Description

The holiday season provides an excellent excuse for me to create a new salad recipe – which is how this 100% plant-based, roasted sweet potato salad with pomegranate arils came to be. I wanted to make it special while not being overly time-consuming (since there are sooo many other holiday dishes to prepare, of course). The result: A salad full of vibrant, holiday-friendly colors and plenty of texture to make it a standout. And by roasting sweet potato cubes in advance, the rest of the salad is a piece of cake!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Salad:

1 1/2 cups packed fresh baby arugula (43 grams)
1 handful small fresh mint leaves
1 rounded cup roasted sweet potato cubes, warm or room temperature* (150 grams)
Pinch of sumac or cayenne

Creamy Pomegranate Dressing:

1 tablespoon 100% pomegranate or other fruit juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Toppings:

2 tablespoons pan-toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons crumbled plant-based feta or dairy-free goat cheese (optional)

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Instructions

Add the SALAD ingredients to a serving bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the CREAMY POMEGRANATE DRESSING. (If you prefer more of a vinaigrette-style dressing, simply whisk in more pomegranate or lemon juice by the 1/2 teaspoon.) Drizzle desired amount onto the salad; serve any remaining dressing on the side.
Sprinkle with the TOPPINGS, and serve.

Notes

*To roast sweet potato cubes: Preheat oven to 450°F. Cut sweet potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) cubes. Toss with extra-virgin olive oil and sea salt (be generous with both!) and arrange in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until caramelized as desired, about 35 minutes, stirring halfway through roasting. You can make these up to 3 days in advance and chill.

Category: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean, American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 side salad (about 1 1/2 cups each)
Calories: 340
Sugar: 19g includes 0g added sugars
Sodium: 270mg
Fat: 24g
Saturated Fat: 3g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 29g
Fiber: 4.5g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 0mg