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!
free email bonus
Dinner Made EASY
5 days of simple yet flavorful recipes that take the stress out of dinnertime!
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.
Julie 01.21.2018
I have made this dish for several years now as my offering for a super bowl party. Most of the food is pretty meaty and dip-heavy, and this is a terrific side dish that is healthy and also makes the vegetarians happy. I find that I never use all of the dressing–about 2/3rds is enough. I love it!
Rachel 12.23.2017
I’ll definitely make this again. I tried an experiment in advance of this dish to take with me to a Christmas Dinner. It is really delicious. My “experiment” was to determine whether it would re-heat well, and it does! I made a little extra dijon sauce and added that when I reheated it to make sure that it wasn’t too dry. Mmmm. Yummy. Thanks for sharing this. (The only modification I made was using a handful of toasted pecans instead of pepitas, since I had the pecans on hand.) In the future, I’ll probably make this with some diced chicken as a one-dish dinner that will make enough for a couple of leftover lunch servings.
15 Scrumptious Ways to Make Vegetarian Fried Rice - MyRadDish 10.17.2017
[…] Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Rice // Caramelized sweet potato and kale make this fried rice from Iowa Girl Eats satisfying enough for dinner or a holiday side. Be sure to use vegetable broth to make vegetarian! […]
Danielle 08.31.2017
This looks AMAZING! I am so making this for dinner tomorrow night. Thanks for another great vegan-friendly recipe ^_^
13 Healthy Make Ahead Camping Recipes 08.28.2017
[…] Looking for a yummy salad to make ahead of time? Check out this salad from Iowa Girl Eats. […]
17 Thanksgiving Side Dishes | Homemade Recipes 08.06.2017
[…] wild rice will never be the same once this scrumptious recipe takes over your kitchen. This caramelized sweet potato and kale fried wild rice makes for a festive Thanksgiving side dish but also easy enough to cook every […]
Fern 04.05.2017
I made this tonight as a side dish with ham roast. It is a great dish. I did cut back on the kale, but otherwise followed the recipe. Great!
Caramelized Sweet Potato & Kale Fried Rice – Eat Plants Every Day 02.27.2017
[…] SWEET POTATO & KALE FRIEND RICE Adapted from this recipe Serve 4 as a side dish […]
Christy 02.26.2017
This salad is divine. Best side at our table tonight. I sautéed the kale instead of boiling & used half the syrup. The different textures make the salad. Plus it’s delicious! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
50 Valentine's Day Dinner Ideas For Two | DIY Projects 01.30.2017
[…] image via Iowa Girl Eats […]
Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice is a flavor-packed gluten-free… – Delectable Salads 01.06.2017
[…] The Recipe can be found HERE […]
Ella 12.11.2016
This is SO yummy. I doubled the recipe and made it to take to a potluck at work tomorrow. Thanks for a super recipe!
Kristin 12.27.2016
So glad to hear it, Ella! Great idea to take it to a potluck!
40 Vegan Recipes for Fall – Honey Lune Hivery 10.07.2016
[…] Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Rice […]
Thanksgiving side dishes – Table Talk 10.06.2016
[…] We always have mashed potato and never rice but it seems strange because rice and turkey just go so well together. This side is a best of both worlds situation. Give it a shot. […]
Bia 09.29.2016
Was delicious! First time I cook kale and stuff, my roomates and I had the best meal! Thank you for this recipe
Kristin 10.02.2016
Awesome!! So glad it worked out for you, Bia, thanks for the great feedback!
Recipe Roundup: Kale by Karyl's Kulinary Krusade 06.06.2016
[…] Caramelized Sweet Potato and Kale Fried Wild Rice by Iowa Girl Eats […]
Heather 04.17.2016
Do you Think you could replace the Kale with Spinach ?????
Kristin 04.18.2016
Sure! I would add it at the very end since it only takes a minute to wilt.
Shannon 03.12.2016
I love this recipe! I made it again tonight and lightly steamed the kale instead of boiling it. The kale was wilted, but not completely limp, which added a bit of texture and a slight crunch (and more taste!) to the dish. Boiling vegetables depletes their nutrients, so steaming is always the healthier option. I will make this recipe again and again, but only with steamed kale.
Sweet Potato and Kale Rice | Nerd-E-Cuisine 03.08.2016
[…] and good to eat, if that makes sense. Well, when surfing around for ideas, I stumbled across a recipe combining sweet potato, kale, and rice – And I thought, hey, I know exactly what flavors I want […]
Angela 02.06.2016
This looks so amazing! I’m going to make some chicken using the same marinade as the rice to make it a full meal. I can’t wait to try it!