Roasted Sweet Potato Arugula Salad is a simple salad that works for lunch or dinner. Warm, roasted sweet potatoes, peppery arugula, fresh basil, and salty feta are mixed with a honey-garlic vinaigrette. Add sliced almonds for crunch and it's ready to serve.
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Roasted Sweet Potato Arugula Salad is an easy side salad made with sweet potatoes, arugula, feta, and almonds tossed in a honey-garlic vinaigrette.
Why We Love This Salad
This green salad with sweet potatoes makes a great side and is light enough for a late dinner.
Arugula has a peppery bite and is a nice change from basic salad greens. Feta adds salt, almonds give it crunch, and everything's tossed in a honey-garlic dressing.
Feta adds a salty taste, and some toasted almonds give it a nice crunch. Everything is mixed in a honey-garlic dressing.
This salad works for a quick lunch, a light dinner, or a side dish for roasted chicken or seared steak. It's also a hit at holidays, just top with leftover turkey or ham.
You can serve it for brunch too. Add a couple of sunny-side-up eggs on top. You'll have a healthy breakfast salad.
Ingredients
For The Salad
- Sweet potatoes (orange, purple, or white)
- Arugula
- Red onion
- Feta cheese
- Sliced almonds
- Freshly ground black pepper
For The Vinaigrette
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- Salt
Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes - Try butternut squash, acorn squash, diced apples or pears.
- Arugula - Swap with baby spinach, romaine, baby kale, or any mixed greens.
- Feta Cheese - Goat cheese or ricotta work well. For dairy-free, just leave it out.
- Sliced Almonds - Use chopped walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds.
- Red Onion - Substitute with scallions or shallots.
- Honey - Use maple syrup or skip it if you avoid added sugar.
- Garlic - Roasted garlic gives a milder, sweeter flavor.
- Spice - Add red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeño for heat
NOTE: For your kids, use all romaine lettuce. You can even use iceberg lettuce. It's more subtle than the peppery taste of arugula.
Cutting Sweet Potatoes
- Peel the sweet potatoes using a vegetable peeler.
- Slice each potato into 1-inch thick rounds.
- Cut each round into quarters. If the center pieces are larger, cut those into 6 pieces.
- Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water.
- Pat dry with a towel. Now they're ready to roast.
Roasting Sweet Potatoes
Roasting the sweet potatoes takes the longest, so start there. Cut them into even cubes so they cook at the same rate. Spread them out on a sheet pan so they're not touching. This helps them roast, not steam.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into cubes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender and browned around the edges. Let them cool before serving.
- I've roasted hundreds of sweet potatoes. No need to flip them. Flipping takes away that nice caramelized edge.
- Let them cool about 10 minutes while you make the rest of the salad.
How To Slice The Onions
Cut the onion in half through the root, then slice each half thinly from root end to tip.
Crumbling Feta Cheese
Crumble the feta using a fork. Drag the fork across the block and it breaks into small pieces. Leave it a little chubky for best results.
Try to buy feta cheese in a block. It has better flavor and texture than the pre-crumbled kind.
How to Make Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender with browned edges. Let them cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix garlic, mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until smooth.
- Add the arugula, red onion, feta, almonds, and cooled roasted sweet potatoes to a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Plate and serve. Place extra dressing and a pepper mill on the table.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Greens: Store arugula in a container or plastic bag with a damp paper towel. This keeps it crisp for up to a week.
Salad: You can prep the salad ahead, but wait to dress it. Without the dressing, the salad keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Once dressed, it's best eaten the same day.
Dressing: Store extra dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. Give it a good shake before using.
Add a Protein
This salad pairs well with just about any protein. Try it with Grill Pan Chicken Breasts or Pan Seared Chuck Steak. It also works with Salmon with Coconut Aminos, Oven Roasted Mahi Mahi, or Crispy Pan Fried Mahi Mahi Recipe if you're craving fish.
Want to keep things light? Serve it with a scoop of Veggie Tuna Salad.
Summary
This sweet potato and arugula salad is fresh, easy to make, and full of flavor. You get the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and savory in every bite.
Tossed in a sweet honey garlic vinaigrette, it works as a light meal or a side with chicken, fish, or steak. Great for lunch, dinner, or even healthy midday snack.
FAQ
Yes! You can roast the sweet potatoes and prepare the dressing up to 2 days in advance. Store the dressing in the fridge and keep the roasted sweet potatoes in an airtight container. Assemble the salad just before serving to keep the greens fresh and crisp.
To make the salad vegan, skip the feta cheese and replace honey in the dressing with maple syrup or agave. You'll still get plenty of flavor from the roasted sweet potatoes, fresh greens, and tangy dressing.
There are 450 calories in this arugula salad.
This salad pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, steak, roasted fish like mahi mahi, or even a scoop of tuna salad. For a plant-based protein, add chickpeas.
Yes. Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and vitamin A. This salad also includes leafy greens, healthy fats from olive oil and calcium from feta cheese. It's a well-balanced choice for lunch or dinner.
More Easy Salad Recipes
Looking for more simple salads to serve with dinner or pack for lunch? Here are a few reader favorites:
- Ray Peat Carrot Salad - A clean, refreshing shredded carrot salad with coconut oil and vinegar.
- Sweet Coleslaw - A deli-style slaw with a tangy-sweet dressing.
- Italian Carrot Salad Recipe Tossed with lemon, parsley, and garlic for bold flavor.
- Classic Low-Carb Caesar Salad - Made without croutons and tossed in creamy homemade Caesar dressing.
- New York Diner-Style Tuna Salad - Creamy tuna with crunchy vegetables, just like the bagel shops.
- Deli-Style Egg Salad - Simple, classic egg salad great for lettuce wraps or sandwiches.
- Chilled Lobster Salad with mayonnaise, celery, and lemon.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad Recipe
Ingredients
ROASTING SWEET POTATOES
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
SALAD
- 5 ounces arugula or baby arugula
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion, about one quarter of a big red onion
- ¼ cup feta cheese,
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
DRESSING
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 clove)
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey (or more to taste)
- pinch salt (you can add more later as needed)
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Peel and slice the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender with browned edges. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, mix garlic, mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until smooth.
- Add the arugula, red onion, feta, almonds, and cooled roasted sweet potatoes to a large bowl.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Plate and serve. Place extra dressing and a pepper mill on the table.
