Description
Roasted sweet potatoes, hearty lentils, dried cranberries, fresh herbs, red onion, and creamy maple mustard tahini dressing come together in this colorful and satisfying Sweet Potato Salad. Ready in about 45 minutes, it makes a filling vegetarian lunch, easy meal prep option, or flavorful Thanksgiving and holiday side dish that you can serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Ingredients
2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2–3 potatoes)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup lentils
1/2 cup dried unsweetened cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 batch maple mustard tahini dressing
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (200°C). Peel the sweet potatoes if desired, then cut them into roughly 1/2-inch cubes.
2. Toss the sweet potato cubes with olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.
3. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single, well-spaced layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 30–35 minutes, stirring halfway through, until cooked through with golden edges.
4. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the lentils, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 15–20 minutes or according to package directions. Stop cooking when the lentils feel tender but remain firm enough to hold their shape.
5. Drain the cooked lentils well.
6. Combine the roasted sweet potatoes, cooked lentils, dried cranberries, cilantro, parsley, and red onion in a large bowl.
7. Add the maple mustard tahini dressing and gently toss until everything has a light coating. Add additional dressing at serving time if desired.
8. Serve the Sweet Potato Salad warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Notes
Avoid overcooking the lentils because they can quickly become soft or mushy. Cooking times can vary depending on the lentil variety and brand.
For advance preparation, roast the sweet potatoes, cook the lentils, and chop the herbs and red onion 1–2 days ahead. Assemble the salad with the dressing shortly before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The salad gradually becomes softer as moisture from the sweet potatoes moves through the other ingredients.
You can reheat leftovers in the microwave if you prefer a warm Sweet Potato Salad.
You can use any sweet potato variety, although orange-fleshed varieties work especially well.
Green lentils work particularly well because they tend to retain their shape.
You can replace dried cranberries with raisins, dried apricots, or another dried fruit.
You can use cilantro and parsley together or use only one of the two herbs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 397
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 131 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Fiber: 15 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg