Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

If you’ve never thought of a salad as something hearty and delicious, think again. A roasted sweet potato salad with arugula and quinoa is not only pretty to look at, but it’s also pretty good for you too. Eating healthy doesn’t mean bland or boring, just look at all the beautiful colors in this salad. That vibrant pop of golden-brown orange from the sweet potato, bright green arugula, flecks of creamy goats cheese, and earthy brown quinoa are just as visually appealing as they are tasty.

Salads are a great way to stay on track when working on healthier food choices. But I still want some substance so I don’t feel like I’ve deprived myself. Roasted sweet potato and cooked quinoa give this salad some hearty umpf so that the salad becomes all the more substantive. Peppery arugula adds a nice freshness and a little bite. If you’ve not had arugula before, it’s distinctive flavor makes it really something special.

For even more goodness, I like to toss in some dried cranberries and chopped walnuts. The jewel-red cranberries add an ice bit of tart-sweetness while the walnuts give the salad a nice crunch factor. I also really like the goat cheese here. It’s creamy and rich so it really brings another layer of texture and flavor to each bite.

To finish the salad, I like to make a really simple honey-dijon dressing, with a little apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, and dijon mustard. And that’s it! I’ll drizzle the dressing over my salad, grab a fork, and happily dig right in, even happier knowing that I’m eating a salad that’s healthy and satisfying.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

30 minutes to prepare serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups baby arugula
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped, if desired
  • 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
  • For the dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Arrange the sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
  3. Roast until tender, 20-23 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool a bit.
  4. Add quinoa, arugula, cranberries, and nuts to bowl, along with cooled sweet potatoes.
  5. Shake together dressing ingredients in a small jar or whisk together and pour over salad. Toss to combine, top with goat cheese, and serve. Enjoy!