Move over salad greens! In this recipe, the beloved sweet potato takes center stage as the base for this sweet potato salad. Not to be confused with a mayo-centric potato salad, the sweet potatoes in this salad get tossed with a slightly punchy shallot vinaigrette and accented with toasted nuts, dried cranberries, and crumbles of feta yielding a salad that’s packed with flavor and texture.

The key to getting the most flavor into the salad lies in the way the sweet potatoes are cooked. Here, cubes of sweet potatoes are roasted until fork tender and lightly browned in spots, bringing out their natural sweetness. Halfway through roasting, some of the dressing for the salad is added to the potatoes. When cooked onto the sweet potatoes, its bright flavor mellows and becomes particularly savory, adding another layer of flavor as well helping to yield a tender, silky texture. Serve it alongside simple prepared proteins like seared fish or roasted chicken. 

Why You’ll Love It

• Loaded with flavor and texture. Thanks to cubes of tender sweet potatoes, chewy dried cranberries,salty feta, crunchy toasted nuts, and a shallot-y sherry vinaigrette, this salad has it all. 
• The dressing can be made ahead of time. Make it up to a day in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. 

Key Ingredients in Sweet Potato Salad

• Sweet potatoes: Because they’re cut into cubes, the size of the whole sweet potato doesn’t matter as long as you have 2 pounds total. 
• Dried cranberries: As well as a nice pop of color, they provide welcome texture and a sweet-tangy flavor that contrasts well against the sweet potatoes. 
• Crumbled feta: Provides a salty, tangy pop.
• Shallot: Provides a quiet allium flavor in the dressing that doesn’t completely overpower the sweet potato. 
• Sherry vinegar: As opposed to other vinegars, it contributes a more mellow tang in the dressing. 

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