Perfect match: golden roasted sweet potato, rocket / arugula, feta or goats cheese, pecans and a drizzle of Honey Lemon Dressing. This Roasted Sweet Potato salad is worthy of a meal or as a side for an occasion – especially if you add a little sprinkle of bacon!
AN IRRESISTIBLE SWEET POTATO SALAD!
This is a terrific “meaty” salad that’s loaded with fantastic textures and flavours, and is filling enough to serve as a main.
The combination of peppery fresh rocket / arugula leaves, the sweet potato with the caramelised edges, the soft crunch of pecans with the salty feta then finished with lemony honey dressing is irresistible. One bite, and you’ll go back for more and more!
THE BEST WAY TO ROAST SWEET POTATOES
Every time I roast sweet potatoes, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. So juicy and soft on the inside, naturally sweet, and caramelises beautifully on the outside. I can’t think of another vegetable that caramelises this well. Not even pumpkin – it gets too mushy before it caramelises like this.
I’ve experimented roasting sweet potatoes in various ways, and I find I get the best results using olive oil and roasting it in a stinking hot oven. While butter has a lovely flavour, it burns at high oven temperatures. I’ve tried using a mix of butter and oil too, but still found that the butter became too bitter.
Though sweet potato is already sweet, it pairs perfectly with a Honey Lemon Dressing. I promise it’s not too sweet! I’m a savoury girl, so I’m very particular about the level of sweetness in savoury foods. The honey just takes the edge off the sharpness of the lemon, as well as thickening it so the dressing clings to the salad.
I’ve made this a ridiculous number of times over the past month or so. It’s my current obsession. I’m really into salads at the moment. Salads as meals. I’ve got a few more favorites coming up in the next few weeks, I hope you like them!
This is also a salad that regularly has a place during holiday feasting. Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. 🙂 It’s a terrific side because it’s something a little more interesting that the usual garden salad, and it’s a total crowd pleaser.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
MORE AMAZING POTATO RECIPES
- Lemon Potato Salad – a terrific mayo free potato salad!
- Spiral Sweet Potato Bake
- Truly Crunchy Roast Potatoes (and I mean seriously crunchy!)
- Crispy SMASHED Potatoes – a crowd favourite!
- Fondant Sweet Potatoes – roasted in stock for a savoury kick
- Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
- Greek Lemon Potatoes
- See all Potato recipes
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Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Potato
- 600 – 700 g / 1.2 – 1.4 lb sweet potato , peeled (2 medium)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Salad
- 100 g / 3.5 oz rocket salad / arugula (~3 handfuls)
- 1/2 cup (70g / 5 oz) pecans
- 1 tsp oil
- 100 g / 3.5 oz bacon , chopped (I used lean)
- 60 g / 2 oz Goats Cheese or Danish feta (Note 1)
Honey Lemon Dressing
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp lemon juice , fresh
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C / 430F.
- Cut sweet potato into 1.5cm / 3/5″ thick slices. Cut the larger rounds in half (into semi circles).
- Place in a bowl, drizzle over oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat. Pour onto baking tray.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then use an egg flip to turn and roast for a further 10 minutes or until golden.
- Meanwhile, place Dressing ingredients in a jar, mix with a teaspoon (to get honey off the base) then shake well until combined.
- Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes, or until they smell nutty.
- Remove pecans, then heat 1 tsp oil. Add bacon and cook until golden.
- To assemble, place everything in a bowl, reserving some bacon, pecans and goats cheese for garnish. Drizzle with most of the dressing, then toss gently.
- Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with remaining bacon, pecans and goats cheese. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
What? Dozer doesn’t like sweet potato peel? 😮
Hi Nagi, just wondering if this dressing can be made ahead & stored in the fridge for a few days? Thanks 🙂 & keep up the great work!
Another Christmas table hit! The combined flavours are just divine!
This is going on the Christmas table even without trying it out first just based on the comments and combination of ingredients! I will be adding the cranberries as someone suggested. Thaks Nagi
Roger that!
I just made it. I had to use walnuts as I could not find pecans. My roasted sweet potato did not look like yours. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Ras – sorry you had issues, what exactly happened? N x
You don’t mention the wild rice in the recipe. What do you do?
Hi Vicki, this is the recipe you’re looking for 🙂 https://salesdock.info/sweet-potato-salad/%3C/a%3E N x
HI Nagi
I love your recipes. They’re always a go to for me. I want to make this salad for Xmas day. Can I make it the day before? Will it be just as nice?
Very yummy! Did not add the bacon. The warm sweet potatoes melted the goat cheese.
Being a good Canadian instead of honey I used the real deal maple syrup from my home town
as always your recipes are over the top.
Thanks so much
Lynda.
Love this Lynda – that’s awesome! N x
Perfect blend of flavours and textures
This is a really delicious and hearty salad. I’ve also made it with an arugula/kale mix (from Costco) and it was equally delicious. Also just as good with or without bacon. Thank you again Nagi for such an easy and yummy recipe! Plus I love reading your stories, you’re hilarious and completely awesome – you really need your own cooking show!
This was soooooo good! I’ve never rosted sweet potatoes and they came out perfect. Plus I changed the rocket for spinach since I had that at home and was just great.
I have made this lots – the dressing is beautiful. I add some avocado and cranberries
YUM! Sounds great Dani! N x
Delicious. Served it to a group of ladies over to play games. Everyone loved it. I used purple sweet potatoes also.
Yum, that sounds fab Cathy!! N x
Hi Nagi, would the potato stand up to being roasted the day before?
Try roasting peels …Dozer will love them!
Great idea!
Hi Nagi, love your recipes. Thank you for making my time in the kitchen easier! Is there going to be a sweet potato chip/wedge recipe anytime soon? 😍
Thanks so much Angela! I’m working on some sweet potato chip recipes, trying to perfect the crispness!
This salad is delicious as written and so easy to put together! We have loved every recipe that we have tried from your site. We look forward to trying more!
Such a great salad. Make quite regularly and always a winner.
HI Nagi, your recipes are amazing (as always). May I please request more Low-calorie recipes? Thank you! 🙂
Thanks so much Dee, feel free to pop ay requests on my recipe request page – N x
Just made this tonight for dinner. My husband and I loved it. I used a mix of lettuces with the arugula. The mix of sweet potatoes, pecans, bacon, and the goat cheese really ups the salad game. The dressing is superb. I included a bit of lemon zest in the dressing. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I think we’ll put it into the rotation!
Love this recipe! Eating this as I type this. I used Bulgarian feta as I can’t seem to find danish and it’s so good!!
Ohh yum! So glad you love it Tricia!