Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
A delicious twist on a classic dish, this colorful sweet potato salad combines dozens of different flavors all in one bowl. Dried cranberries, pecans, feta, and Dijon mustard add texture and depth, while maple syrup and brown sugar add a light sweetness. Served warm or cold, by itself or as a side, this salad can be as versatile as you need it to be!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
For the roasted sweet potatoes
- 3 lb sweet potatoes diced into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 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
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the dressing
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- ½ cup olive oil
For the salad
- 1 15-oz can black beans drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- 6 oz feta cheese crumbled
Instructions
For the 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 to evenly coat them 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.3 lb sweet potatoes, 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, 2 tbsp olive oil
For the 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, 6-8 minutes.1 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups pecan halves, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp chipotle powder, 2 tsp 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 in half.
For the dressing
- In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, black pepper, salt, and fresh thyme. Whisk to combine. Continue whisking and drizzle in the olive oil to form a vinaigrette.1 clove garlic, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp fresh orange juice, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp maple syrup, ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp fresh thyme, ½ cup olive oil
For the salad
- In a large bowl, add the prepared sweet potatoes, black beans, dried cranberries, red onion, celery, parsley, feta cheese, prepared pecans, and half of the dressing. Toss to combine and add the remaining dressing to taste. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until it is time to serve. If serving later, reserve the nuts and sprinkle on right before serving so they do not become soggy.1 15-oz can black beans, ¾ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup diced red onion, ½ cup diced celery, ¼ cup chopped parsley, 6 oz feta cheese
Video
Notes
- Chopping the sweet potatoes into smaller, uniformly-sized cubes allows them to roast easier and more evenly, getting browned on all sides. Make sure to spread the sweet potatoes out into an even layer so that they have room to roast. If they are all piled on top of each other, they'll steam rather than roast, which is undesirable.
- Pay close attention while cooking the pecans. They can be easy to overcook, which will burn the sugar.
- For a brighter taste, add some of the vinaigrette right before serving. The potatoes and pecans tend to soak up any liquid, so adding it later allows the flavors to shine through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 421kcal