Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Pecans and Green Onions
This colorful roasted root vegetable salad is delicious alongside broiled steaks or oven-baked ribs. Use any variety of sweet potato you like, including the ones sometimes labeled “garnet yams,” which have a bright orange color and moist, sweet flesh.
Ingredients
- 3 lb. (1.5 kg) sweet potatoes
- 2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
- 1/2 cup (2 oz./60 g) pecans
- 1/3 cup (3 fl. oz./80 ml) fresh lime juice
- 3 Tbs. maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) minced green onions, including tender green portions
- 3 or 4 kale leaves, stemmed and leaves torn
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
Preheat an oven to 400°F (200°C).
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. Put them in a large baking pan, drizzle with 1 1/2 Tbs. of the olive oil, sprinkle with the 1/2 tsp. salt and stir to coat. Spread the sweet potatoes in a single layer and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender when pierced with a knife, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a dry fry pan over medium-low heat, toast the pecans, stirring, until fragrant and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour onto a plate to cool.
In a large bowl, stir together the lime juice, maple syrup and the remaining 1/2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the hot roasted sweet potatoes, the pecans, green onions and kale. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature and stir again before serving. Serves 4 to 6.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Salad of the Day, by Georgeanne Brennan (Weldon Owen, 2012).
