Warm Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon Dressing

This warm sweet potato salad features tender roasted sweet potatoes and kale tossed in a sweet and tangy bacon dressing.

Is it really a salad if its served warm? I’m gonna go with yes and please put extra bacon on mine, thanks.

Turns out sweet potatoes, kale, and an absolutely killer homemade bacon dressing make a pretty mean salad when paired together and even fit the fall vibe since its served warm like a side dish.

The gist of it is, you’ve just found your new go-to salad.

The best part about this salad is that it’s short on the ingredient list, but absolutely huge on flavor.

The bacon dressing coats every inch of the roasted sweet potatoes and fresh kale in all its sweet and tangy goodness and feels like a warm and cozy side dish which is not something can usually say about a salad!

This Sweet Potato Salad features…

• Tender herb roasted sweet potatoes and leafy kale
• A sweet and tangy bacon dressing
• Ready in only 40 minutes with a handful of ingredients

Making the Sweet Potato Salad

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Sweet potatoes
• Thyme
• Olive oil
• Kale
• Bacon
• Shallot
• Garlic
• Dijon mustard
• Honey
• Apple cider vinegar

Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Salad

1. Cut sweet potatoes in uniform cubes – aim for 1/2-inch cubes so the sweet potatoes cook evenly.
2. Massage kale – this step tenderizes the kale and gives it a much more pleasant texture in the salad.
3. Crisp bacon – cook the bacon until crispy and drain on paper towels.
4. Build dressing in bacon drippings – this is what gives the bacon dressing its amazing flavor! Saute the shallot and garlic in bacon drippings and simmer the rest of the dressing ingredients straight in the pan for this warm dressing.
5. Serve salad immediately after assembly – this salad is best if served while the dressing/sweet potatoes are warm and the bacon is crispy. Keep reading for make ahead tips.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on this salad.

• Add cheese – try feta, goat cheese, cubed cheddar, or gouda.
• Roast additional vegetables – try adding sweet peppers, sweet onion, green beans, or cauliflower.
• Swap out sweet potatoes – try butternut squash, acorn, or delicata in place of the sweet potatoes.
• Add nuts – try adding 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts.

Make Ahead Instructions

Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead tips.

• Make the dressing – cook up the bacon and dressing and store separately in refrigerator up to 6 days.
• Massage the kale – massage the kale until tender and store in refrigerator up to 4 days.
• Assembly – when ready to assemble, roast the sweet potatoes, reheat the bacon and dressing, and combine the salad.

This warm salad is seriously so loaded with goodness you may have to pinch yourself to remind yourself that you’re eating a salad. It’s so simple but the sweet and tangy bacon dressing combined with the tender herb-roasted sweet potatoes and all that tender kale goodness hits every flavor note.

Put this winner on your Thanksgiving menu, you won’t regret it!

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Try these other hearty fall salads next!

• Harvest Wild Rice Salad
• Butternut Squash Lentil Salad
• Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad