This roasted sweet potato feta salad recipe with a luscious lime dressing makes a gorgeous main course salad, or show-stopping Thanksgiving side dish.
Roasted Sweet Potato Feta Salad
This easy salad is one of my all-time favorites and it’s simple to prepare on a weeknight, vegetarian, and filled with healthy ingredients to make you feel great!
So, what’s in this sweet potato salad recipe? It is loaded with fantastic textures and flavors – and perfectly contrasts as a side dish to so many mains. It has some seriously delicious honey harissa roasted sweet potatoes for one thing.
Plus some crumbled salty feta for a little richness, little bursts of sweetness in the form of pomegranate seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds for crunch, and a luscious and tangy lime vinaigrette.
Of course, you can add a lot of veggies according to your preference. Red onion or green onion, fresh herbs, or creamy avocado would make a great addition.
You can use pumpkin or butternut squash or another winter squash instead of sweet potatoes if you like.
You can add some extra protein by adding black beans or chickpeas.
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients
Salad Greens
Sweet potato salad recipes often seem to include kale, but am I the only one intimidated by kale? To be honest, I had kind of relegated it to the category of fad foods that people only pretend to like.
But the other day I was at the grocery store looking for some greens for this sweet potato feta salad recipe I was working on, and came across this mix of baby greens that included baby kale.
It turned out to be perfect for this delicious salad. These leafy greens, which also included baby chard and baby spinach, were sturdy enough to stand up to my roasted sweet potato cubes, without being too hearty, or too mushy.
You can use whatever greens you like. Try shredded regular kale, spring mix, spinach, shredded brussels sprouts. Up to you!
Sweet Potatoes
For hearty salads, a filling ingredient like sweet potatoes is important. And the roasted sweet potatoes with the caramelized edges pair perfectly with the salty feta and leafy greens.
Harissa Paste
Harissa was one of my fixations this year. I used it in these roasted potatoes with Harissa and it was such a hit as a side dish! It is not spicy as you might think it is and perfectly complements the sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
Leafy Greens
I used a bag of mixed baby lettuces with baby kale, spinach, and chard.
Pumpkin seeds
Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, go great with the roasted sweet potatoes. They add a crunchy texture and nutty flavor that can complement many different salad ingredients. They are also a good source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
You can also add pine nuts or sunflower seeds in place of the pumpkin seeds (or with them). Pecans or walnuts would be great too.
Crumbled feta
Salty feta cheese is one of the main ingredients in this recipe. Actually, this roasted sweet potato feta salad is my favorite way to use leftover feta cheese before it goes bad.
The salty feta perfectly complements all the flavors and textures of this main course salad. You can use creamy goat cheese instead if you prefer it!
Pomegranate
The sweetness of the pomegranate seeds helps to balance out the saltiness of the feta cheese, while the tartness adds a refreshing touch. The seeds also add a nice crunch and texture.
Lime Vinaigrette Ingredients
Olive oil
Use good quality extra virgin olive oil in your salads for the best flavor (and of course all the health benefits).
Honey
You need honey both for the roasted sweet potatoes and the lemon honey vinaigrette. You can also use maple syrup in instead.
Lime Juice
Lemon juice works too or apple cider vinegar work too.
How to Make a Roasted Sweet Potato Feta Salad
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, harissa, salt and black pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel and dice two medium sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch sweet potato cubes.
3. Add the sweet potato cubes to the bowl and stir to coat evenly.
4. Transfer the diced sweet potatoes to a baking tray, spread in a single layer, and roast in the preheated oven about 20 minutes.
5. Take the baking sheet out of the oven when they’re tender and slightly charred and your roasted sweet potatoes are done.
6. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, lime juice, mustard, honey, salt and black pepper).
7. In a large bowl, toss the leafy greens together with the dressing. Divide among 4 bowls.
8. Top the greens with roasted sweet potatoes cubes, pumpkin seeds, tangy feta and pomegranate seeds.
How beautiful does this sweet potato feta salad look? We eat this as a complete meal and it’s totally satisfying, thanks to those hearty roasted sweet potatoes. If you love them as much as we do, you need to try this vegetarian sweet potato chili or these oven roasted sweet potatoes with brown butter and maple.
Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are easily my favorite root vegetable. They can replace regular potatoes in pretty much every application and contribute a ton more flavor, color AND nutrients.
Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse. They are a huge source of vitamin A in the form beta-carotene, as well as antioxidants, fiber, potassium and more.
If you’re curious, sweet potatoes are sweet because they contain an enzyme that breaks the starch down into sugar as they’re cooked. The longer they’re cooked, the sweeter they get! Check out this post from the Kitchn for more info.
Are Sweet Potatoes the Same as Yams?
No. Sweet potatoes and yams come from entirely different plant families, though they can sometimes look quite similar.
Sweet potatoes are far more widely available than sweet yams, but apparently many US grocery stores routinely label sweet potatoes as “yams”, which explains all the confusion.
Chances are if you see “yams” at your grocery store, they are actually sweet potatoes!
In addition to being a perfect fall vegetarian weeknight meal, this roasted sweet potato feta salad would make a perfect addition to your Thanksgiving dinner table as a side dish.
How can I make this roasted sweet potato salad vegan?
Simply use a vegan cheese in place of the feta, and use maple syrup instead of honey for roasting the sweet potatoes and making the dressing.
Storage Instructions
The best way to store this salad would be to store everything separately. Store leafy greens, roasted sweet potatoes, and dressing in separate airtight containers. Add the feta and remaining ingredients just before serving.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Baby Kale Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon harissa paste
- salt and pepper to taste
- 7 oz mixed baby lettuces such as baby kale, spinach, and chard
- 1/2 cup roasted pepitas
- 1 cup crumbled feta
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds from about 1 pomegranate
Lime Dressing
- 1/4 cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, harissa, salt and pepper. Add the diced sweet potatoes and toss until well coated.
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Spread sweet potatoes evenly onto a baking sheet and roast, tossing to turn once, until soft and golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
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To make the dressing, whisk together the lime juice, honey, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, and then the canola oil, whisking constantly to emulsify.
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In a large salad bowl toss the salad greens with dressing to taste. Divide between 4 plates. Top with sweet potatoes, pepitas, feta and pomegranate seeds.
