This is a Sweet Potato Salad with oomph!
With roasted sweet potato, baby spinach, wild rice, feta and almonds drizzled with a honey lemon lemon sauce, there’s a great variety of textures and flavours. You’ll happily scoff down a giant bowl for dinner, take leftovers to work the next day, you’ll feel full, you’ll feel good, and you won’t miss meat!
Sweet Potato Salad
If the kaleidoscope of colour doesn’t get you, then ONE BITE is all it will take to convince you that this is a sweet potato salad to die for!!
It’s got it all – freshness from baby spinach, sweet cubes of sweet potato with caramelised edges. The nutty chewiness of wild rice, creamy sweet pops of feta, the soft crunch of almonds and chewy sweetness from cranberries, all topped off with a tangy honey lemon dressing…
Well, if that description didn’t convince YOU, it certainly convinced ME that I need to make this again ASAP!!
Make this sweet potato salad as an impressive side, or serve it as a meal!
What goes in Sweet Potato Salad
Here’s what you need:
Plenty of sub options – even for the sweet potato itself – I’ve listed suggestions below!
Sweet potato – sub with pumpkin or butternut squash (we call them butternut pumpkin in Australia);
Wild rice – I LOVE wild rice, it’s got a nutty flavour that makes it so much more interesting than normal white rice. To reduce the carb quota, you could leave it out (which is what I usually do for midweek), or try other options like: brown rice, quinoa, farro, barley or other grains (psst While warm, we toss with some dressing so it sucks up flavour. So really, you can use anything here!);
Cranberries – sub with any dried fruit! If it’s large like apricots or apple, give it a rough chop;
Feta – or goats cheese;
Baby Spinach – Rocket / arugula is also terrific!
Flaked almonds – flaked almonds is a good way to make less nuts go further! Love the way it disperses all throughout this salad. However, feel free to use any nuts you prefer!
Lemon – sub with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar;
Honey – sugar or maple syrup; and
Mustard – I use this to thicken the dressing because I think this salad really benefits from everything being coated really nicely with dressing. If you’re a mustard hater, sub with mayo instead.
How to make Sweet Potato Salad
Nothing tricky here, it’s very straight forward! I like how this Sweet Potato Salad has a nice flow to it: get the Wild Rice simmering in water first, then get the potato in the oven while you prep the Dressing and other ingredients.
Then bring it all together and devour!
I chop the sweet potato into fairly small cubes to make it easier to eat (and also better dressing-to-potato ratio), so we can only roast them until the edges start caramelising – any longer, and they get overly soft and too delicate to handle.
A fabulous side dish – or a meal!
I say this is a fantastic side dish – and it is the sort of thing that I would take to gatherings as something a little different.
But truthfully, I make this more often as a meal than as a side. In fact, I can only ever recall serving it as a side dish once!
To me, this is the sort of salad that’s interesting and substantial enough to be served as a meal, even to self confessed Carnivores like myself! Plus, it would be a FABULOUS work lunch.
That’s Fabulous with a capital F!!! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Sweet potato:
- 1kg / 2 lb sweet potato , cut into 2cm / 4/5″ cubes (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
Salad:
- 200g/ 7oz baby spinach (or rocket/arugula)
- 1/2 red onion , finely sliced
- 3/4 cup sliced almond , toasted
- 90g/ 3oz feta , crumbled
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 cups cooked wild rice , warm (Note 2)
Honey Lemon Mustard Dressing:
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp extra olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp honey
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove , small, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F.
- Shake Dressing ingredients in a jar.
- Toss sweet potato with olive oil, salt and pepper, spread onto tray.
- Roast for 20 minutes, flip, then roast for a further 5 minutes until golden on edges.
- Place baby spinach, onion and half almonds in a bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp Dressing, toss.
- Drizzle warm rice with 1 tbsp Dressing, toss.
- Spread spinach on serving platter. Top with rice, then sweet potato and cranberries.
- Drizzle with remaining Dressing, then top with feta and remaining almonds. Serve!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More Fabulous, SUBSTANTIAL Meat Free Salads and Sides
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Rocket/Arugula – this one is made with larger pieces of sweet potato that are roasted until deep golden
Fondant Sweet Potatoes – roasted with stock, this is a sweet n’ savoury side that’s perfect for Thanksgiving or anytime!
Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts – a quick and easy roast pumpkin side that’s endlessly adaptable
Giant Couscous Salad – you’ll love how the couscous is cooked in an aromatic broth so it soaks up all that incredible flavour!
Wild Rice Salad – regular readers know I’m mad for this salad 😇
Sexy Lentil Salad – YES you read that right. I said SEXY!! 😂
My Favourite Quinoa Salad – an Asian-style salad that’s full of interesting textures, and enough heft to make a meal
A big, fat Caesar Salad
Browse more Mighty Salads and more Side Salads
Life of Dozer
Then….
…and now!
Oh my goodness Nagi, this was fab. I couldn’t get wild rice so used a brown rice/quinoa mix but everything else was as listed. 2 out of 3 kids wouldn’t eat it but that was nothing new, hubby on the other hand devoured it. Will make again and again.
