes

While the veggies are roasting, cook your grains according the package directions.  Drain and set aside.

barley and farro both go well in this roasted vegetable salad

In a blender or food processor, blend dressing ingredients together until smooth and emulsified.

You can go two different routes with serving it—big bowl or meal prep.  You have two choices, big mix or meal prep individual containers.

If you’re going with the first one, combine your combine beets, sweet potatoes, grains, dried cherries, and pine nuts in a giant bowl and toss with the dressing.  You can do this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for several days.  Then serve on top of your greens and top with the goat cheese crumbles, pine nuts, dried cherries, and protein (if desired).

Grain and Roasted Vegetable Salad

OR, go the meal prep route and get several smaller containers, and do it in layers.

I like to start with the grains on the bottom, then vegetables, then the baby kale, then toss all the other ingredients on top.  I just drizzle the dressing on top, so everything doesn’t get as soggy sitting in the fridge.

Regardless, there’s no right way…follow your heart.

Roasted Vegetable Salad with Grains & Balsamic Dressing

You can kind of see how I layered things in this terrible tupperware pic.

It’s a miracle…a salad I’m super excited to actually pull out of the fridge and eat for lunch at work!

Other healthy meals you’ll love:

  • Maple-Glazed Chicken with Sweet Potato Hash
  • Quick Healthy Thai Chicken Cauliflower Bowl
  • Roasted Vegetable & Barley Salad with Lemon Tahini Dressing
  • One-Pot Yellow Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry
  • Sweet Potato Chickpea Buddha Bowl with Maple Tahini Sauce

Winter Grain & Roasted Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Dressing

  • 3 large golden or red beets, diced small
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
  • Olive oil, salt, and garlic powder for roasting
  • 2-3 cups of cooked grain (farro or barley are my favorites)
  • 1/2 cup of dried cherries or cranberries
  • 8–10 cups of baby kale or other greens, roughly chopped
  • 3/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts
  • Grilled chicken or other protein if desired

Balsamic Dressing

  • 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (optional but makes it creamier)
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
  1. Roasted Vegetables:  Preheat oven to 425 F.  Line a sheet pan with tin foil or parchment paper.  Toss the beets and sweet potatoes with some olive oil, then sprinkle with a little sea salt and garlic powder.  Spread on the pans and roast, stirring every 10 minutes.  Depending on the size of the cubes it will be 20-30 minutes.
  2. Grains:  Cook your grains according the package directions.  Drain and set aside.
  3. Dressing:  In a blender or food processor, blend dressing ingredients together until smooth and emulsified.
  4. Mix:  You have two choices, big mix or meal prep individual containers.  If you’re going with the first one, combine your combine beets, sweet potatoes, grains, dried cherries, and pine nuts in a giant bowl and toss with the dressing.  You can do this ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for several days.  OR, get several smaller containers and do it in layers.  I like to start with the grains on the bottom, then vegetables, then the baby kale, then toss all the other ingredients on top.  I just drizzle the dressing on top, so everything doesn’t get as soggy.
  5. Assemble:  Regardless of which you choose, top with the goat cheese crumbles, pine nuts, dried cherries, and protein (if desired).

Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Pin for later!

Hearty Winter Roasted Vegetable & Grain Salad with Balsamic Dressing | This delicious and satisfying salad is perfect for meal prep, for a Meatless Monday meal, or just to feel like you're eating healthy without giving anything up. Full of roasted vegetables, grains, goat cheese, dried cherries, baby kale, and more. #salad #vegetarian #healthyrecipe

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Welcome to my little corner of the internet! I created this blog for people who love cooking & baking but are challenged to find the time and energy to do it. Recipes run the gamut from super healthy to indulgent, but the focus is on using REAL food no matter what.

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