My favorite way to serve sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving is to keep things simple.
I cut the potatoes into pieces, tossing them in olive oil and a few spices and then roast until golden and crispy on the outside and tender and creamy on the inside. A bonus is that the leftover roasted sweet potatoes are the perfect ingredient to toss into a delicious salad, giving this side dish (and also any extra cranberry relish) a complete makeover.
Sweet potatoes are the base in this salad and the cranberry relish is the star ingredient, creating a tangy vinaigrette that transforms both leftovers into a completely new dish. The addition of crunchy toasted pecan, creamy goat cheese and fresh pomegranate seeds give this salad a delicious balance of both flavors and textures, too.
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Late-autumn Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry Vinaigrette
For the salad:
2 medium sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
2 bags prewashed mixed salad greens
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup toasted pecans
Crumbled goat cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into chunks. Drop the sweet potato chunks into the boiling water and blanche for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Drain the sweet potato chunks and pat them dry. Place the blanched sweet potato chunks onto the lined baking sheet, toss them in the olive oil and season with the salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder.
- Place the sweet potatoes into the preheated oven. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are golden and crispy on the outside and tender inside. *Note: If using leftover sweet potatoes, remove them from the fridge, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with a little olive oil and place them in a 325-degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Set them aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Place the mixed greens into a large salad bowl and add in the warm roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate seeds and toasted pecans. Drizzle with several tablespoons of the dressing (recipe below), top with crumbled goat cheese and serve.
For the Dressing:
Yields 1½ cups
1/3 cup prepared cranberry relish
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh-grated orange zest
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2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
½ cup grapeseed or light flavored vegetable oil
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until well blended.
- Pour the dressing into a pint-sized container with a tight-fitting lid, cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to toss the salad. This dressing may be made a day or two in advance. Save any remaining dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
This article was originally published in the November 2024 issue of 225 Magazine.