Pecan, Apple & Sweet Potato Salad
A stunning Thanksgiving pecan, apple, and sweet potato salad that works year-round! Roasted sweet potatoes, maple candied pecans, crisp lettuce, apples, and tangy feta unite with creamy apple cider vinaigrette for a perfect balance of flavor and texture.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes
- 1 ½ lb sweet potatoes (2 medium) cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the candied pecans
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- ½ tsp chipotle powder
- 2 tsp minced fresh thyme
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tbsp minced shallot
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ cup olive oil
For the salad
- 2-3 heads romaine lettuce cleaned and chopped
- 1 sweet, crisp apple (such as Honeycrisp) sliced
- 2 oz feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
For the sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Add the cubed sweet potatoes to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil. Toss the potatoes with the oil and spread them out in an even layer. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until the sweet potatoes are browned and tender, 18-25 minutes. Once roasted, remove them from the oven and set them aside.1 ½ lb sweet potatoes (2 medium), 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, ¾ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the candied pecans
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add the pecans, maple syrup, brown sugar, chipotle powder, thyme, and salt. Stir the ingredients over medium heat until the pecans are toasted and coated in a glaze, 5-8 minutes.1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups pecan halves, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, ½ tsp chipotle powder, 2 tsp minced fresh thyme, ½ tsp kosher salt
- Once glazed, remove from the heat and pour the pecans on parchment paper to cool. Once cooled, break or cut the pecans into pieces.
For the dressing
- In a bowl or dressing shaker, combine the minced garlic, minced shallot, salt, black pepper, Dijon mustard, vinegar, maple syrup, and olive oil. Whisk or shake until combined and emulsified.1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp minced shallot, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, ½ cup olive oil
For the salad
- In a large bowl or serving platter, toss the lettuce, roasted potatoes, and sliced apple with half of the dressing. Add the feta cheese on top. Drizzle with the remaining or desired amount of dressing and candied pecans. Serve immediately.2-3 heads romaine lettuce, 1 sweet, crisp apple (such as Honeycrisp), 2 oz feta cheese
Video
Notes
If possible, when roasting the sweet potatoes, use the convection setting on your oven. This turns on a fan in the oven, circulating the hot air to roast the sweet potatoes evenly and make them crispy.
Make sure to keep a close eye on the pecans as they cook. They can quickly burn, so it's important to continue stirring them while they're on the heat.
When making the dressing, if you desire a lower level of garlic stringency, let it temper in the olive oil for about 20 minutes before adding the additional ingredients. This will reduce the astringency.
Cover the greens with some dressing before adding additional ingredients. Tossing them first creates a more balanced and well-coated salad. The remaining dressing can be added after the final toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 437kcal