All the more for you 😉
We made this last night at our charity cafe. We subbed the sweet potato for roasted pumpkin and wild rice for jasmine and it was devoured by our clients. Will definitely be making this again.
That’s so great to hear Bianca!!
This was delish, and filling. I will make again. Highly recommend.
Thanks so much Pam!
Thanks so much for your help to make our Fathers Day bbq special. I made this salad, chicken shawarma, lamb kofta, hummus and yoghurt sauce. All your recipes and all totally delicious. The family said it was one of the best meals they’d had. Oh, and I followed it up with the salted caramel tart. Beautiful. My daughters and I are addicted to RecipeTinEats!!!! 😋
Sounds like you nailed it! Well done Emma!!
I would LOVE for you to make a cookbook! My printer’s biggest job is printing all of your recipes! I’m old fashioned and like to have a hard copy to cook from.
That’s so nice to hear! Thanks Jennifer!
I cook for 50-60 people would canned sweet potatoes work? Peeling and cubing would take forever for that many
Hi Rose, I can honestly say I’ve never used canned – I love roasted as you get that golden colour which gives an amazing flavour – N x
Tried with canned tonight — the sweet potatoes “mushed” into the rest of the salad. People liked it, but it was not as pretty as pictured.
Thanks for the recipe Nagi. Very yummy. I loved the addition of the wild rice to this salad as it makes it a complete meal. Can’t wait to make it for the vegetarians in my family.
I hope they love it Helen!
“BOOK PUBLISHER”!!!!!! YES!!! I’d pre-order right now.
❤️ Thanks Cindy!
Hi, Nagi. I made your wonderful sweet potato salad for dinner last night accompanied by strips of spicy chicken. Not only was the presentation beautiful and colorful but it was absolutely delicious! I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Delicious salad! Love it on its own or with some grilled chicken too boost protein! Thanks Nagi!
Thank you Rachel! Glad you enjoyed it! N xx
Hi Nagi, Haven’t commented on anything for a while now as we’re still travelling around Oz now for 4 months with 3 months to go. At the moment we’re down in Bunbury W.A. after traversing all up around over the top and thoroughly enjoying seeing SO MUCH of our wonderful country.
I must say though that this recipe really caught my eye and since having everything bar sweet potato on board I’m going to try it with pumpkin tonight as a side to some lovely pork chops. I’ll reduce the quantities a little as there’s only the two of us and only have so much room left in the fridge of our caravan.
Love Dozer trying to fit where he once could – no different to us though as we get older and carry a little more weight. Ha! Ha!
Still loving your site. X X
WOW! What a trip! You’re living my DREAM!! N xx
I just made this salad for dinner, and hopefully, lunch tomorrow. It is truly wicked–hard to share with my vegetarian daughter! I did change one thing for her: subbed brown sugar for the honey. Something about the bees, honey and vegetarianism….go figure:)
Shoot! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Connie! (And hope your daughter got to try some too 😂) N x
Hi Nagi! Could you use something other than Spinach? My husband and I cannot eat raw spinach. Let me know if you have a suggestion. Thanks!
Absolutely! Arugula/rocket – I have that in the notes 🙂 N x
A cookbook! Finally!! Just tell me where tomorrow order. Congratulations! And thank you for all that you do – the phrase “is this a Nagi recipe?” Is a household question nowadays!
Aww shucks thanks Kerry!! N xx
Nagi, I made your lemon potato salad yesterday and it was delicious. Can’t wait to make this one. Thank you.
Oooh I love that one!! Glad you liked it too! N x
And a huge thank you from me as this recipe really is different to any I make ! Live on sweet potatoes, love wild rice, use barley, farro and quinoa every week . . . always have baby spinach and feta in the fridge and shall love the addition of the cranberries: so my type of food, and as a main meal quite happily ! Really interesting !!! Dozer: well, Mother, puppies do grow up 🙂 !
So you’ve got EVERYTHING to make this!! 😂 Do it Eha, would love to know what you think! N x
Hi Nagi,
I have never visited or cooked so many recipes from the one website. You are inspirational I have already printed and cooked at least 15 of your recipes, all of them have become my go to favourites. Thank you so much. Looking forward to you cookbook also. 🙂
Thank you for the kind words Jenny! I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes! N x
Love you and Dozer!!!!
You wouldn’t say that if you could SMELL him right now – he STINKS!!! 😂
Oh yum! Can’t wait to try this one. I would cook one of your recipes at least once a week…they are all so simple and tasty. Congratulations on your cookbook. Will look forward to being able to buy it.
Thank you Tracey!! Long way to go yet – haven’t got a formal offer…. so we shall see! (Oh, and then I have to do the WORK 😂) N xx
Have to say how I jump on to your recipe posts Nagi. Living very rurally I find it’s like having someone in my kitchen with me.
I’m more inspired, enjoy the variety and ideas you share and we are eating more widely. Dozer needs to come play with Harlee our gorgeous Rottie. Both personality plus 🐾🐾 Thanks Nagi for being YOU!!!!
Dozer LOVES getting out into the wide open space!!! He bolts around like a lunatic, he doesn’t know what to do with himself with all that SPACE!! So glad you you’re enjoying my recipes Elle 🙂 N x