In this fall salad, cubes of chili-roasted sweet potatoes unite with greens, toasted nuts, cheese, and a sweet-sharp vinaigrette.

A tossed roasted sweet potato salad with greens, gruyere, toasted pine nuts and apple cider vinaigrette.

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I had lunch at ​GB Eats​ in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. I ordered the breakfast salad, a bowl of arugula, roasted sweet potatoes, crumbled bacon, and avocado dressed with a lemon vinaigrette and topped with two poached eggs.

It was heavenly — so fresh tasting — and made me wonder why breakfast salads aren’t more of a thing. With every completely satisfying bite, I found myself thinking: I could eat this every day.

The recipe below is inspired by that salad, the star being the chili-roasted sweet potato cubes. I’ve found a mix of sturdy greens (like Romaine) combined with delicate greens (like arugula) works best, and a light, bright dressing, like this ​apple cider vinaigrette​ or this lemon vinaigrette, is perfect, its sharpness so nicely balancing the sweetness of the roasted potatoes.

Finally, I’ve used all sorts of nuts, dried fruit, and cheese with success, so use what you have on hand.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad, Step by Step

First, gather a couple of pounds of sweet potatoes.

Two pounds of sweet potatoes on a counter top.

Peel and dice them.

Cubed sweet potatoes on a cutting board aside a chefs knife and peeler.

Transfer them to a sheet pan and season with salt, Aleppo pepper (or Silk Chili), optional, and melted coconut oil or olive oil.

Cubed sweet potatoes tossed with melted coconut oil, salt, and Aleppo pepper.

Toss to combine.

A sheet pan filled with cubes of sweet potatoes tossed with melted coconut oil, salt, and Aleppo pepper.

Then roast at 400ºF for roughly 45 minutes.

Roasted sweet potato cubes on a sheet pan, rested for a few minutes then tossed with a spatula.

Let the potatoes cool for five minutes in the pan, then release them with a spatula.

Roasted sweet potato cubes on a sheet pan.

To make the salad: Combine the roasted sweet potatoes in a bowl with greens, toasted nuts, and cheese of choice.

A roasted sweet potato salad with gruyere and toasted pine nuts, untossed.

Toss with apple cider vinaigrette to taste:

A tossed sweet potato salad with gruyere, toasted pine nuts and apple cider vinaigrette.

Season with pepper and serve.

A tossed roasted sweet potato salad with greens, gruyere, toasted pine nuts and apple cider vinaigrette.
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A tossed roasted sweet potato salad with greens, gruyere, toasted pine nuts and apple cider vinaigrette.

Roasted Sweet Potato Fall Salad

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Description

In this fall salad, cubes of chili-roasted sweet potatoes unite with greens, toasted nuts, cheese, and apple cider vinaigrette. It lends itself to improvisation, so don’t be afraid to use what cheese and nuts you have on hand. 

Notes:

  • Salt: If you are using Morton kosher salt or fine sea salt, use half as much.
  • Aleppo pepper: I have been able to find this at two different local grocery stores, which has been a pleasant surprise as I’ve previously ordered it online. You can do an InstaCart search to see if any of your local stores carry it. Silk Chili is the Turkish variety of Aleppo pepper, and I buy large containers of it from Burlap and Barrel. 
  • Lemon Vinaigrette would be nice here, too. 

Ingredients

For the sweet potatoes: 

  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 to 1.5 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, see notes above
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper or Silk Chili, optional, see notes above
  • Fresh lime juice to taste, optional

For the salad: 

  • ⅓ cup pine nuts or other nut: almonds, walnuts, pecans, macadamia, etc.
  • 5 ounces mixed greens, preferably a mix of mostly sturdy greens like Little Gems, Romaine, and Radicchio, with a smaller amount of Arugula or other tender greens
  • Flaky sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 4 ounces cubed cheese such as Gruyere, Gouda, or Cheddar or crumbled goat cheese, feta or really any cheese you like
  • ⅓ cup Apple Cider Vinaigrette, plus more to taste, see notes above

Instructions

  1. Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400ºF. While the oven preheats, peel the potatoes, then dice them into ½-inch cubes, roughly. Place the diced cubes on a rimmed sheet pan. Toss them with the melted coconut oil or olive oil, salt (1.5 teaspoons unless you are sensitive to salt), and 1 to 2 teaspoons of Aleppo Pepper or Silk chili or to taste. Transfer to the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Check on the sweet potatoes to ensure they are browning evenly, stir them, then return the pan to the oven for another 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let the sweet potatoes cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan. Using a spatula, release the sweet potatoes from the pan. Taste. Add more flaky sea salt to taste, and, if you wish, a squeeze of lime. 
  2. Toast the nuts: Place the pine nuts in a small skillet set over low heat. Let the pine nuts toast slowly over this low heat while you prepare the rest of the salad. 
  3. Assemble the salad: Place the greens in a large bowl. Season with a pinch of sea salt and toss gently to combine. Add the cheese. Add the roasted sweet potatoes to taste (1 to 1.5 cups), and the toasted pine nuts when they have fully toasted (I crank up the heat once everything is assembled). Season with pepper to taste.
  4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently. Taste. The greens should be lightly dressed but should taste seasoned. Add salt, pepper, and more dressing to taste. Once the seasonings are right, serve immediately.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: oven, stovetop
  • Cuisine: Amerian