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 fall season side dish.
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.
Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients
- quinoa - You can make a classic stove cooked quinoa or make Instant Pot quinoa.
- sweet potatoes - Make oven baked, stove boiled, or pressure cooker sweet potatoes.
- raw pepitas - also called pumpkin seeds
- arugula
- pomegranate seeds
- dried cherries
- apple cider vinegar
- extra virgin olive oil
- maple syrup
- salt and pepper
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!
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 throw down goes down.
Once this salad is dressed, it needs to be served immediately as the arugula wilts over time.
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.
Grab these easy potato recipes
- Smashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Vegan Potato Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Classic Red Potato Salad
Fall recipes we love
- Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
- Pomegranate Cranberry Relish
- Citrus Salad
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole
- Baked Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
Savory Sweet Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS
For the Salad:
- ½ cup dry Quinoa, or 1 cup cooked
- 1 medium Sweet Potato
- ¼ cup Pepitas
- 2 cups Baby Arugula
- ½ cup Pomegranate Arils
- ¼ cup Dried Cherries, lightly chopped
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Black Pepper, to taste
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.
Equipment
- 3-quart sauce pot or Instant Pot (to cook quinoa)
- oven or air fryer or microwave (to cook sweet potatoes)
- serving bowl
NUTRITION
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
Mary Helene says
My new favorite any potato salad - thank goodness the family feels the same!
Traci Antonovich says
Yay! So glad you and your family love it...and thanks for popping in to let me know 🙂 I really appreciate it!
Midge says
CAn you skip the quinoa? Please advise.
Traci Antonovich says
Hi Midge, you can totally leave the quinoa out. No problem...enjoy!
Sandi says
This salad has everything we look for. Color, Flavors and healthiness. Perfect for Thanksgiving too.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Sandi! Yes, it has all of those things going on 🙂 All my favs!
Jennifer | SavorwithJennifer.com says
Wow! Fall on a plate in such a GORGEOUS way! Can't wait to try this.
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Jennifer! Hope you love it like I do!
Jill says
I love all the ingredients in this salad. Plus it looks so pretty - perfect for Fall entertaining!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Jill! It is perfect for fall 🙂
Kelly Anthony says
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!!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Kelly! Love the kind words 🙂
Elaine Benoit says
This salad looks so hearty and delicious! I love autumn salads and yours looks absolutely perfect!!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Elaine! Love hearing that...hope you get to try it out sometime 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
Love everything about this salad! It will be a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Taylor! We love it for holiday feasts 🙂
Lisa Bynum says
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.
Traci Antonovich says
Haha yep! You sure can! It's good through the winter too 🙂
Michelle says
So many Fall flavors! It looks fantastic!
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Michelle!
rebecca says
this is FALL right here! looks delicious
Traci Antonovich says
Thanks Rebecca!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest says
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!
Traci Antonovich says
Yay Lisa! Hope you love it like I do! Served it up for Thanksgiving last year...it was a hit 🙂
Jacque says
I LOVE a good salad to take on during the fall season. This looks like absolute perfection.
Traci Antonovich says
You're makin my day with comments like that! Thank you 🙂
Ginny McMeans says
What a beautiful and flavorful salad! The sweet and tangy go perfectly together.
Traci Antonovich says
Thank you! Yes, that was the goal...thanks for saying so 🙂
Jessy says
I feel like you've found the most incredible flavor combo on this! I'm especially loving the addition of arugula!
Traci 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! 🙂
Sarah says
This salad is packed with flavor and all of my favorite ingredients. LOVE! ...especially that pomegranate mmm!
Traci Antonovich says
Thank you! I cannot resist this salad during the fall season... the pomegranate makes it!