This Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad is a perfect mix of flavors and textures. It combines roasted sweet potatoes, peppery arugula, crisp Romaine lettuce, fresh basil, feta cheese, and sliced almonds. The salad is tossed in a tangy garlic vinaigrette. Enjoy it as a light meal or a side dish, and experiment with different protein toppings like chicken, steak, or fish.

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Why You'll Love This Salad
This salad combines sweet roasted potatoes, peppery arugula, crunchy Romaine, feta cheese, and sliced almonds for a perfect mix of flavors and textures. Tossed in a tangy garlic vinaigrette is a quick lunch or a side dish with chicken, steak, or fish.

What You Need
For The Salad
- Sweet Potatoes
- Arugula
- Romaine Lettuce
- Fresh Basil
- Basil
- Red Onion
- Feta Cheese
- Sliced Almonds
For The Dressing
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Lemon juice
- Honey
- Kosher salt and back pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Swaps
This recipe is easy to adjust based on what you have on hand or your preferences. Here are some simple swaps:
- Sweet Potatoes: Swap with butternut squash, acorn squash, or diced apples for a different combination.
- Arugula: Use spinach, kale, or mixed greens if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Apples instead of Sweet Potatoes: To simplify, peel and cube two raw apples or pears (any variety) instead of the roasted potatoes. It will taste great and save 30 minutes of roasting time!
- Feta Cheese: Try crumbled goat cheese or ricotta for a creamier texture. To make it dairy-free, skip the cheese altogether.
- Sliced Almonds: Replace with walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or sunflower seeds.
- Red Onion: Use scallions or shallots for a milder taste.
- Honey: Swap with maple syrup or leave it out if you don't eat sugar.
- Garlic: If fresh garlic is too strong, try garlic powder or roasted garlic for a milder flavor.
- Spice: Add chopped jalapeno peppers or red pepper flakes to spice this recipe up.
NOTE: For your kids, use all Romaine lettuce. You can even use iceberg lettuce. It's more subtle than the peppery taste of arugula.

How to Make Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad
Roast the Sweet Potatoes (full article for more information)
Roasting the potatoes takes the longest, so give yourself some time. Cut them into evenly sized cubes to roast sweet potatoes perfectly so they cook evenly.
For extra flavor, try sprinkling the potatoes with smoked paprika or a pinch of cinnamon before roasting.
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes.
- Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 30-40 minutes until tender. Check after 20 minutes and roast until they are spotty-brown and crispy on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
Make The Dressing
- Mix vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in olive oil until smooth.
Assemble The Salad
- In a large bowl, combine arugula, Romaine, basil, red onion, roasted sweet potatoes, feta, and almonds.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Plate the salad and serve. Place extra dressing and a pepper mill on the table for anyone who wants to add more.

Pairing Arugula Salad With Protein
This Arugula Salad goes with our recipe for Pan Seared Chicken Breasts. Chicken Breasts are marinated in oil and spices and "grilled" on the stovetop in a cast-iron grill pan. Just slice up the chicken and serve with your salad. It makes a great big bowl meal.
Try roasted mahi mahi or crispy panko coated snapper as an alternative to meat. The light, flaky fish goes with the fresh, bold flavors of the salad.
This salad goes perfectly with Reverse Seared New York Strip Steak and Pan Seared Chuck Steak.
A big scoop of tuna salad over the top would also be a great addition!
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Fresh salad greens should be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or container wrapped with a damp paper towel to maintain freshness for up to a week.
Store leftover salad (without dressing) in the fridge for up to 3 days. With the dressing it should be good for a meal the next day.
Keep leftover dressing in an airtight container, like a jar, in the fridge for up to 5 days, and shake it well before using.
Is Arugula Healthy?
Arugula is a leafy green cruciferous vegetable that's low in calories, fat, and sodium, and it could be a powerful antioxidant.
The arugula plant is known to be an excellent source of anticancer phytochemicals that fight free radical damage and slow the aging process. Many of arugula's benefits are due to its generous portions of vital nutrients — such as vitamin K, vitamin A and folate.
DR. JOSH AXE
Sweet Potato Arugula Salad
This Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad is a delicious blend of roasted sweet potatoes, peppery arugula, crisp Romaine lettuce, fresh basil, crumbled feta cheese, and sliced almonds.
Tossed in a tangy garlic vinaigrette, it’s a simple and satisfying dish.
Serve it as a light meal or pair it with chicken, fish, or steak for a complete and flavorful dinner.
Easy to make and packed with nutrients, this salad is perfect for for lunch, dinner, and an afternoon snack.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, one medium-sized sweet potato has about 20 carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber. If you're counting carbs, you can swap the sweet potato in this recipe with cauliflower, which has about 2 net carbs.
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 or crispy roasted tofu.
"📖 Recipe"

Roasted Sweet Potato and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
ROASTING SWEET POTATOES
- 1 pound sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
THE SALAD
- 3 cups baby arugula or baby arugula
- 3 cups Romaine lettuce , tender inner leaves from 1 head, torn or cut into bite size pieces
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into bite size pieces
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced red onion, about one quarter of a big red onion
- ¼ cup feta cheese, look for organic cheese in a block, not pre-crumbled
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
THE DRESSING
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic,
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 30-40 minutes until tender. Check after 20 minutes and roast until they are spotty-brown and crispy on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Mix vinegar, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in olive oil until smooth.
- Combine arugula, Romaine, basil, red onion, roasted sweet potatoes, feta, and almonds in a large bowl.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
- Plate the salad and serve. Place extra dressing and a pepper mill on the table for anyone who wants to add more.