Sweet Potato Salad
Made with peppery crisp arugula, tender roasted sweet potatoes, thin sliced tart granny smith apples, crunchy maple-ginger candied pecans, tangy feta, and sweetened dried cranberries. And it's all blanketed in a bright orange-lemon dressing to highlight it
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Salt and black pepper
- 5 oz. baby arugula
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple, very thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup feta cheese
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp orange zest (from 1 navel orange)
- 1 tsp real maple syrup
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
Maple Pecans
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 3 Tbsp real maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp (heaping) ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare oven and pan: Place oven rack in upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Roast sweet potatoes: Place potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss to evenly coat then spread into an even layer.
- Bake sweet potatoes in oven until tender, about 20 to 25 minutes (note that if you didn't use parchment paper you can broil them during the last few minutes for a more browning if desired).
- Let sweet potatoes cool for at least 10 minutes once removed from the oven so it doesn't cook and wilt the arugula.
- Make the dressing: While potatoes are roasting and cooling, prepare dressing. In a mixing bowl whisk together all the dressing ingredients including olive oil, lemon juice, orange zest, 1 tsp maple syrup, and the dijon mustard. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to fridge to chill.
- Make the maple ginger candied pecans: Heat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add pecans, maple syrup and sprinkle over ginger, cinnamon and 2 pinches of salt.
- Cook pecans, tossing almost constantly, until golden brown and maple syrup is no longer so sticky, about 5 to 6 minutes. If needed reduce heat to medium-low during cooking so they don't burn. Immediately transfer to a sheet of parchment paper to cool.
- Assemble salad: In a large salad bowl toss together arugula with half of the dressing. Top with apple slices, roasted sweet potatoes, maple-ginger candied pecans, feta and cranberries. Drizzle over remaining dressing and serve right away.