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Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad
5 from 9 votes

Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad

This sweet potato spinach salad is a delightful side dish or light entree. Featuring roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, quick-candied pecans, and creamy white beans, all drizzled in a fresh lemon vinaigrette, your taste buds and tummy will love this beautiful autumn salad! The recipe is vegan and gluten-free with an oil-free option.Yield: serves 3 to 4 as a main dish or 6 to 8 as a side

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 650 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Roasted sweet potatoes:
  • 4 medium sweet potato peeled and cut into ⅝ inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon walnut oil Omit for oil-free, or grapeseed oil, high heat oil
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
  • salt sea salt
For the salad:
  • 8 ounces baby spinach
  • ½ small red onion Tip: if your onion smells strong, soak the slices in water while preparing the rest of the dish. Drain & pat dry, thinly sliced
  • 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans Or sub 2 cups of another cooked bean, rinsed and drained
  • ⅔ cup dried cranberries
Lemon vinaigrette:
  • lemon zest from half a lemon
  • ¼ cup lemon juice fresh
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil For oil-free, try my Lemon-Chia Dressing or sub tahini or cashew butter for the olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt fine sea salt
  • black pepper
Candied pecans:
  • 1 ⅓ cups pecan raw halves
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon tamari Or soy sauce or shoyu if not GF
  • black pepper

Instructions

Roast the sweet potatoes:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss sweet potato with the oil, smoked paprika, and salt, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping at the halfway point. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Make the dressing and marinate the beans:
  1. Combine all ingredients for the vinaigrette in a small jar, and shake vigorously. *If subbing cashew butter or tahini for the oil, you'll need to whisk the ingredients to combine. Add a splash of water for consistency if needed.Place the beans in a small bowl. Pour about a quarter of the dressing over the beans. Stir to coat; set aside.
Quick-candied pecans:
  1. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Toast the pecans for 1 to 2 minutes, frequently stirring or shaking the pan. Drizzle with the maple syrup and soy sauce, and stir to coat. Sprinkle with black pepper. Stir frequently, and cook for another minute or until the soy sauce and maple are mostly evaporated.
  2. The pecans will be sticky. Transfer to a plate, and spread them out to cool.
Assemble the salad:
  1. In a large serving bowl toss the spinach, onion, and cranberries with a small amount of dressing. Add the sweet potato, beans, and cooled pecans (use your hands to break them apart and crumble onto the salad). Drizzle with more vinaigrette, or serve the dressing on the side.

Notes

  • You may not need all of the pecans for the salad. Enjoy the leftovers as a snack!
  • Once dressed with vinaigrette, the salad is best served immediately.  
  • For meal prep, store salad components and vinaigrette separately. Store salad in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; lemon dressing will keep up to a week.
  • Dried cranberries usually contain oil and sugar. If you strictly avoid these I recommend substituting dried cherries, apricots or raisins. 

Nutrition Information

Calories 650kcal (33%) Carbohydrates 77g (26%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 34g (52%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Fiber 14g (56%) Sugar 37g (74%) Vitamin A 546IU (11%) Vitamin C 76mg (84%) Calcium 18mg (2%) Iron 28mg (156%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 650

% Daily Value*

Calories 650kcal 33%
Carbohydrates 77g 26%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 34g 52%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Fiber 14g 56%
Sugar 37g 74%
Vitamin A 546IU 11%
Vitamin C 76mg 84%
Calcium 18mg 2%
Iron 28mg 156%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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