When I planned my menu this week, I created a sweet potato salad recipe I had to share! So instead of whipping together a traditional Vegan Potato Salad, I mixed it with sweet potatoes and my favorite veggies. Loaded with roasted sweet potatoes, arugula, red onion, and other goodies, this sweet potato salad tastes fantastic!
This sweet potato salad is the perfect salad to bring to a picnic or barbeque with summer approaching. Are you looking for a dish to bring to a potluck? Look no further. I decided to make sweet potato salad an entree for dinner this week, but it also makes a great side salad.
Sweet potatoes vs. White potatoes
According to Healthline, sweet potatoes are often touted as being healthier than white potatoes, but both types can be highly nutritious in reality. However, the potatoes differ significantly in taste.
Here's a nutrient comparison of 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of white and sweet potato with skin, respectively (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source):
| White potato | Sweet potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 92 | 90 |
| Protein | 2 grams | 2 grams |
| Fat | 0.15 grams | 0.15 grams |
| Carbs | 21 grams | 21 grams |
| Fiber | 2.1 grams | 3.3 grams |
| Vitamin A | 0.1% of the Daily Value (DV) | 107% of the DV |
| Vitamin B6 | 12% of the DV | 17% of the DV |
| Vitamin C | 14% of the DV | 22% of the DV |
| Potassium | 17% of the DV | 10% of the DV |
| Calcium | 1% of the DV | 3% of the DV |
| Magnesium | 6% of the DV | 6% of the DV |
While regular and sweet potatoes are comparable in their calorie, protein, and carb content, white potatoes provide more potassium, whereas sweet potatoes are incredibly high in vitamin A.
Both types of potatoes also contain other beneficial plant compounds.
Sweet potatoes, including red and purple varieties, are rich in antioxidants that help fight cell damage in your body caused by free radicals (3, 4).
Regular potatoes contain compounds called glycoalkaloids, which have been shown to have anti-cancer and other beneficial effects in test-tube studies.
What ingredients are in this yummy sweet potato salad?
Although simple in execution, this sweet potato salad recipe brings savory and sweet together with very few ingredients.
- Sweet potatoes
- Red onion
- Cucumber
- Honey Crisp Apples + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning
- Parsley
- Arugula
- Toasted Almonds (optional)
- Dried cranberries or cherries (optional) (oil-free option)
How to make sweet potato salad
First, clean and cut the potatoes into equal, bite-sized pieces. As a result, the potatoes roast quickly and evenly. Another trick to roasting sweet potatoes without oil is to cut them and rinse them a second time in cool water. As a result, any excess debris washes away, and the seasoning sticks to the potatoes without any oil.
Also, I prefer the skin left on the potatoes for maximum nutritional benefit. But, if leaving the skin on, be sure to scrub the potatoes well before cutting.
I seasoned the potatoes with garlic powder and onion powder for this recipe. I skipped the pepper intentionally because the arugula tastes peppery naturally, but feel free to season as desired.
- Preheat oven to 425
- Place sweet potato pieces on a baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Roast for 20 minutes; time varies based on the potato pieces' size, so watch to prevent overcooking.
- Allow cooking entirely before adding to the other salad ingredients.
- Once cooled, add to the other salad ingredients.
Oil-free dressing for sweet potato salad
While the potatoes cool, make this simple oil-free dressing, enhancing the flavors of the vegetables and fruits without using any oil.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Maple Syrup
- Dijon Mustard
- Lemon Juice
- Water
When cutting the apples, cut into a similar size as the sweet potatoes. To prevent browning, add a Tablespoon of lemon juice to the cut apples, and toss. Then, drain the excess lemon juice before adding the apples to the salad.
Then, toss all the ingredients together with the dressing right before serving.
How to toast almonds without oil
Like bread for croutons, Almonds brown in a pan without oil or sticking. The trick, however, is to continuously move the almonds around the pan on low heat while they brown. Whatever you do, please do not leave the almonds unattended, or they will burn.
This process, though straightforward, takes very little time but continuous attention.
Once the almonds are toasted, sprinkle them on the plated salads with dried cranberries or cherries.
Other possible add ons:
- Avocado
- Sunflower seeds
Including salads is essential to healthy eating, so try these salad recipes.
- Panzanella Salad Recipe
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Asparagus Salad
- Beet Salad
- Arugula Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad
- Antipasto Salad
- Superfood Salad
- Panera Spicy Thai Salad
Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Salad Recipe
- 2 large Sweet potatoes scrubbed, skins on, and cut into bite-sized pieces.
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 Tablespoon onion powder
- 1 red onion cut into slivers
- 1 English cucumber cut into slices and then halves
- 2 Honeycrisp apples cut into bite-sized pieces similar to the sweet potatoes + 1 Tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds optional
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or cherries optional
Oil-free Dressing
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons water
Instructions
Roasting the sweet potatoes
- Preheat oven to 425
- Scrub sweet potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces (skin on or skin off; I prefer skin on)
- Rinse cut sweet potatoes in a colander a second time to remove extra debris.
- Place sweet potato pieces on a baking sheet with a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.
- Sprinkle with garlic powder and onion powder.
- Roast for 20 minutes; time varies based on the potato pieces' size, so watch to prevent overcooking.
- Allow cooking entirely before adding to the other salad ingredients.
- Once cooled, add to the other salad ingredients.
Oil-free Dressing
- Whisk all the ingredients together, and set aside or place them in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Toasting Almonds
- In a dry, non-stick skillet, add the sliced almonds
- Cook on low, continuously moving with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- When the almonds are brown and toasted, remove them from the heat and allow them to cool.
Assembling the Salad
- Cut apples and toss in a bowl with lemon juice; set aside until ready to use, and then drain any excess lemon juice before adding to the salad.
- Put the arugula in a large bowl.
- Add the red onion, apples, cucumber, parsley, and cooled sweet potatoes.
- Now add the dressing and toss.
- Then, add a few toasted almonds and dried cranberries or cherries to the salad.
Notes
Other Possible Add Ons:
- Avocado
- Sunflower seeds
Nutrition
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
Sue
How do you turn a salad like this into the main course for dinner? Add beans, or more nuts for complete nutrition?
Kathy Carmichael
Hi Sue, you could add tofu, tempeh, lentils or beans. We ate the sweet potato salad as is for dinner, without adding anything. With what I already ate during the day,I wasn't concerned about complete nutrition. I hope this helps. Enjoy the recipe.