Sweet potatoes, black beans, and avocado make a power-packed salad for any season! Drizzled with a honey lime vinaigrette for a little tartness, this sweet potato salad will make your taste buds dance!
It’s the end of February. 2017 is almost over!!! Just kidding but it certainly feels like the time is flying by. We just had Christmas and now we are getting ready for St. Patricks Day. Have you run out of healthy meals to make so you can keep your New Year’s Resolution? Bathing suit season is right around the corner! Not that I am worried because, after the last two months, I feel like I have given up on all my self-care. The combination of sweet potato, black beans, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and juicy pomegranate seeds makes a wonderful side dish recipe for potlucks or even dinner. It would make a great vegetarian lunch too!
I haven’t been the gym for 3 weeks and with a kitchen that was in the process of being renovated, I haven’t been eating that healthy either. I think a few cocktails snuck in there too…The combination of sweet potatoes, black beans, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and juicy pomegranate seeds makes a wonderful side dish recipe for potlucks or even dinner. It would make a great vegetarian lunch too!
Now that the kitchen is done (yes, I will post pictures next week in a post) I need to get back into eating better. And I get to start using my new kitchen!! It turned out so great that I just might move my bed in there.
Being a food blogger doesn’t always mean that you know what to make for any given meal. I often find myself looking at other blogger’s Instagram feeds for inspiration. I can come up with ideas all day long in my head but something that someone else makes always seems better. While looking at my friend Michelle’s blog the other day I stumbled across this salad that I made as part of her creative team.
It also happened to be something I was in the mood for. A sweet potato convert like me goes crazy for a salad like this. I thought I might share it with my readers too as you might not have had the chance to see it. The combination of sweet potatoes, black beans, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and juicy pomegranate seeds makes a wonderful side dish recipe for potlucks or even dinner. It would make a great vegetarian lunch too!
I still like my sweet potatoes with a little spice and not filled with cinnamon honey butter. A quick sprinkle of cayenne pepper is what I like to dress mine in. To get the sweet potatoes that perfect potato salad texture, I roasted them in the oven. No boiling here!
*tip* If you cover your pan in foil when you roast the sweet potatoes you might not have to wash any dishes 🙂 I threw a poblano pepper and some red onion on the tray too so when it roasts it will pick up some of those flavors. This technique gives the salad more depth.
Once the sweet potatoes are roasted, I let them cool and then toss in some extra love. Love in the form of avocado and black beans. Not only does it add love, but protein and richness. To top off the sweet potato salad, some texture. Crunchy, toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), and tart pomegranate seeds are great compliments to the other ingredients.
Look at all those goodies in there!
Now let’s have a talk about mayonnaise. I know that it has its place in the culinary world. On a BLT, a fried egg sandwich, in tuna salad, and the outside of a grilled cheese sandwich to name a few, but it has no place in this salad. Please don’t throw out there the whole “potato salad has mayo” nonsense. This is an elevated potato salad and doesn’t need any help from the mayo to make it complete.
This salad is complete in my mind but if you need something to “dress” it with, let’s head in a Southwest direction. A honey lime vinaigrette with some cumin and cilantro will do the trick. Fresh lime juice is the way to go with the vinaigrette so please use it if you have it. You can always toss the squeezed lime wedges in your cocktail that you are enjoying at the party. Or at lunch 🙂
Now we have a sweet potato salad worthy of a main dish. Think of how great this would be with some grilled shrimp, some cheese, or chicken!!!!
The combination of sweet potatoes, black beans, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and juicy pomegranate seeds makes a wonderful side dish recipe for potlucks or even dinner on the grill. It would make a great vegetarian lunch too! This Southwest Sweet Potato Salad can be made a few days ahead of time, just keep the dressing separate until ready to serve.
Southwest Sweet Potato Salad
-
Prep Time: 10 mins - Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
-
Yield: 8 servings -
Category: Appetizers, Tapas
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
Sweet potatoes and black beans make a power-packed salad for any season! Topped with a vinaigrette, this sweet potato salad makes your taste buds dance!
Ingredients
For the salad:
3 medium sweet potatoes (peeled, diced small – appx 6 cups)
1 poblano pepper (seeded, chopped)
1/2 cup red onion (diced)
2 tablespoons olive oil
one 15oz can black beans (drained, rinsed)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 avocado (peeled, diced)
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (toasted)
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (arils)
For the Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (3 limes)
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F.
Toss the red onion, sweet potatoes, and poblano in the olive oil.
Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Roast the sweet potato, red onion, and poblano pepper in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes or until fork tender.
Remove from oven to cool, about 15 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooling, make your vinaigrette.
In a separate bowl, mix together the lime juice, honey, olive oil, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Stir to combine.
Reserve for later.
After the potatoes, onion, and poblano have cooled, add them to a large bowl and add black beans, avocado, cilantro, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds.
