Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Lime (Printable Version)
Caramelized roasted sweet potatoes with crisp greens, avocado, and a zesty lime dressing in a refreshing, nutritious dish.
# Ingredient List:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
02 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
03 - 3.5 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
04 - 1 avocado, diced
05 - 1.75 oz feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
06 - 1.75 oz toasted pumpkin seeds
→ Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
09 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
10 - 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Roasting
13 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
14 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
16 - Salt and pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, toss cubed sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
03 - Spread sweet potatoes in an even layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden and tender. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - While potatoes roast, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine roasted sweet potatoes, red onion, spinach or mixed greens, avocado, and half the pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss to coat.
06 - Top with crumbled feta cheese if using and remaining pumpkin seeds. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between warm, caramelized sweet potatoes and the cool, zesty lime dressing creates this incredible temperature play that regular salads just cant match.
- It looks absolutely gorgeous on the table with minimal effort, making it my secret weapon for impromptu dinner parties where I want to seem way more put-together than I actually am.
02 -
- Dont refrigerate the sweet potatoes before roasting or theyll steam rather than caramelize, a mistake I made the first three times until a chef friend set me straight.
- Adding the dressing while the potatoes are still warm helps them absorb the flavors without making the greens soggy, something I discovered completely by accident when I was rushing to serve dinner.
03 -
- Massage a tiny bit of the lime dressing into the sliced red onion and let it sit while the potatoes roast to mellow the sharpness while keeping all the flavor.
- Reserve about a tablespoon of the dressing to drizzle over the finished salad just before serving, creating bright flavor pockets that wake up your taste buds with each bite.