Warm Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccoli Rabe Salad with Cinnamon-Maple Vinaigrette {Vegan; Paleo}

Warm Roasted Sweet Potato and Broccoli Rabe Salad with Cinnamon-Maple Vinaigrette is hearty and satisfying to fill you up on a chilly day.

I love hitting up the produce area of my grocery store to check out new-to-me fruits and veggies, as well as seasonal produce (I wait for things like figs, pomegranate, and delicata squash for months). Sometimes I’ll even go a little crazy and shop without a list, grabbing whatever fresh produce looks good that day and making anything that comes to mind with my loot when I get it home.

I also have staples that are available nearly year-round that I stock up on almost every time I shop: apples, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, and cabbage, as well as a few things I try to buy as often as possible because they’re just so healthy, like broccoli rabe. If you’re not familiar with it, broccoli rabe is a bold-flavored superfood. It’s a good source of vitamins A, B, C, and K, minerals calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc, and even some omega-3 fatty acids. It packs an incredible nutritional punch, helping fight cancer, reduce the risk of heart disease, strengthen bones, improve digestion, and detoxify the liver. (You can read more about the health benefits of broccoli rabe here.) Superfood indeed, right?

Now, when I say broccoli rabe is bold-flavored, I’m not kidding. It’s sharp-flavored with a bite that’s similar to bitter greens such as chard, dandelion, and collard. Broccoli rabe is beautifully balanced here by the natural earthy sweetness of sweet potato and cinnamon-maple vinaigrette. This salad is warm and filling, and the perfect thing to fuel up on during those cooler months when you’re craving comfort food, but still want to get your veggies in.

When shopping, I like to look for the pink label of Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe. Their company was founded by two Sicilians who immigrated to the U.S. and three generations later, they’re still going strong. Their organic produce is top-quality, and I was impressed to learn how seriously they take sustainability, water conservation, and giving back. They’re exactly the sort of company I like to support.

If you haven’t tried broccoli rabe yet, this recipe is a good place to start. This dish makes a great side dish to serve along with just about any protein you can imagine; roast chicken, pot roast, or even just a can of chickpeas to keep it vegan. Or you can stretch it out to serve a crowd by tossing it with a pound of cooked pasta.

What’s your favorite way to make broccoli rabe?