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Savory Sweet Potato Salad

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Savory Sweet Potato Salad is a mouth-watering sweet potato salad with arugula, pomegranate, dried cherries, quinoa, and pepitas in apple cider vinaigrette. It represents every flavor of the palate and makes the perfect holiday dinner side dish.

scattered sweet potato salad on tray

Sweet potato salad has been a favorite holiday side dish for the past few years and it's a hit! As a kid, we always had candied sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, and I loved them. But, it's way too sweet for a holiday side dish now that I'm an adult...with a waistline...that I'd like to keep 😂 This sweet potato salad...it's lightly sweet, tart, savory, crunchy, and peppery all at once! It's a must-have holiday recipe for the sweet potato lovers out there.

Blogpost Contents hide
1) Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients
2) How to make Sweet Potato Salad
3) Sweet potato salad - flavor and texture galore!
3.1) Recommneded tools
4) More holiday recipes
5) Savory Sweet Potato Salad
5.1) Ingredients
5.2) Recipe Instructions
5.3) Nutrition

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients

Visit recipe card below 👇🏼 for printable amounts and instructions

  • quinoa
  • sweet potatoes
  • raw pepitas
  • arugula
  • pomegranate seeds
  • dried cherries
  • apple cider vinegar
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • maple syrup
  • salt and pepper
scattered sweet potato salad on tray

How to make Sweet Potato Salad

Visit recipe card below 👇🏼 for printable amounts and instructions

  • Step 1. Cook the quinoa and allow to cool.
  • Step 2. Cook the sweet potato (recipe includes microwave and oven-roasting instructions).
  • Step 3. Toast the pumpkin seeds.
  • Step 4. Whisk together salad dressing ingredients and refrigerate.
  • Step 5. To serve, toss all ingredients together...and devour!

You can prep each ingredient up to a few days in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator, and toss everything together just before your throwdown goes down.

Once this salad is dressed, it needs to be served immediately as the arugula wilts over time.

open faced pomegranate, tray of salad ingredients, scattered sweet potato salad on tray

Sweet potato salad - flavor and texture galore!

When you get a bite of this salad with morsels of each ingredient, you'll get savory from the sweet potatoes and pumpkin seeds and slightly bitter flavor from the arugula, tart from the pomegranate, sweetness from the sweet potatoes and dried cherries, and maple dressing, all perfectly balanced with a touch of salt.

arugula, cooked quinoa, dried cherries, diced sweet potato, pomegranate, and toasted pumpkin seeds on baking sheet

Recommneded tools

  • chef knife and cutting board
  • saucepot or Instant Pot (to cook quinoa)
  • oven or microwave (to cook sweet potato)
  • small bowl and whisk (for salad dressing)
  • salad serving bowl

More holiday recipes

Stay nourished through winter with quinoa, pomegranate, dried cherries, arugula, and pumpkin seeds in apple cider vinaigrette. Fall and Winter Sweet Potato Salad #quinoasalad #pomegranate #thanksgiving #christmas #holidaysalad

Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Savory Sweet Potato Salad is a mouth-watering sweet potato salad with arugula, pomegranate, dried cherries, quinoa, and pepitas in apple cider vinaigrette. It represents every flavor of the palate and makes the perfect holiday dinner side dish.
4.93 from 13 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 1-cup servings
Author: Traci - TheKitchenGirl.com

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 1/2 cup dry Quinoa or 1 cup cooked
  • 1 medium Sweet Potato
  • 1/4 cup Pepitas
  • 2 cups Baby Arugula
  • 1/2 cup Pomegranate Arils
  • 1/4 cup Dried Cherries lightly chopped

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 Tbsp Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp Maple Syrup
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper to taste

Recipe Instructions
 

  • Cook dry QUINOA according to package instructions; allow to cool.

To cook the sweet potatoes

  • In the oven:
    Peel skin, chop into cubes, toss in extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 400° until tender (about 10-14 minutes); allow to cool before adding to the salad.
    In the microwave:
    Pierce raw SWEET POTATO several times with a knife; place in the microwave; cook on high until tender (5-8 minutes); allow to cool; remove skin; chop into bite-sized pieces; allow to cool before adding to the salad.

