Savory Sweet Potato Salad is made with sweet potatoes, arugula, pomegranate, dried cherries, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds in apple cider vinaigrette. It delivers all five flavors and so much texture! Sweet potato salad is perfect for holiday dinner.
Savory Sweet Potato Salad
I’ve made this sweet potato salad for the winter holidays over the past few years and it's a hit!
As a kid, we always had candied sweet potatoes on our Thanksgiving table, and I loved them.
I must admit, I’ve outgrown the sugar and texture of traditional sweet potato dishes, but I still want to eat sweet potatoes during the cold months…by the truckload!
So, this salad is a must-have recipe for the holiday sweet potato lovers out there.
First, let me share what I love about this sweet potato salad:
~ Sweet potatoes, arugula, and pomegranate are in season during fall and early winter.
~ You can eat sweet potatoes for the holidays and skip the sugar overload of candied sweet potatoes.
~ Recipe takes less than 30 minutes to pull together.
~ It's vegan and gluten-free, and no one will know it's secretly healthy.
How to make Sweet Potato Salad
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!
* See full recipe below
The color, flavor, and texture make it the perfect holiday salad!
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 flavors from the arugula and quinoa.
Then, it ALL comes together in perfect harmony with the sweetness pomegranate, sweet potatoes, and dried cherries.
It's heavenly!
Then there's the texture...the crunchy, chewy, and creamy...all in one! This dish is mah jam, and could be yours too!
Make-ahead for your holiday dinner
You may 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.
Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients
- quinoa
- sweet potatoes
- raw pumpkin seeds
- arugula
- pomegranate seeds
- dried cherries
- Bragg apple cider vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- maple syrup
- salt and pepper
Kitchen tools I use
- 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
Herb Roasted Turkey Breast is the perfect way to NOT bake a whole turkey.
Be sure to check out my Pomegranate Cranberry Relish...perfect served on top of warm, brie cheese.
You'll love my Vegan Green Bean Casserole, in fact, you won't believe it's vegan!
Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese is true comfort food!
Savory Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1/2 cup dry Quinoa or 1 cup cooked
- 1 medium Sweet Potato
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 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 pumpkin seeds
- Place PUMPKIN SEEDS 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.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition
- Smashed Potatoes Recipe - 10/22/2020
- Crockpot Chicken Vegetable Soup - 10/18/2020
- Instant Pot Spinach Artichoke Dip - 10/16/2020
My new favorite any potato salad - thank goodness the family feels the same!
Yay! So glad you and your family love it...and thanks for popping in to let me know 🙂 I really appreciate it!
CAn you skip the quinoa? Please advise.
Hi Midge, you can totally leave the quinoa out. No problem...enjoy!
This salad has everything we look for. Color, Flavors and healthiness. Perfect for Thanksgiving too.
Thanks Sandi! Yes, it has all of those things going on 🙂 All my favs!
Wow! Fall on a plate in such a GORGEOUS way! Can't wait to try this.
Thanks Jennifer! Hope you love it like I do!
I love all the ingredients in this salad. Plus it looks so pretty - perfect for Fall entertaining!
Thanks Jill! It is perfect for fall 🙂
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!!
Thanks Kelly! Love the kind words 🙂
This salad looks so hearty and delicious! I love autumn salads and yours looks absolutely perfect!!
Thanks Elaine! Love hearing that...hope you get to try it out sometime 🙂
Love everything about this salad! It will be a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table!
Thanks Taylor! We love it for holiday feasts 🙂
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.
Haha yep! You sure can! It's good through the winter too 🙂
So many Fall flavors! It looks fantastic!
Thanks Michelle!
this is FALL right here! looks delicious
Thanks Rebecca!
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!
Yay Lisa! Hope you love it like I do! Served it up for Thanksgiving last year...it was a hit 🙂
I LOVE a good salad to take on during the fall season. This looks like absolute perfection.
You're makin my day with comments like that! Thank you 🙂
What a beautiful and flavorful salad! The sweet and tangy go perfectly together.
Thank you! Yes, that was the goal...thanks for saying so 🙂
I feel like you've found the most incredible flavor combo on this! I'm especially loving the addition of arugula!
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! 🙂
This salad is packed with flavor and all of my favorite ingredients. LOVE! ...especially that pomegranate mmm!
Thank you! I cannot resist this salad during the fall season... the pomegranate makes it!