Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite go-to vegetables. Their sweet flavor and creamy texture make you feel like you’re eating something bad for you, when really sweet potatoes are a very nutritious food. In fact, one medium sweet potato contains over 1200% of your daily vitamin A and 50% of your daily vitamin C (which is needed during cold season!).
For this recipe, I decided to pair roasted sweet potatoes with Moroccan spices like fresh ginger, cumin and paprika. And, because citrus fruits are perfectly sweet this time of year, I made a blood orange and lemon dressing to tie it all together.
This salad is good all on it’s own, but if you want to make it a meal, add beans or serve with baked chicken.
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Place diced sweet potatoes and onion in a large mixing bowl.
3. Sprinkle spices over. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper (to taste) and toss to combine.
4. Lay sweet potato mixture on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 25 minutes, stirring once.
5. Meanwhile, combine your dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasonings as needed and set aside.
6. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the almonds over the sweet potatoes so they can toast.
7. Pour the roasted sweet potato mixture and toasted almonds into the bowl with the dressing.
8. Add the feta cheese and cranberries and toss. Finish with fresh Italian parsley.
Moroccan-Spiced Sweet Potato Salad
Serves 6
All you need:
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Juice and zest of 2 blood oranges (or navel oranges)
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 oz. crumbled feta cheese (I like Athenos)
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/4 bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
All you do:
1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Place diced sweet potatoes and onion in a large mixing bowl.
3. Sprinkle spices over. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper (to taste) and toss to combine.
4. Lay sweet potato mixture on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 25 minutes, stirring once.
5. Meanwhile, combine your dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Adjust seasonings as needed and set aside.
6. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the almonds over the sweet potatoes so they can toast.
7. Pour the roasted sweet potato mixture and toasted almonds over the dressing.
8. Add the feta cheese and cranberries and toss. Finish with fresh Italian parsley.