Description
This easy sweet potato salad features tender roasted sweet potatoes tossed with baby arugula, dried cranberries, pepitas, and a tangy honey mustard dressing. It’s a colorful and satisfying fall salad that balances sweet, savory, and nutty flavors, perfect as a refreshing side dish or light main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Salad Components
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1/2 medium shallot, thinly sliced into half moons
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 1/4 cup pepitas
- 1/4 cup feta or goat cheese crumbles (optional)
Dressing
- 6 tablespoons Honey Mustard Dressing (or Balsamic Dressing or Orange Vinaigrette for vegan option)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit to prepare for roasting the sweet potatoes.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes: Dice the sweet potatoes into 3/4" cubes, leaving the skin on. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato cubes with extra-virgin olive oil, garlic powder, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper until evenly coated.
- Roast Sweet Potatoes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the sweet potatoes evenly in a single layer. Roast in the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the cubes are tender and browned on the bottom. You can make these ahead and refrigerate; reheat prior to serving if desired.
- Make Dressing: While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the Honey Mustard Dressing or your choice of dressing to have ready for assembling the salad.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes, baby arugula, thinly sliced shallot, dried cranberries, pepitas, and optional feta or goat cheese crumbles. Drizzle with 6 tablespoons of the dressing and gently toss to combine evenly.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately as is or try the plated version by adding 2 to 3 cups of mixed greens, layering them on plates, topping with the roasted sweet potatoes and other ingredients, and drizzling with dressing.
Notes
- Use baby arugula rather than standard arugula for a milder flavor and more tender texture.
- The dressing choice can be switched to balsamic or orange vinaigrette for a vegan variation.
- You can prepare the roasted sweet potatoes ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator; reheat before assembling the salad.
- Add mixed greens for a larger plated salad presentation if desired.
- This salad is perfect for fall with the mix of sweet, savory, and tart flavors making it highly satisfying.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 381 kcal
- Sugar: 21.3 g
- Sodium: 286.4 mg
- Fat: 13.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 61.7 g
- Fiber: 8.2 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
