Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Closeup of a bowl of sweet potato salad with a serving spoon in it.

Easy, roasted sweet potato salad is packed with flavor from fragrant spices, tangy-sweet balsamic vinegar, sultry vanilla, and just enough smoky chipotle to make it tingle. A healthy side dish that's perfect for summer potlucks and autumn feasts!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American - Southwest

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Chilling 1

Total Time 2

Servings servings

Calories 330kcal

Author Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

Roast Sweet Potato Salad

3 ½ pounds sweet potatoes peeled, diced and roasted
3 stalks of celery sliced
1 large honey crisp apple diced -- may substitute Granny Smith or MacIntosh - leave the peels on
1 cup pecans toasted and chopped
1 medium onion diced
¼ cup candied ginger chopped
1 tablespoon Chipotle in adobo chopped -optional but fantastic
Salt and pepper to taste

Vanilla Balsamic Vinaigrette

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup spiced cider
⅓ cup light oil (walnut, peanut, etc)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey may substitute maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of cloves
1 tablespoon chipotle in adobo sauce mashed

Instructions

Salad

Let sweet potatoes cool completely after roasting.
Add the sweet potatoes and the rest of the salad ingredients to a large bowl.
Pour the vinaigrette over all.
Toss lightly, serve or chill for up to four days. It's better if it has a couple of hours for the flavors to blossom!

Vanilla Balsamic Vinaigrette

Whisk ingredients together and allow to mellow for 20 minutes if possible.
Pour over salad and allow flavors to mingle for at least an hour or up to three days.

Notes

Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This recipe does not freeze well.

Variations:

Use walnuts in place of pecans
Add dried cranberries
Add some fresh orange zest to brighten it up
Use pears in place of apples
You can use cider vinegar if you absolutely have to but it’s really really not as good.
Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Add some fire roasted poblano peppers.

Nutrition