Toss to combine but be careful since the potatoes are soft.
Pour over the vinaigrette and toss lightly to coat.
Serve chilled or room temperature.
Enjoy!!
Notes
*If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it with some stars. Thank you!
Keywords: Southwest, sweet potato, salad, side dish
This post first appeared on A Dish of Daily Life
Miz Helen says
We love Sweet Potatoes and we would just love this salad, I am pinning this one! Thanks so much for sharing your awesome recipe with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen
Of Goats and Greens says
Looks great and colorful. I will consider bringing this to a pot luck in the real near future!
[email protected] says
I love that it is make ahead!
Kimm at Reinvented says
That looks great. I love the idea of making it with some grilled shrimp!
Thanks for sharing at Funtastic Friday!
Jhuls | The Not So Creative Cook says
This looks like a lovely meal. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday party.
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
There are a bunch of my favorite ingredients in here! I bet this is delicious!!
Christine says
I am loving all the color that’s in this dish, it just draws you right in! Thanks for sharing this at the DI & DI Link Party, we hope you had fun and made some new friend. Have a great day!
Kelly says
Oh wow, this looks fantastic! And easy! I’m definitely going to keep this in mind for my next office potluck.
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
This is one of my favorite flavor combinations! I have a sweet potato and black bean potato salad on my blog as well, with a lime dressing. It’s delicious! Love the addition of avocado in yours.
[email protected] says
Great minds think alike!
Ashley - Forking Up says
I looove subbing in sweet potatoes for regular in a traditional potato salad. This looks way healthier AND tastier than something bogged down with mayo, though!
[email protected] says
nd the colors are so much better than white potatoes!
Alison's Allspice says
I agree sweet potatoes are better with spicy flavors than sweet flavors. I will definitely make this as a main dish, maybe with a sprinkle of feta on top! Pinned! I found you at the What’s Cookin Wednesday link up.
Priya Srinivasan says
That looks very colorful and i love that dressing. I too like my potatoes lil spicy !!!
Molly Kumar says
I’m a big time salad lover and the more ingredients, the better 🙂 I love the combination of sweet potatoes with beans, pomegranate and avocado that you have going on here. This would make such a hearty bowl of yum.
chei says
Oh this sound so delicious! I will definitely try this. Yummy!
Adriana Lopez Martn says
One word “perfection” love to eat colorful dishes and this salad fits the bill. Pomegranates and sweet potatoes are a great pair too. Looks super yummy!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
That honey lime dressing is EVERYTHING. You can’t really improve upon sweet potatoes, but looks like you sure did! this looks perfect!
Christine McMichael says
LOVE sweet potato everything! This sweet potato salad sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it out!
[email protected] says
This salad sounds wonderful. Such a great way to use Sweet Potatoes. I’ll have to add this to my collection. And I often find myself looking for inspiration from other bloggers and this recipe definitely did that for me 🙂
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
This sounds really good! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner Link up!
Hanady | Recipe Nomad says
You’ve really developed some beautiful colors here! I have a few sweet potatoes in the pantry that would be amazing here! Love the avocados! Love it all!
Tina says
It’s funny that you mention bathing suit season is around the corner… I actually just purchased one this week! Ha. Now time to start eating healthy 🙂
[email protected] says
I am too scared!
Dene' V. Alexander says
The colors that are present in this dish are amazing!!! I never thought to use sweet potatoes in a salad, but this recipe makes me want to try. Bring me allllll the sweet potatoes!!!
Veena Azmanov says
I love sweet potatoes in any form be it soup or salad. The vinaigrette sounds perfect. Love when salad looks colorful.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
That salad is a real beauty. The colors just pop and it certainly is a feast for the eyes. I like your combination plus the pomegranate seeds — a little bit of crunch. The dressing certainly compliments the flavors — a tangy lime. That’s perfect!
Pam Wattenbarger says
I love sweet potatoes! This sounds like a really tasty way to use them. I don’t think I have had a sweet potato salad like this before.
Heather says
Sweet potatoes are my absolute favorite, and this salad looks so good. Definitely my kind of salad. I will HAVE to try this. Thanks for sharing!
Byron Thomas says
Such a pretty dish! It’s so colourful and vibrant, yet, it’s the perfect winter salad. I love the addition of the black beans and the seeds – additional protein. 🙂 Yum!
[email protected] says
This looks so good! This would be great put in a wrap as well! I used to serve a sweet potato black bean wrap at my face. We put avocado in it for creaminess to replace mayo. Your pictures are beautiful!
Indu says
This looks so wonderful and healthy in addition to looking ‘ so gorgeous’! I will try this minus the beans since I am on a paleo diet.
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant says
I don’t know how I missed this on Michelle’s site but it has completely captured my heart. Everything I love. Those pepitas are totally rocking my world. YUMMY
[email protected] says
Thanks love! I could just eat them all day long!