The Harvest Bowl is a tasty and nutritious kale salad packed with grilled chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, goat cheese, and an array of other good-for-you ingredients. Drizzled with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette, this copycat Sweetgreen recipe is mouthwatering with every forkful! Pack it for lunch or make dinner for two.
If you're looking for more loaded salad recipes, try my How to Make H-E-B Savory Kale Salad, Bacon Cheese Burger Salad with Special Sauce, and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad next!
I love the Sweetgreen harvest bowl but the last time I found myself shelling out money for it, I decided that next time I'd try to make it at home. This tried and true recipe is just as good, if not better, than what I usually order!
This homemade harvest grain bowl is hearty, sweet, and savory. Crisp, tender kale with the creaminess of roasted sweet potatoes, makes for excellent taste and texture. I've never eaten a salad so quickly!
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Reasons Why We Love the Harvest Bowl
- Nutritious. This healthy wholesome salad is super filling and has protein, veggies, grains, cheese, and nuts.
- Customizable. Make this salad your own by picking and swapping ingredients.
- Affordable. Make the harvest bowl at home and you get more, for less! And once you know how to make it, those expensive orders will happen less frequently.
- Convenient. This recipe makes two servings so it's perfect for meal prep. You can have one for dinner and pack the other for lunch at work.
What is the Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl?
Sweetgreen is a restaurant chain that specializes in plant-forward meals. The harvest bowl is one of their most popular salads (and my personal favorite!). The 8 ingredient salad contains roasted chicken, sweet potatoes, apples, goat cheese, roasted almonds, warm wild rice, shredded kale, and balsamic vinaigrette. It's full of fall flavor but available year-round.
Ingredients
This copycat Sweetgreen harvest bowl recipe is full of nourishing ingredients. Check it out!
- Chicken. Grilled.
- Sweet potatoes. Roughly chopped.
- Apples. This adds a pop of freshness to the salad.
- Goat cheese. This creamy cheese has a mild tart flavor.
- Roasted Almonds. For a delectable crunch.
- Warm wild rice. A healthier alternative to white rice or brown rice. It has an earthy, nutty flavor and makes the salad substantial.
- Shredded kale. This dark green complements the sweet potatoes so well.
- Olive oil. For roasting the sweet potatoes.
- All purpose seasoning. This is used to season the chicken but it really ties together the whole salad.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Whip up your salad dressing in just minutes!
- Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Honey.
- Dijon mustard.
- Fine sea salt.
- Freshly crushed black pepper.
- Large garlic clove. Minced.
- Balsamic vinegar.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
How to Massage Kale
One step you don't want to skip when preparing your harvest bowl is massaging the kale. If you want your kale to be soft and easy to eat, this step is necessary.
Kale is naturally tough. Rinse the kale then use clean hands to massage the leaves and break down the fibers. Do this for about one minute. You will feel and see the difference. As the kale becomes tender, it turns a deeper green.
Rinse the kale again and dry it before adding it to the other ingredients.
How to Make a Harvest Bowl
The salad dressing, sweet potatoes, and chicken can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.
Make Balsamic Vinaigrette
Prepare balsamic vinaigrette by adding ingredients into a measuring cup or bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside until further use.
Roast Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a lined baking sheet, add chopped sweet potatoes. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 10-15 until cooked through and charred.
Sear the Chicken
While the potatoes roast, season chicken breasts with all purpose seasoning. In a medium skillet on medium to high heat. Sear chicken breasts on both sides until done. (internal temperature should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit)
Prepare the Other Salad Ingredients
While the potatoes roast and the chicken is searing. Prep additional salad ingredients. Prepare the brown rice mixture according to package instructions. Roughly chop apples into bite-sized pieces. Massage kale with clean hands until wilted and softened.
How to Build Harvest Bowl
This recipe serves two so divide the ingredients evenly. To the bowl, add massaged kale. Layer roasted sweet potatoes, diced chicken breasts, goat cheese, roasted almonds, and brown rice. Top each bowl with balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Vegetarian. Just omit the chicken or replace it with tofu.
- Vegan. Leave out the chicken and swap the honey in the vinaigrette for agave.
- Protein. Don't feel limited to chicken. You can use steak or salmon instead.
- Salad Dressing. If balsamic vinaigrette isn't your thing, try this Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette.
- Sweet Potatoes. Instead of sweet potatoes, you could opt for butternut squash.
- Greens. Not into kale? Peppery arugula would be equally delicious.
- Grains. If you can't find wild rice or just don't want to use it, quinoa is a great substitute.
Tips and Tricks
- Rubbing the kale leaves with salt causes friction that breaks down the fibers, resulting in tender kale. You can rinse the salt off afterward.
- Make sure the kale is totally dry before assembling the salad. This will help the balsamic vinaigrette adhere to the kale. It will also prevent the salad from feeling soggy.
- Save some prep time by using a precooked chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.
How to Store Leftovers
Store all of the salad ingredients (except for the vinaigrette) in an airtight container in the fridge and consume within two days. You can also store each ingredient in separate containers. The vinaigrette should be stored in a separate container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Can I make Harvest Bowls in advance?
Yes. You can prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time but don't assemble the salad until you are ready to serve it.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS HARVEST BOWL RECIPE!
If you try this recipe, I'd love to see it! Share it with me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Harvest Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb Grilled chicken
- 1 lb Sweet potatoes (roughly chopped) roughly chopped
- 1 cup Apples
- ½ cup Goat cheese
- ½ cup Roasted Almonds
- 1½ cups Warm wild rice
- 2-4 cups Shredded kale
- 2 tablespoon Olive oil split in half
- 1 tablespoon All purpose seasoning
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon Freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 Large garlic clove minced
- ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
- ¾ cup Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare balsamic vinaigrette by adding ingredients into a measuring cup or bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside until further use.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- On a lined baking sheet, add chopped sweet potatoes.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
- Roast for 10-15 until cooked through and charred.
- While the potatoes roast, season chicken breasts with all purpose seasoning.
- In a medium skillet on medium to high heat. Sear chicken breasts on both sides until done. (internal temperature should be at 165 degrees fahrenheit)
- While the potatoes roast and chicken is searing. Prep additional salad ingredients.
- Prepare the brown rice mixture according to package instructions.
- Roughly chop apples into bite sized pieces.
- Massage kale with clean hands until wilted and softened.
How to Build Harvest Bowl
- This recipe serves two, divide ingredients evenly.
- To the bowl, add massaged kale.
- Layer roasted sweet potatoes, diced chicken breasts, goat cheese, roasted almonds and brown rice.
- Top each bowl with balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy!
Jasmine Williams-Batts says
Do I massage the kale with water or oil?
Carita says
Hi Jasmine! You only need to massage the kale with clean hands. The warmth from your hands will wilt the kale so it's not overly crunch when you prepare the salad. Hope this helps. 🙂