How to make the best homemade roasted sweet potato salad recipe that absolutely everyone will love. This recipe is packed with healthy and delicious ingredients!
Easy sweet potato salad
This is a perfect salad for parties, potlucks, picnics, barbecues, or any time you need an easy and colorful side dish to feed a crowd.
The healthy recipe is super quick to throw together and calls for just a few basic ingredients readily available at most regular grocery stores.
It’s great to have on hand for last-minute invites, and the dish can be vegan, soy free, gluten free, added sugar free, or easily adapted to fit Whole30 and paleo diets as well.
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Watch the sweet potato salad recipe video above
This healthy sweet potato salad, with its delicious lime and garlic dressing, was inspired by the first friend I ever made after moving into my new apartment.
She brought a similar salad as an appetizer to a potluck brunch I hosted a few years ago, and I fell completely in love with the array of textures and flavors.
I immediately asked for the recipe and have been making my own version ever since!
Here’s the best way How to cook sweet potatoes
Do you eat the salad hot or cold?
Because the crowd pleasing salad is packed with fresh produce and can be served warm or cold, it’s a great option for either summer or Fall.
The recipe yields a large batch, so it’s also good for meal prep. You cook just once and get a delicious and healthy lunch for the week!
So whether you choose to serve it on Thanksgiving, Super Bowl, or the Fourth of July, for a fancy dinner party or as a regular Monday work lunch, this sweet potato salad is always a welcome option at the table.
The salad needs no mayonnaise, no mustard, and it can even be oil free.
Sweet potato salad ingredients
The healthy recipe calls for roasted sweet potatoes, diced onions, minced garlic, lime juice, red bell pepper, vegetable or olive oil, black beans, fresh cilantro, salt and pepper, and optional corn.
Feel free to exchange the black beans for chickpeas or pinto beans and the lime juice for lemon juice.
The sweet potatoes can be substituted with yams, Japanese white sweet potatoes, purple sweet potatoes, or even baked butternut squash.
Not everyone likes cilantro, so I will often leave it on the side or add it at the end when serving the healthy salad to dinner guests.
Either white or red onions work. And if you prefer to use a yellow or orange bell pepper, that is totally fine.
With so many different flavors and textures, the one bowl dish will completely captivate your tastebuds.
And you can change it up to suit what you have on hand. I will sometimes add fresh corn, zucchini, apple, or chopped avocado, similar to this Avocado Salad recipe.
How to make the salad
Start by gathering the ingredients and lining two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes, and dice the onion. Toss the sweet potatoes and diced onion with oil or spray. Sprinkle with salt and optional pepper, add the garlic, then spread them in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheets.
Place the trays in a non-preheated oven (in other words, a cold oven) on the center rack. Now turn the oven on to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the onions are caramelized.
Meanwhile, dice the peppers. Drain and rinse the beans. Add all of the ingredients, including the sweet potatoes and onions, to a large bowl. Toss until evenly combined. Serve hot or cold.
Recipe serving suggestions
Traditionally, people often serve potato salads alongside hamburgers, grilled chicken, steak, bacon and eggs, meatloaf, pork, or shrimp.
As a vegan, I love to serve it with veggie burgers, barbecue tofu, coleslaw, wraps, sandwiches or paninis, roasted brussels sprouts, avocado toast, or Tofu Scramble.
You can also turn it into a light main meal by serving the roasted sweet potato salad over quinoa, rice, kale, rocket greens, or spinach. Or slice an avocado over top.
Garnish with pomegranate seeds, cranberries, pecans, or vegan feta if desired.
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. Leftover salad can also be frozen, although the texture will not be as crisp and crunchy.
