Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Pecans and Feta

A warm-cold side salad built from roasted sweet potatoes, toasted pecans, feta, and greens. The sweet potatoes are roasted until browned at the edges, then tossed with a maple-Dijon vinaigrette and finished with pecans and feta so the salad stays structured rather than soggy.

By Julienne

Cook time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1200 g sweet potatoes peeled if desired, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
• 30 ml olive oil divided
• 6 g kosher salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 80 g pecans roughly chopped
• 30 ml maple syrup for vinaigrette
• 15 ml Dijon mustard for vinaigrette
• 30 ml apple cider vinegar for vinaigrette
• 15 ml olive oil divided
• 4 g kosher salt divided
• 1 g black pepper divided
• 15 ml water to loosen vinaigrette if needed
• 85 g baby arugula or mixed baby greens washed and dried
• 120 g feta cheese crumbled
• 10 g fresh parsley finely chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Oven is fully preheated and the pan is lined.
2. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 30 ml olive oil, 6 g kosher salt, and 1 g black pepper. Spread them on the baking sheet in a single layer. The cubes are evenly coated and not piled on top of each other.
3. Roast the sweet potatoes for 22 to 26 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until browned on the edges and tender when pierced with a knife. The cubes are caramelized outside and soft all the way through.
4. While the sweet potatoes roast, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly darker in color. Transfer to a plate to cool. The pecans smell nutty and show a little color without burning.
5. Whisk together the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, remaining 15 ml olive oil, remaining 4 g kosher salt, remaining 1 g black pepper, and optional 15 ml water in a small bowl or jar. The vinaigrette looks emulsified and slightly thickened.
6. Transfer the roasted sweet potatoes to a large serving bowl. Add the baby greens and toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the ingredients, using about two-thirds of the vinaigrette first. The greens are just coated and begin to wilt slightly from the warmth.
7. Fold in the toasted pecans, feta, and optional parsley. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette as needed and serve warm or at room temperature. The salad is evenly dressed, with pecans and feta distributed throughout.