Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

by Traci · 10/30/2017

4.93 from 14 votes

Total 30 minutes minutes

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Savory Sweet Potato Salad is a mouth-watering sweet potato salad with arugula, pomegranate, dried cherries, quinoa, and pepitas in apple cider vinaigrette. It represents every flavor of the palate and makes the perfect fall season side dish.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (1)

Sweet potato salad has been a favorite holiday side dish for the past few years and it's a hit! As a kid, we always had candied sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, and I loved them. But, it's way too sweet for a holiday side dish now that I'm an adult...with a waistline...that I'd like to keep. This sweet potato salad...it's lightly sweet, tart, savory, crunchy, and peppery all at once! It's a must-have holiday recipe for the sweet potato lovers out there.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients

quinoa - You can make a classic stove cooked quinoa or make Instant Pot quinoa.
sweet potatoes - Make oven baked, stove boiled, or pressure cooker sweet potatoes.
raw pepitas - also called pumpkin seeds
arugula
pomegranate seeds
dried cherries
apple cider vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
maple syrup
salt and pepper

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2)

How to make Sweet Potato Salad

Step 1. Cook the quinoa and allow to cool.
Step 2. Cook the sweet potato (recipe includes microwave and oven-roasting instructions).
Step 3. Toast the pumpkin seeds.
Step 4. Whisk together salad dressing ingredients and refrigerate.
Step 5. To serve, toss all ingredients together...and devour!

You can prep each ingredient up to a few days in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator, and toss everything together just before your throw down goes down.

Once this salad is dressed, it needs to be served immediately as the arugula wilts over time.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (3)

Sweet potato salad - flavor and texture galore!

When you get a biteof this salad with morsels of each ingredient, you'll get savory from the sweet potatoes and pumpkin seeds and slightly bitter flavor from the arugula, tart from the pomegranate, sweetness from the sweet potatoes and dried cherries, and maple dressing, all perfectly balanced with a touch of salt.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (4)

Grab these easy potato recipes

Roasted Smashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Vegan Potato Salad
Loaded Potato Salad
Classic Red Potato Salad

Fall recipes we love

Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
Pomegranate Cranberry Relish
Citrus Salad
Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

📖 Recipe

Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Prep TimePrep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 30 minutes mins

Yield 4 1-cup servings

Author Traci Antonovich

4.93 from 14 votes

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Ingredients

For the Salad:

▢ ½ cup dry Quinoa or 1 cup cooked
▢ 1 medium Sweet Potato
▢ ¼ cup Pepitas
▢ 2 cups Baby Arugula
▢ ½ cup Pomegranate Arils
▢ ¼ cup Dried Cherries lightly chopped

For the vinaigrette:

▢ 2 tablespoons Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
▢ ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
▢ 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
▢ ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
▢ Black Pepper to taste

Equipment

chef's knife
cutting board
3.5 quart saucepan or Instant Pot (to cook quinoa)
oven or air fryer or microwave (to cook sweet potatoes)
mixing bowl
wire whisk
serving bowl

Instructions

Cook dry QUINOA according to package instructions; allow to cool.

To cook the sweet potatoes

In the oven:
Peel skin, chop into cubes, toss in extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 400° until tender (about 10-14 minutes); allow to cool before adding to the salad.
In the microwave:
Pierce raw SWEET POTATO several times with a knife; place in the microwave; cook on high until tender (5-8 minutes); allow to cool; remove skin; chop into bite-sized pieces; allow to cool before adding to the salad.

Toast the pepitas

Place PEPITAS on a baking tray under low-flame broiler in oven or toaster oven; gently toast until fragrant (be careful, they burn easily).

Apple cider vinaigrette

In a bowl, whisk together APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, OLIVE OIL, MAPLE SYRUP, SALT, and PEPPER; cover and chill up until needed.
To serve, toss together QUINOA, SWEET POTATO, ARUGULA, PUMPKIN SEEDS, POMEGRANATE ARILS, DRIED CHERRIES, and VINAIGRETTE.

Final step

Click stars to vote. Please visit 'Comments' below for reviews.

4.93 from 14 votes

Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!Follow @thekitchengirl on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag #thekitchengirl. This always makes my day!

