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?
- 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and cubed into ½-inch pieces
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (1 lb/450 g) bunch Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe, rinsed, tough bottom stems trimmed off, and chopped into 2 to 3-inch pieces
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
- Preheat the oven to 425F; get out 2 baking sheets.
- For the sweet potato, toss together all ingredients and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast until tender and lightly browned in places, about 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
- For the broccoli rabe, toss together all ingredients and spread out on a baking sheet. When the sweet potato has been in the oven for about 10 minutes, add the broccoli rabe so they’ll be done around the same time. Roast the broccoli rabe until the stems are tender and the leaves are slightly crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
- While the vegetables are roasting, whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small bowl.
- Toss together the sweet potato and broccoli rabe; transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the walnuts on top. Serve along with the vinaigrette to drizzle on top.
Disclosure: I received the Andy Boy broccoli rabe that I used in this recipe for free, and I also received compensation for this post. I am happy for the opportunity to share brands that I believe in with my readers, and I hope you enjoy my recipe. As always, opinions stated are my own.
I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to 
Just made this tonight and YUM! I added some roasted garlic powder to the rabe and the sweet potatoes while roasting and added some honey and a little extra dijon to the dressing. Definitely a do-over…and over…and over…. :o) Much gratitude for sharing such deliciousness!
A warm salad sounds just perfect on a chilly fall evening. I love that dressing too!
I love broccoli rabe!! It has the perfect balance of bitterness – especially paired with something like sweet potato and then you add cinnamon maple vinaigrette and I’m in heaven!! I’d eat this as a main course, but it would look absolutely gorgeous on the Thanksgiving table too.
Ohhhh momma, this is perfection! Seriously, this is the type of side dish I go crazy over and turn into an entree. I’m a big fan of broccoli rabe and will never ever turn down a sweet potato, amen. Bring it on, girl…bring on this whole plate! :D
My kind of salad! Mouthwatering.
cheers,
Rosa
Love the idea of pairing the bitterness of broccoli rabe with sweet potato! And the dressing sounds fabulous.