Toast the pepitas

  • Place PEPITAS on a baking tray under low-flame broiler in oven or toaster oven; gently toast until fragrant (be careful, they burn easily).

Apple cider vinaigrette

  • In a bowl, whisk together APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, OLIVE OIL, MAPLE SYRUP, SALT, and PEPPER; cover and chill up until needed.
  • To serve, toss together QUINOA, SWEET POTATO, ARUGULA, PUMPKIN SEEDS, POMEGRANATE ARILS, DRIED CHERRIES, and VINAIGRETTE.
Tried this recipe? I'd love your review!Visit the comments below and tell me how it went.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5117IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.

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(top) scattered sweet potato salad on tray (bottom) title text
The Kitchen Girl

About The Kitchen Girl

Hi! I'm Traci ... the girl behind these wholesome, easy recipes with simple ingredients, painless instructions, and ALL the flav. Don't be shy, start with my easy dinner recipes and eat happy tonight!

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Comments

  1. AvatarMary Helene says

    5 stars
    My new favorite any potato salad - thank goodness the family feels the same!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Yay! So glad you and your family love it...and thanks for popping in to let me know 🙂 I really appreciate it!

  2. AvatarMidge says

    4 stars
    CAn you skip the quinoa? Please advise.

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Hi Midge, you can totally leave the quinoa out. No problem...enjoy!

  3. AvatarSandi says

    5 stars
    This salad has everything we look for. Color, Flavors and healthiness. Perfect for Thanksgiving too.

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Sandi! Yes, it has all of those things going on 🙂 All my favs!

  4. AvatarJennifer | SavorwithJennifer.com says

    5 stars
    Wow! Fall on a plate in such a GORGEOUS way! Can't wait to try this.

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Jennifer! Hope you love it like I do!

  5. AvatarJill says

    5 stars
    I love all the ingredients in this salad. Plus it looks so pretty - perfect for Fall entertaining!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Jill! It is perfect for fall 🙂

  6. AvatarKelly Anthony says

    5 stars
    This salad has it all! Oh my goodness, I wish I had a plate of it RIGHT NOW! So craving sweet potatoes after all those yummy photos!!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Kelly! Love the kind words 🙂

  7. AvatarElaine Benoit says

    5 stars
    This salad looks so hearty and delicious! I love autumn salads and yours looks absolutely perfect!!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Elaine! Love hearing that...hope you get to try it out sometime 🙂

  8. AvatarTaylor Kiser says

    5 stars
    Love everything about this salad! It will be a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Taylor! We love it for holiday feasts 🙂

  9. AvatarLisa Bynum says

    5 stars
    Where I live, it still feels like summer. I'm so ready to start pulling out fall recipes, but it's too dang hot! This recipe is perfect! I can get all those yummy fall flavors without breaking a sweat.

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Haha yep! You sure can! It's good through the winter too 🙂

  10. AvatarMichelle says

    So many Fall flavors! It looks fantastic!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Michelle!

  11. Avatarrebecca says

    5 stars
    this is FALL right here! looks delicious

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thanks Rebecca!

  12. AvatarLisa | Garlic + Zest says

    5 stars
    I could eat this for lunch every day! Love the pomegranate -- I actually have one on my counter right now... Will have to make this!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Yay Lisa! Hope you love it like I do! Served it up for Thanksgiving last year...it was a hit 🙂

  13. AvatarJacque says

    5 stars
    I LOVE a good salad to take on during the fall season. This looks like absolute perfection.

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      You're makin my day with comments like that! Thank you 🙂

  14. AvatarGinny McMeans says

    5 stars
    What a beautiful and flavorful salad! The sweet and tangy go perfectly together.

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thank you! Yes, that was the goal...thanks for saying so 🙂

  15. AvatarJessy says

    I feel like you've found the most incredible flavor combo on this! I'm especially loving the addition of arugula!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thank you! Yes, I totally agree with you on the flavor combo...it was a happy accident a few years ago. And I'm hooked for life! 🙂

  16. AvatarSarah says

    This salad is packed with flavor and all of my favorite ingredients. LOVE! ...especially that pomegranate mmm!

    Reply

    • Traci AntonovichTraci Antonovich says

      Thank you! I cannot resist this salad during the fall season... the pomegranate makes it!