Man, this is a delicious, winter salad! Roasted sweet potatoes, rutabaga and red onion mingle with crisp green apples, crunchy hazelnuts and fresh lacinato kale. The hazelnut vinaigrette is a mix of lemon juice, hazelnut oil, agave and kosher salt. Seriously good stuff.

Is adding hazelnut oil to your pantry worth it? The answer is yes. It is amazing for roasting root vegetables! It tastes great in salad dressings! It tastes great drizzled over pasta! Some people even use it in baking! While you can use a different oil to execute this salad recipe, it will not be the same. I don’t think it would be bad to use another oil, but I don’t think it would be as good. For the sake of rich flavor and dimension, I would urge you to add it to your pantry, if it is not there already.

Plus, it smells SO GOOD while it’s roasting in the oven.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Rutabaga and Green Apple Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 large rutabaga, peeled and cubed

1 small red onion, chopped

2 Tbsp + ⅓ cup hazelnut oil, divided (see note above)

1 tsp ground allspice

2 Tbsp+ lemon juice

1 tsp agave

1 large firm green apple, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

1 cup lacinato kale, stems removed, massaged and torn into bite-size pieces

⅓ cup whole hazelnuts

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a large cookie sheet with non-stick aluminum foil and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add sweet potato, rutabaga and red onion. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp of hazelnut oil and add ground allspice, mix well.

3. Spread sweet potatoes, rutabaga and red onion over the lined cookie sheet. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, flip with a spatula, and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and allow to slightly cool.

4. While the vegetables are roasting, whisk together ⅓ cup hazelnut oil, lemon juice, agave, and a generous pinch of salt. Toss the sliced apples in the dressing. Then, add the kale and parsley until well-coated with the dressing.

5. Next, gingerly add the roasted vegetables—being careful not to totally mash them while stirring them in. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Top with whole hazelnuts, and serve immediately.

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