
I find it interesting to see how our tastes change as we mature. When I was a child, one of the few things I wouldn’t eat was sweet potatoes. That violated two rules of the house: you had to at least try everything that was served, and you had to clean your plate. Abiding by those rules must have helped me overcome my aversion, because trust me, I have no problem eating sweet potatoes now. In fact, by grade school I had developed a voracious appetite for them. I recall my dad warning me, after going for my third helping, that I should watch it because Daniel Boone had eaten so many sweet potatoes that he had foundered on them and subsequently died. Even though I loved stories about Daniel Boone and watched every episode of the TV show starring Fess Parker, that didn’t slow me down one bit.
While I didn’t try this salad as a kid, as an adult I can truly appreciate the savory blend of the roasted sweet potato and the tart flavor of the feta. And since spinach is a cool-weather crop, if the winter is mild, I often have some fresh leaves that I can harvest from the garden.–P. Allen Smith
LC As You Like It Note
There’s ample to like about this recipe as it is. And if you’re the sort who just can’t resist tweaking a little something here or there, you’re going to like it even more, as it takes well to a little tinkering if, say, you want to slip in some peppery arugula in place of the spinach, increase the honey for a more sweetly tart vinaigrette, or maybe even go all crazy and toss a handful of walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or pistachios across the top for a little crunch. Knock yourself out—and be sure to tell us about it.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Feta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- For the roasted sweet potatoes
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 red onions, each cut into 8 wedges
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper, plus more for serving
- For the dressing
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- For the the roasted sweet potato and feta salad
- 1 pound baby spinach, rinsed thoroughly and patted dry
- 6 ounces feta cheese, diced or crumbled
Directions
- Roast the sweet potatoes
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
- 2. Place the sweet potatoes and red onions on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and gently toss to coat everything well, being careful to keep the onion wedges intact. Spread the vegetables in a single layer and roast for 30 minutes. Turn the vegetables and continue to roast for 30 more minutes. The onions should be blissfully soft and caramelized and the sweet potatoes should be tender with tinges of brown around the edges.
- Make the dressing
- 3. While the vegetables are roasting, combine the red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and process until combined.
- Prepare the roasted sweet potato and feta salad
- 4. Arrange the spinach in a shallow bowl or on a platter and scatter the warm onions and sweet potatoes over it. (If the spinach wilts a bit, all the better.) Drizzle with the dressing. Scatter the feta over the top. Grind some pepper over the salad, and serve immediately.
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Oh yes, I love the sound of this salad. Sweet potatoes were something I was slow to like, but now I am completely converted!
Me, too. Sweet potatoes were never on the top of my list, but we eat them often now.
When you’re reared by a Mississippi mother, one of the first foods you are given are sweet potatoes. Then come all of the different greens… I’ve yet to try this recipe, but I know it will be delicious! The ingredients make my mouth water! As we are vegetarians, I can’t wait to serve this to my family.
Nancy, tell us what you think when you do make it.
Looks superb! Can’t wait to make it.
Thanks for a nice recipe and beautiful photo!
I like making a recipe after reading the comments. In this case, I picked up on the idea of adding something crunchy. I toasted a handful of walnuts and added them, still warm, on top of the salad. It made a great dish even better!
Love the collaborative crowdsourcing on this recipe! Many thanks, everyone. Not surprisingly, 12 minds are better than one…
Love this recipe with 2 of my fave ingredients, spinach and sweet potato, and the fact that it is gluten free.
Gluten Freed, thanks so much for taking the time to let us know. We like it, too, for the fact that it’s gluten free as well as satiating and nutritious but in a really lovely way. Funny how healthful food can be enticing for so many reasons.
Tangy vinegrette, tender roasted onions, oven-caramelized sweet potatoes, and bitter greens make a nuanced dinner salad. Sweet potato hater really enjoyed this – a quite amazing turn of events. I’ll make it again.
I made with commercially available Red Dandelions (chicory), Belgian endive, spring onions, and green garlic, all thinly sliced. Because it was languishing in the refrigerator, I added a roasted beet; it was nice but not necessary. Feta adds a lot, as does the mustardy vinaigrette (there’ll be leftovers).
We had as a very filling main course salad and served it with crusty bread only. Eating it put us in a good mood all evening. Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful, Laurie! You’re very welcome! I love that you used endive with this, it lends such a lovely, barely bitter note to anything with richness. And so very glad that you were able to woo the sweet potato hater over to the other side. Looking forward to hearing which recipe on the site you try next…