Can I make the sweet potato salad in advance?

You can prepare everything in advance - you can even mix everything EXCEPT the spinach leaves - and then just mix through the spinach before you serve. Everything will keep well in the fridge for 5 days, but the spinach will soften considerably, which is why I always recommend mixing it at the last minute if you're entertaining.

Can I make the salad vegetarian?

Yes, you can. Just skip the bacon!

What could I serve with the sweet potato salad?

While this is hearty enough to be enjoyed on its own, it's fab as part of a wider spread. Pair it with juicy herb roast chicken , miso grilled chicken or crispy pork belly , no-peel roast potatoes , tomato and grilled peach salad , rainbow chopped salad or green goddess salad for a lovely, colorful spread (this would also be an excellent Christmas menu!)

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Feta and Bacon

Description

Get ready to convert a salad hater with this gorgeous roasted sweet potato salad, packed with color, flavor, and texture. Just throw your sweet potatoes into the oven, then prep everything else while they roast. The crispy bacon, creamy feta, and crunchy candied seeds make it a guaranteed crowd-pleaser – fabulous for meal prep and the holiday season.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the sweet potato salad -

2 lb (1kg) sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon paprika
6 slices of bacon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3.5oz (100g) feta cheese
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons honey
7oz (200g) baby spinach leaves
A handful of sage leaves, chopped

For the dressing -

2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon Dijon or whole-grain mustard
2 teaspoons honey
2 garlic cloves, crushed

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Instructions

Roast the sweet potatoes. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C fan) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Chop your sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks, then arrange them in the pan. Drizzle them with olive oil, paprika, and 1 teaspoon of salt, then toss to combine well. Spread the sweet potato chunks onto one layer (this will ensure they roast evenly), then pop them into the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until they’re charred around the edges and soft in the middle (pierce one with a knife to check).
Cook the bacon. Add the bacon to a dry pan and set it over medium heat. Cook for about five minutes, flipping a couple of times throughout, until it’s super crispy. Remove from the pan and chop into small pieces, then set aside in a bowl (don’t discard the fat in the pan – it adds so much flavor to the salad). PRO TIP: I find it’s much easier to chop the bacon once it’s cooked and crispy, rather than trying to chop it first.
Make the salted honey pumpkin seeds. Place a piece of parchment paper onto a small plate. Give the pan a quick wipe, then add the pumpkin seeds and set it over low heat. Toast the seeds, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes until they start to pop and smell ‘toasty’. At this point, add 2 teaspoons of honey and scatter over 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir them through the pumpkin seeds as the honey bubbles up, then transfer to the lined plate to crisp up. PRO TIP: You must line the plate because the seeds WILL stick to it if you don’t (I have discovered this the hard way!)
Mix the dressing. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon of miso paste, 1 tablespoon of mustard, 2 teaspoons of honey, and 2 crushed garlic cloves to a small bowl, or a jar with a lid. Use a fork to mix really well into a cohesive sauce. If you’re using a jar with a lid, you can just give it a good shake.
Assemble the salad. Add the roasted sweet potatoes, spinach leaves, feta, crispy bacon, dried cranberries, chopped sage, and half the crispy pumpkin seeds to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing all over the salad, then toss everything well to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl or platter, then scatter over the remaining pumpkin seeds to serve.

Notes

PREP AHEAD: The salad will keep well for 5 days, stored in the fridge. If you’re entertaining, wait to mix the spinach through the salad until you serve – the leaves can wilt and lose some crunch the longer they sit in the dressing. You can roast the sweet potatoes and cook the bacon 5 days in advance, and the salted honey pumpkin seeds will keep well for a week in a container at room temperature.

INGREDIENT NOTES: You can play around with the ingredients, based on what you have and what you like. Swap the dried cranberries with apricots, raisins, or sultanas, swap the bacon for chorizo (or leave it out for a vegetarian version), use flat-leaf parsley, chives, basil, or thyme instead of sage, or swap feta for goat’s cheese or Boursin. Use shredded kale instead of spinach, or you could use arugula (rocket). If you can’t find miso paste, you can use Dijon mustard in the dressing, but make sure to add a pinch of salt if you do.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: While the salad is hearty enough to enjoy by itself, it’s great as part of a wider spread (and perfect for the holiday season). Pair it with crispy pork belly, juicy roast chicken or harissa chicken, skin on roast potatoes, green goddess salad, rainbow chopped salad, stuffing balls and garlic butter dinner rolls for a fabulous Christmas spread.

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 30
Category: salads
Method: oven
Cuisine: american

Nutrition

Serving Size: 350g
Calories: 296
Sugar: 5.5g
Sodium: 1244mg
Fat: 15.9g
Saturated Fat: 4.5g
Carbohydrates: 31.9g
Fiber: 5.1g
Protein: 8.3g
Cholesterol: 7mg