Description
A warm and hearty Sweet Potato Salad featuring roasted sweet potatoes, crispy chickpeas, and maple-glazed walnuts served over nutritious quinoa and baby kale. This salad combines sweet, savory, and crunchy textures with fresh herbs and a dressing of your choice for a flavorful, wholesome meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 sprig of rosemary or thyme
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 swizzle (about 2 tablespoons) of olive oil
- 1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Maple-Glazed Walnuts
- 1 cup whole walnuts
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 pinch of salt
Salad Base and Dressing
- Cooked quinoa, approximately 1 cup cooked
- Baby kale, approximately 1 to 2 cups
- Dressing of choice (e.g., balsamic vinaigrette, lemon tahini, or a light herb dressing)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) to ensure it’s hot enough for roasting the sweet potatoes and shallots, allowing them to caramelize and develop flavor.
- Prepare and Roast Sweet Potatoes and Shallots: Arrange the peeled and diced sweet potatoes along with the roughly chopped shallots and fresh herbs on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and toss everything together so the vegetables are evenly coated. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, stirring halfway if desired for even cooking.
- Add Chickpeas and Continue Roasting: After the initial roasting, add the drained chickpeas to the sheet pan. Stir the mixture to combine and roast for an additional 20 minutes. This step allows the chickpeas to lightly crisp and absorb the flavors of the herbs and roasted vegetables.
- Prepare Maple-Glazed Walnuts and Final Roasting: In a small bowl, toss the walnuts with maple syrup and a pinch of salt to coat them evenly. Add the walnuts to the sheet pan, mix well with the other ingredients, and roast for another 5 minutes. This roasting step caramelizes the walnuts and adds a deliciously sweet crunch to the salad.
- Serve: Remove the herb stems from the roasted mixture. Serve the warm roasted sweet potato, chickpea, and walnut mixture over cooked quinoa and baby kale if using. Drizzle with your dressing of choice for an added layer of flavor. Enjoy your healthy and delicious salad!
Notes
- You can substitute rosemary with thyme based on your preference.
- For a nut-free version, omit the walnuts and add toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Use any dressing you like, but lemon tahini or balsamic vinaigrette complement the flavors well.
- Make sure to stir the roasting sheet halfway through to ensure even cooking and caramelization.
- Cooked quinoa can be replaced with cooked brown rice or couscous if desired.