Nutrition

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

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Reader Interactions

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Comments

Mary Helene says
December 28, 2019 at 5:16 am

My new favorite any potato salad - thank goodness the family feels the same!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  December 28, 2019 at 5:17 am
  Yay! So glad you and your family love it...and thanks for popping in to let me know 🙂 I really appreciate it!
Midge says
November 28, 2018 at 2:09 am

CAn you skip the quinoa? Please advise.
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  November 28, 2018 at 7:45 am
  Hi Midge, you can totally leave the quinoa out. No problem...enjoy!
Sandi says
September 18, 2018 at 11:52 am

This salad has everything we look for. Color, Flavors and healthiness. Perfect for Thanksgiving too.
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 18, 2018 at 1:57 pm
  Thanks Sandi! Yes, it has all of those things going on 🙂 All my favs!
Jennifer | SavorwithJennifer.com says
September 18, 2018 at 6:51 am
See Also
How to Make Armpit Fudge for a Yummy Snack {Recipe}

Wow! Fall on a plate in such a GORGEOUS way! Can't wait to try this.
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 18, 2018 at 1:52 pm
  Thanks Jennifer! Hope you love it like I do!
Jill says
September 18, 2018 at 6:34 am

I love all the ingredients in this salad. Plus it looks so pretty - perfect for Fall entertaining!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 18, 2018 at 1:52 pm
  Thanks Jill! It is perfect for fall 🙂
Kelly Anthony says
September 18, 2018 at 6:34 am

This salad has it all! Oh my goodness, I wish I had a plate of it RIGHT NOW! So craving sweet potatoes after all those yummy photos!!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 18, 2018 at 1:51 pm
  Thanks Kelly! Love the kind words 🙂
Elaine Benoit says
September 17, 2018 at 8:53 am

This salad looks so hearty and delicious! I love autumn salads and yours looks absolutely perfect!!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 17, 2018 at 9:49 pm
  Thanks Elaine! Love hearing that...hope you get to try it out sometime 🙂
Taylor Kiser says
September 17, 2018 at 8:26 am

Love everything about this salad! It will be a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 17, 2018 at 9:48 pm
  Thanks Taylor! We love it for holiday feasts 🙂
Lisa Bynum says
September 17, 2018 at 8:20 am

Where I live, it still feels like summer. I'm so ready to start pulling out fall recipes, but it's too dang hot! This recipe is perfect! I can get all those yummy fall flavors without breaking a sweat.
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 17, 2018 at 9:48 pm
  Haha yep! You sure can! It's good through the winter too 🙂
Michelle says
September 17, 2018 at 8:16 am
So many Fall flavors! It looks fantastic!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 17, 2018 at 9:47 pm
  Thanks Michelle!
rebecca says
September 17, 2018 at 8:06 am

this is FALL right here! looks delicious
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  September 17, 2018 at 9:47 pm
  Thanks Rebecca!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest says
October 30, 2017 at 10:54 am

I could eat this for lunch every day! Love the pomegranate -- I actually have one on my counter right now... Will have to make this!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  October 30, 2017 at 11:32 am
  Yay Lisa! Hope you love it like I do! Served it up for Thanksgiving last year...it was a hit 🙂
Jacque says
October 30, 2017 at 10:06 am

I LOVE a good salad to take on during the fall season. This looks like absolute perfection.
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  October 30, 2017 at 11:32 am
  You're makin my day with comments like that! Thank you 🙂
Ginny McMeans says
October 30, 2017 at 9:47 am

What a beautiful and flavorful salad! The sweet and tangy go perfectly together.
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  October 30, 2017 at 11:31 am
  Thank you! Yes, that was the goal...thanks for saying so 🙂
Jessy says
October 30, 2017 at 9:45 am
I feel like you've found the most incredible flavor combo on this! I'm especially loving the addition of arugula!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  October 30, 2017 at 11:30 am
  Thank you! Yes, I totally agree with you on the flavor combo...it was a happy accident a few years ago. And I'm hooked for life! 🙂
Sarah says
October 30, 2017 at 9:24 am
This salad is packed with flavor and all of my favorite ingredients. LOVE! ...especially that pomegranate mmm!
Reply
- Traci Antonovich says
  October 30, 2017 at 11:29 am
  Thank you! I cannot resist this salad during the fall season... the pomegranate makes it!