Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Recipe

Name: Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 pounds sweet potatoes (3 medium or 2 large); 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste; 1/2 medium red onion; 1 large lime; 2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 to 2 packed cups baby spinach; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste; 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

Regular potatoes might get all of the glory when it comes to salads, but sweet potatoes deserve just as much love and attention. This roasted sweet potato salad shows off the orange-hued root vegetable, setting off its naturally sweet flavor with chili powder.

With earthy black beans, pickled red onion, baby spinach, salty feta cheese crumbles, and a vibrant lime vinaigrette, this is a colorful, hearty vegetarian salad that can be enjoyed a number of ways. Showcase it as a main for a wholesome lunch or dinner or serve it as a side with chicken, sausages, or fish.

Plate of Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with a Fork, Surrounded by a Bowl with More Salad, Glasses, a Small Bowl with Salt, a Cutting Board with a Lime Half, and a Kitchen Towel — Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

How to Perfectly Roast Sweet Potatoes

Roasting is my favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes, not only because it’s a largely hands-off method, but because it results in ultra-creamy flesh with crispy, caramelized edges. There are a few essential tips for achieving these results in the oven:

Pick the Right Temperature: 425°F is the perfect temperature to roast sweet potatoes to ensure the flesh becomes tender while the exterior browns. A lower oven temperature will inhibit browning and caramelization while a higher temperature can cause the natural sugars in the potatoes to burn before the flesh is cooked through.
Season Well: Sweet potatoes are, well, naturally sweet, so generously seasoning them with salt and savory spices balances their flavor beautifully. Here, along with the usual salt and pepper, I’ve chosen to toss them with a full tablespoon of chili powder. The spice blend is a nice one-and-done ingredient because it contains a lightly spicy, smoky mix of chile powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and coriander.
Toss Only Once: It’s tempting to want to check on the sweet potatoes a few times while they’re roasting and give them a toss each time. Leave them be and toss them only once, halfway through, and they’ll brown and crisp significantly better than they would if you fiddle with them.

How to Cook and Store Sweet Potatoes

How to Meal Prep This Salad

Perhaps the best part about this salad is it stores exceptionally well, making it a great meal prep and make-ahead candidate. I love making it at the start of the week to enjoy for lunch throughout the week. Simply make the recipe in its entirety, transfer it to an airtight container, and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. The baby spinach will wilt slightly during storage, but I actually don’t mind that and think it makes for even more cohesive forkfuls. If you’d prefer perky spinach, store it separately and toss before serving.

Let the salad come back up to room temperature on the counter or warm individual servings in the microwave before serving. Refresh it with another squeeze of lime juice and a drizzle of olive oil and you’re good to go.

Simple Recipe Variations

There are a handful of easy ways to mix up this recipe, depending on what you might already have on hand in your kitchen. The results are sure to be equally delicious:

Try another spice blend, such as garam masala, berbere, or baharat
Swap the black beans for any other variety of canned beans, such as chickpeas, pinto beans, or navy beans
Replace the feta cheese with crumbles of goat cheese, ricotta salata, queso fresco, or cotija cheese
Use baby kale or arugula instead of baby spinach
Add some crunch with pepitas, sunflower seeds, or toasted and chopped nuts

Roasty, Toasty Sweet Potato Recipes

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 4 to 6 servings

2 pounds sweet potatoes (3 medium or 2 large)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
1/2 medium red onion
1 large lime
2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 to 2 packed cups baby spinach
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven.
Prepare the sweet potatoes:

Peel the sweet potatoes, if desired, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with the chili powder and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to coat.

Arrange the potatoes in a single layer. Roast, tossing halfway through, until tender and browned in spots, about 30 minutes.

Once the potatoes are done, let them cool on the baking sheet until just warm to the touch, 10 to 15 minutes.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Quick pickle the onion:

Meanwhile, slice the red onion into very thin half-moons and place in a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of the lime into the bowl, then halve the lime crosswise and squeeze its juice into the bowl. Toss to coat the onion in the juice then leave to quick-pickle while the potatoes roast.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe
Assemble the salad:

Add the roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, baby spinach, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to the bowl with the onion and lime juice and toss to combine. Add the feta and toss gently again to combine.

Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
402	Calories
14g	Fat
58g	Carbs
14g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories	402
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 17mg	6%
Sodium 940mg	41%
Total Carbohydrate 58g	21%
Dietary Fiber 16g	56%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 43mg	215%
Calcium 221mg	17%
Iron 4mg	24%
Potassium 1256mg	27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.