Sweet Potato Salad

Calling all potato salad lovers! Have you ever tried swapping your Yukon golds for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes? This sweet potato salad recipe is a nice change from the old-fashioned potato salad you’d expect at a cookout or potluck. Loaded with sweet potatoes, tart cherries, crunchy walnuts and fresh parsley, it’s full of nutritious whole foods that bring some color to the picnic table.

Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients

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• Sweet potatoes: This roasted sweet potato salad calls for 4 cups of cubed sweet potatoes. Depending on the size, that’s about four to six whole sweet potatoes.
• Olive oil: Coat the sweet potatoes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to promote roasting and caramelization. The best part of roasted sweet potatoes is always the dark, caramelized bits!
• Walnuts: Not usually a fan of walnuts? I find that toasting the nuts brings out their rich, nutty flavor better.
• Dried cherries: Sweet with a tart aftertaste, dried cherries are an unexpected ingredient that adds a chewy bite and dynamic flavor.
• Parsley: Since the sweet potatoes, cherries and walnuts are heavier, richer ingredients, we’ve added fresh parsley to break up the monotony and create a bright flavor.
• Mayonnaise: Full-fat or reduced-fat mayonnaise would work in this sweet potato salad.
• White vinegar: Tangy and bright, white vinegar imparts freshness. Apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar or lemon juice would work in a pinch.
• Honey: We sweeten this recipe just a touch with a bit of honey. Make sure you’re buying real honey, and leave the fake honey on the shelf. The quality makes a difference!
• Lime zest: I absolutely love using grated citrus zest in my cooking. The simple ingredient imparts a bright acidity that tunes up the flavors to a 10 and makes the dish taste like it came straight out of a professional kitchen.

Directions

Step 1: Roast the sweet potatoes

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Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan that’s been coated with cooking spray. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the sweet potatoes, and toss to coat. Bake the sweet potatoes till they’re tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Cool them to room temperature.

Step 2: Toss with the nuts, herbs and fruit

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In a large bowl, gently combine the walnuts, cherries, parsley and sweet potatoes.

Step 3: Make the dressing

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In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, lime zest and salt.

Step 4: Toss to coat

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Pour the dressing over the potato mixture and gently toss to coat. Serve the roasted sweet potato salad warm or cold.

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Sweet Potato Salad Variations

• Add some feta: Toss in broken-up pieces of feta. The crumbly, grainy, springy texture and tangy taste of feta go great with the other components in this sweet potato salad recipe.
• Change the nuts: Swap out the walnuts for pistachios or slivered almonds, if desired.
• Toss in other herbs: Along with the parsley, fresh sage or rosemary would be outstanding in this sweet potato salad recipe, especially if it’s for Thanksgiving. Just switch out the lime zest for lemon zest.

How to Store Sweet Potato Salad

Pop leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. It will last there for up to two days.

Can sweet potato salad be made ahead of time?

Components of the salad can be made ahead of time, but avoid tossing everything together till you’re ready to serve. Roast the sweet potatoes the day before. Let them come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Mix up the ingredients for the dressing, and store them in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. Toast and chop up the nuts the night before, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Sweet Potato Salad Tips

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What should I serve with sweet potato salad?

Sweet potato salad is a carb-heavy side. It’s best served alongside protein-rich mains like sauteed pork chops with garlic spinach, Hawaiian-inspired grilled huli huli chicken, juicy burgers fresh off the grill or these pretty flank steak pinwheels. Whip up a zippy, refreshing arugula salad with a simple vinaigrette, or try this crowd-favorite Mediterranean salad that’s absolutely loaded with fresh vegetables.

How can I make this sweet potato salad gluten-free?

To make this sweet potato potato salad gluten-free, check that all your packaged goods are certified gluten-free. I like to double-check the ingredients list too, as well as the facility’s allergen warnings that are listed directly below the ingredients.

Can this sweet potato salad be vegan?

To make this recipe vegan, swap the honey for maple syrup or agave, and swap the mayonnaise for vegan mayonnaise, vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt.