Southwest Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette

Last updated on February 16th, 2019 at 07:04 pm

 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

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Jennifer Stewart
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

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Description

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!

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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

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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!!

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Notes

*If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it with some stars.  Thank you!

• Category: Appetizers, Tapas

Keywords: Southwest, sweet potato, salad, side dish

This post first appeared on A Dish of Daily Life