Sweet Potato Salad

This sweet potato salad recipe is colorful and delicious! Roasted potatoes, greens, and cranberries make the ideal sweet and savory mix.

Looking for a delicious salad featuring everyone’s favorite root vegetable? Try this Sweet Potato Salad! You won’t be able to stop shoveling in bites of this healthy side dish (we couldn’t, at least). The contrast of garlic roasted sweet potato cubes, feathery baby arugula, cranberries and creamy goat cheese hit it out of the park. Top it with tangy honey mustard dressing and well, you’ll want to park yourself in front of the bowl.

Elements in this sweet potato salad recipe

There are many types of sweet potato salads. In fact, there’s a popular Arabic sweet potato salad with onion, cinnamon and raisins. This sweet potato salad recipe is one of our own creation, using our favorite roasted sweet potatoes with a mix of fall and wintery produce. But it works for any time of year! Here’s what you’ll need:

Sweet potatoesOlive oil, garlic powder, and salt and pepper (for roasting)Honey Mustard Dressing (or Balsamic Dressing or Orange Vinaigrette for vegan)Baby arugulaShallotDried cranberries or cheeriesPepitas (pumpkin seeds)Feta cheese or goat cheese (optional)

Tips for making roasted sweet potatoes

The longest lead item in this sweet potato salad recipe is roasting the potatoes! This salad is built around these Roasted Sweet Potatoes: our master method for baking them until they’re caramelized and tender. Here are a few notes for that method:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Sweet potatoes are best roasted at very high heat, which gets the best caramelization (called the Maillard reaction). Dice the sweet potatoes into 3/4-inch chunks. This might sound oddly specific, but it’s the ideal size for bite-sized pieces. (Cut them too small and they shrivel up in the oven.)Season with olive oil, salt and garlic powder. See the recipe below for specifics. Roast on parchment-lined baking sheet for about 25 minutes, until tender. There’s no need to stir! Throw them in and they roast up like a charm.

Two variations: potato salad vs plated salad

You can serve this sweet potato salad one of two ways: from a bowl, or as a plated salad. Here are the differences:

The main method is like a cross between potato salad and green salad. It’s mostly sweet potatoes, with a bit of baby arugula thrown in. Want more of a green salad? Do the plated salad variation. Add a few cups of mixed greens to the baby arugula. Place the greens on a plate, then add the sweet potatoes and drizzle over dressing.

Only use baby greens!

This sweet potato salad is contingent on using baby greens. Why? Baby arugula has a beautiful feathery texture and a mild flavor. Mature arugula is sold in bunches and the flavor is very spicy! Don’t use it as a substitute. If you need a substitute, use any type of baby green: spinach or mixed greens.

Baby arugula is sold in boxes or bags in the produce aisle. Just stay away from anything sold as a bunch!

Sweet potato salad dressings

This sweet potato salad recipe tastes good with lots of different salad dressing options. Our favorite is Honey Mustard Dressing, but there are lots to choose from. Here are some options:

Honey Mustard Dressing (use maple syrup instead of honey for vegan)Balsamic Vinaigrette: another favorite!Citrus Salad Dressing: would add a zingy citrus flairDijon Mustard Dressing or Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing: tangy and delicious

When to serve it

Let us know if you try this sweet potato salad: it’s one of our favorite new recipes and everyone goes crazy for it when we make it! It would be perfect for serving:

With black bean chiliFor a healthy lunch ideaAs a Thanksgiving side dish

More sweet potato recipes

Love sweet potatoes? Here some favorite sweet potato recipes for any season:

Try fan-favorite Sweet Potato WedgesOpt for a good old Baked Sweet Potato or Microwave Sweet Potato, or load it up for Stuffed Sweet PotatoesTry Best Ever Sweet Potato Fries or Sweet Potato SoupMake meals with Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas or Sweet Potato CurryBake up Sweet Potato Muffins or Sweet Potato BreadMake delicious Mashed Sweet Potatoes or Sweet Potato Puree

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A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.