This Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl is the perfect way to satisfy your craving when there's no Sweetgreen nearby. Packed with hearty ingredients like kale, chicken, sweet potatoes, wild rice, apples, and goat cheese, all tossed in my Basil Balsamic Dressing. Enjoy the fall at home!
If you landed on this recipe post, there is a high probability you have been to a Sweetgreens and had this Harvest Bowl Recipe.
After the hot summer months, I start dreaming about fall salads like my Beetroot and Butternut Squash Salad and the Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad.
When making this harvest bowl, I like to make it easy and use store-bought rotisserie chicken that I pull apart.
You can use any variety of apples, but I favor Fuji apples for their juicy flavor and crisp texture.
I love to meal prep this recipe for easy and healthy lunches. Here are the meal prep containers I use.
Jump to:
The Sweetgreens Story
Sweetgreen was founded by three young college students who wanted healthy fast food options in the Washington D.C. area.
They opened a small restaurant serving healthy meals, and today Sweetgreen has over 221 locations in 18 states.
Passionate about food quality, they worked with local farmers to create relationships and offer their guests the best-tasting ingredients possible.
If you have a location near you, I highly recommend them for a healthy and delicious lunch/dinner option.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Meal Prep Friendly. These harvest bowls are perfect to prep for weekly lunches, and the hearty ingredients won't wilt and turn on you.
- You'll love all the Fall ingredients. Roasted sweet potatoes, wild rice, toasted almonds, kale, crisp apples, and creamy goat cheese. YUM!
- Easily customizable. Swap out ingredients like toasted almonds for my Paleo Candied Walnuts.
Key Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the harvest bowl ingredients. Scroll to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
See recipe card for quantities.
Kale
Is a hearty green that holds up well to dressings without getting soggy, making it excellent for meal prep. Kale is a nutrient-dense vegetable packed with vitamins A, C, and K.
Sweet Potatoes
I like to peel, cube, and roast sweet potatoes in the oven to bring out the natural sweetness. If you have an air fryer make my Air Fryer Crispy Sweet Potato Cubes.
Chicken
Bake chicken breast in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Another option to make this recipe quick and easy is to buy a rotisserie chicken from the store.
Wild Rice
Has an earthy and nutty flavor making it the perfect grain to put in salads or bowls. Wild rice is gluten-free, high in fiber, and low in calories.
Apples
I like to choose a juicy and crisp apple like Fuji, but you can use your favorite-tasting apple in this recipe. Speaking of apples you must try my Air Fryer Apple Crisp, and Air Fryer Caramelized Apples recipes.
Almonds
In this recipe, I used sliced almonds that I toasted in the oven, but slivered or whole almonds taste great too.
Goat Cheese
Its rich and tangy taste pairs great with fall flavors like apples, sous vide beets, pears, and squash.
Substitutions + Variations
- Greens - The only green I would swap out for kale is fresh arugula.
- Nuts - Toasted walnuts, almonds, and pecans would be great in this harvest bowl.
- Sweet Potato - Use roasted butternut squash or kabocha squash.
- Apples - Replace apples with pears or pomegranates.
- Dressing - Instead of a Balsamic dressing, try my Maple Dijon Dressing or White Balsamic Vinaigrette.
- Dairy-Free - Remove the goat cheese if you can't have dairy.
- Grains- Farro has a nutty and chewy texture similar to wild rice.
Step-By-Step Instructions
If you don't have a Sweetgreen around the corner, no worries, I have the recipe for you! It's so easy to make, let me show you how.
Step 1. Wild Rice. We start making the wild rice first because it takes the longest. Follow the cooking instructions on the back of your wild rice bag. When rice is done, spread it out on a baking tray to cool down.
Step 2. Sweet Potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425°F/218°C. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray and toss with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until caramelized and cooked through.
Step 3. Almonds. Turn oven down to 350°F/176°C. Place almonds on a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
Step 4. Balsamic Dressing. Place all ingredients into a jar and blend with an immersion blender. For more detailed instructions check out my Basil Balsamic Dressing recipe.
Assemble the Bowl
To assemble the salad, Place kale in your salad bowls and massage it with a small amount of olive oil and salt. Top the salad with roasted sweet potatoes, wild rice, chicken, apples, goat cheese, almonds, and dressing. Toss before serving.
Chef Tips
- Massage the kale with a pinch of salt and a small amount of olive oil to make the sturdy greens easier to eat.
- Meal prep for the work week for a healthy and filling salad/bowl.
- To make life easier, use a rotisserie chicken from the store.
- If you can't find wild rice, Farro makes a great substitute.
FAQ's
Yes! I love meal-prepping this harvest bowl for lunches all week long. Kale is such a hearty green, and it holds up without wilting like other lettuce.
Brown rice, quinoa, or farro are good substitutes for wild rice.
You can use baked or pan-seared chicken breast, or save time by opting for rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
Arugula is a great alternative to kale, but since it’s a more delicate green, it tends to wilt faster.
More Salad Recipes
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @thefrizzledleek on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup wild rice
- 2 cups cubed sweet potatoes roasted
- 8 cups kale chopped
- 2 cups rotesserie chicken
- 1 cup apples chopped
- ¼ cup goat cheese crumbled
- ½ cup roasted almonds sliced
Basil Balsamic Dressing
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil chopped
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- To make the wild rice, follow the instructions on the back of the box. After the rice is cooked, spread it on a baking tray to cool down faster. Set aside.
- To make the sweet potatoes, Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking tray and toss with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until caramelized and cooked through.
- To toast the almonds, Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a baking tray and toast for 8 minutes or until toasted and golden brown.
- To make the dressing, Place all ingredients into a jar and blend with an immersion blender. For more detailed instructions check out my Basil Balsamic Dressing recipe.
- To assemble the salad, Place kale in your salad bowls and massage it will a small amount of olive oil and salt. Top the salad with roasted sweet potatoes, wild rice, chicken, apples, goat cheese, almonds, and dressing. Toss before serving.
Notes
- Massage the kale with a pinch of salt and a small amount of olive oil to make the sturdy greens easier to eat.
- Meal prep for the work week for a healthy and filling salad/bowl.
- To make life easier, use a rotisserie chicken from the store.
- If you can't find wild rice, Farro makes a great substitute.
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