Thanks to Real Simple’s new issue that’s all about organizing I’ve been on an all-out organizational bender for the past week and a half…and I haven’t even cracked open the magazine! Guess I just needed to put out into the universe that I was ready to start and voila – I started.
Funny how that works.
Anyway, first up was my pantry’s rice/grain drawer which is always packed to the gills. I usually prefer brown while Ben likes white, but we both love wild rice blends and make a pot all the time as an easy yet hearty side dish with dinner. Needless to say, this drawer benefited from a little TLC!
I used the aforementioned wild rice blend to give our standard side dish a little zing. Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice was the result!
Fried rice meets sizzling salad meets HELLO delicious in this yummy, one-skillet stir fried side dish that’s full of tongue-tingling flavor.
Here’s the scoop: wild rice cooked in chicken broth is stir fried with caramelized sweet potatoes and crumbled cooked kale in a zippy Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette then sprinkled with roasted salted pepitas. It’s wild. Your eyes see stir fry, but your tongue tastes warm rice salad with pops of dijon, maple, and sweet potato. So, so awesome – and definitely not too sweet.
If you’re stuck in a side dish rut, make this fried wild rice with a side of sauteed chicken or even pork tenderloin (which will undoubtedly take a back seat to this succulent stir fry!)
Start by cooking 3/4 cups wild rice blend in chicken broth instead of water according to package directions. You can absolutely make this a day or two ahead of time to save some…time!
Meanwhile remove 1/2 bunch curly kale from the stems then chop to get 4 packed cups chopped kale. This is a great intro dish to kale for newbies as it’s very tender in the end.
Tip: to easily strip the kale from the stems, grip the leaves at the thickest end of the stem then pull the stem out with the other hand (kind of like stripping fresh thyme leaves from the stem.) Saves SO much time!
Fill a wok or large skillet with water then bring to a boil. Add kale and a heavy dash of salt then boil until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain then, when the kale is cool enough to handle, squeeze the excess moisture out and crumble – just like you would do to a package of frozen spinach.
Next, chop 1 medium-sized sweet potato into 1/2″ cubes to get 1-1/2 cups sweet potatoes. First peel the potato then cut it in half. Next, slice each half into 1/2″ planks.
Lay the planks on their side then cut into 1/2″ slices, and then chop. Voila, sweet potato cubes!
Add the sweet potatoes to 1 Tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and a dash of salt in the wok over medium-high heat then stir fry until tender and caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix up the Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette. That’s just 2 Tablespoons each extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 minced garlic cloves, salt, and pepper. Add the ingredients to a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake, shake, shake!
Add the cooked rice and kale to the caramelized sweet potatoes then drizzle in the vinaigrette and toss until sizzling.
Whee!
Scoop onto plates then sprinkle with roasted and salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, y’all.) You can usually find these right in the bulk bins and they add a wonderful crunch.
Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice is unexpected, filling, and seriously delish. Although there’s both maple syrup and brown sugar in the recipe I don’t think it’s too sweet as the wild rice simmered in chicken broth and kale offset the sweetness. Hope you enjoy!
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Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice
Description
Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice is a flavor-packed side dish that is anything but forgettable!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cups wild rice blend + chicken broth to cook it in
- 1 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
- 1-1/2 cups 1/2″ cubed sweet potato (about 1 medium-sized sweet potato)
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4 cups packed chopped curly kale (about 1/2 bunch)
- 1/4 cup roasted and salted pepitas
- For the Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, microplaned or finely minced
- salt and pepper
Directions
- Prepare rice according to package instructions using chicken or vegetable broth in place of water. Set aside. (Can be made ahead of time.)
- Add ingredients for Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette in a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake to combine and set aside.
- Fill a wok or large skillet with water then bring to a boil. Add a heavy dash of salt and kale then boil until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain, then when kale is cool enough to handle, squeeze out excess water with hands, crumble, and then set aside.
- Turn heat down to medium-high then melt butter in skillet. Add brown sugar and sweet potatoes, season with salt, then saute until tender and caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
- Add kale, cooked rice and Maple-Dijon Vinaigrette to the wok then toss to combine. Serve topped with pepitas.
Notes
To easily strip the kale from the stems, grip the leaves at the thickest end of the stem then pull the stem out with the other hand (kind of like stripping fresh thyme leaves from the stem.)
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
marie 12.08.2015
This salad is DELICIOUS! All of my favorite things! Making it for the third time tonight – thanks for sharing!
Kristin 12.10.2015
So glad to hear, Marie! Thanks so much for the feedback!
Kristin 12.10.2015
HA!! So glad you stuck with it and loved the result. You go girl!!
Laura 12.07.2015
I loved this, I want to make it for a group for the holidays Would quinoa work in place of rice?
Kristin 12.10.2015
I think so! It won’t be as substantial, but should be just as delicious. :)
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Kristy Em 11.15.2015
this is incredible!! I just made it and it is so delicious. on top of being delicious objectively, this is subjectively right up my alley flavor profile wise, with the sauce and such. do you have an instagram? i posted a pic but i want to tag you so people can find your site!! I’ve poked around your other recipes after eating this one & I can’t wait to make more of them!! thank you so much for this tasty glory!! :) <3
Kristin 11.17.2015
I do! :) http://instagram.com/iowagirleats
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Meghan Hodges 06.29.2015
This is so yummy. Be sure to eat it when it is hot still. Ours got cold and was not good. If it gets cool though, just add a little water and re-heat on stove. Wah la! it”s yummy again. Also, we had quite a bit of leftovers, so I made a soup that ended up being “to-die-for!” I cooked 3 chopped carrots and more kale (1 lg handful) in 2 cans chicken stock until carrot was tender. Then I added 3 lg chicken breasts that were already baked with only Italian seasoning. I also added corn from 3 ears (canned would work fine too). I added some more pepitas. Lastly I dumped in my leftover rice from this recipe and it was SOO good. My hubby, mom and I all had some and were amazed. The vinaigrette flavor made everything come together. I will be making this rice as a side dish again then using leftovers for this soup again too.
Melissa 06.15.2015
Finally got around to trying this, and I loved it! I have a gluten sensitivity, and this is a definite new go-to for me. Thanks, Kristin!
Shea 06.13.2015
Really good. Love to textures and great flavor combo! Don’t skip the pepitas. Adds a nice crunch.
Nina 05.23.2015
This was super yummy! We used 1/2 veggie broth & 1/2 water in rice and veggie broth (instead of water) to cook kale. Made this dish as a whole meal. We devoured it! Thanks again!
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lisa 05.08.2015
Can you eat this cold or reheated the next day?? X
Kristin 05.10.2015
Rice can be a little hard when it’s cold but it’s definitely just as delicious reheated the next day!
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Lauren Koelker 03.30.2015
This was AH-MAZING! Everyone thought it was a hit.
Sheila 01.31.2015
This was a big hit with girlfriends. I added broccoli for some crunch. Double the recipe cause it goes fast.
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Rachel 01.19.2015
Made this for dinner over the weekend and added some chicken sausage to make it a main dish! My husband and I both loved it! I am enjoying the leftovers today for lunch! Thanks for another great recipe!!
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