Also be sure to try this Coconut Curry
Sweet Potato Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped (2 lb before peeling)
- 1 onion, diced
- 1/2 tsp salt, and optional pepper
- 3 tbsp oil, or spray (for fat-free option)
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 can black beans, or 1 1/2 cups cooked
- optional 1 cup canned or cooked corn
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (omit if desired)
Instructions
- Toss sweet potatoes and onions with 1 1/2 tbsp oil (or spray) and the garlic, sprinkle with salt and optional pepper, and arrange in a single layer on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Place in a non-preheated oven on the center rack, then turn the oven to 450 F. Bake 35 minutes, or until potatoes are soft. Add all remaining ingredients to a large bowl, then toss with the sweet potatoes. Serve hot or cold.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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More Healthy Side Dish Recipes
Sabrina says
I love sweet potatoes so love this very creative sweet potqto salad, thank you
Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says
I love making a giant batch of something for healthy lunches throughout the week! Last week I made a big batch of a mexican bean salad…this will have to be next!! 🙂
Linda @ the Fitty says
Why have regular potatoes when you can use sweet potatoes?! xD
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Oh my, I love this idea! Who needs potato salads when you can have sweet potato salads that have more Vitamin A, right? That in mind, I want to try using purple or Japanese sweet potatoes in my recipe! Maybe make a tropical salad with kale, coconut, pineapple, and bananas, or a curry salad with chickpeas, coconut milk, Harissa, tahini, almonds, cilantro, green onions, bell peppers, and cauliflower too!
Anisah says
Just made this for lunch. To be honest I didn’t have high hopes lol it just seemed so easy but it turned out so delicious! Even my husband and almost two years old devoured it. Thanks for the great recipe. The only changes I made we’re to add some corn and a lemon juice in place of lime because that’s what I had
Lisa Price says
I made this for a potluck last summer, and it was a huge hit. Multiple people asked me for the recipe, and couldn’t believe it when I told them how easy it was! (Note: I also gave them the source, so am hoping I steered a few people to this blog…) The only changes I made were to add a small can of corn, some thyme and summer savory.
Karl says
Turned out well, thanks! Hope it holds a few days in the fridge
pamela luies says
wow very nice recipes
thank you
Shanasy says
Thank you sooo much for this super quick recipe – I love how colorful it is and how you can easily change it up!! I’ve shared it with my fb group “Super Quick Plant-Based Recipes” https://www.facebook.com/SuperQuickPBRecipes/ I think my gang will love it AND your site! We love anything super quick and easy. Keep em coming!
Lauren says
I just made this for the first time and it is DELCIOUS! My whole kitchen smells delightful and it tastes amazing. It made a whole ton and I’m looking forward to eating it at lunch tomorrow , thanks for posting ❤️
Irene says
Oh. My. God. These are incredible!! I used a little more sweet potato than the recipe called for, almond butter, buckwheat flour, and cacao powder plus chocolate Orgain plant based protein podwder and a little nugget of cacao butter…. and woah. These are absolutely incredible. Thank you!!!
Amy says
What did you do without the Buckwheat flour?
Gayle says
Love this. I made it over the weekend. A great side dish.
sanjay Mishra says
Very interesting,will surely try to make and eat,good job and thanks for sharing such a good recipe.
Judith says
Delish! I used dried minced onion and red bell pepper flakes soaked in 2 TBSP lime juice and 1 TBSP water while the potatoes roasted. This is a summery way to enjoy sweet potatoes and betacarotine! This dressing was essentially dry, which is okay because the potatoes and black beans are moist–no excess moisture on the plate.
Elizabeth says
I needed to bring something veggie and gluten free to an event and found this online. Thought it might be bland, but no! The roasted sweet potatoes and onions give it tons of flavour. And very pretty too. Definitely a keeper.
Cecile says
Will be trying this tomorrow, recipe looks delish!
Gina says
I’d love to make this , and really appreciate the nutrition facts, the WW points are also helpful, but it would be great if the serving size was also included. Thanks!
Karen says
I made this yesterday and had it today for brunch! I absolutely loved it.
Mariia says
The salad is really delicious! Not heavy but filling quite fast 🙂 I added also a goat cheese and avocado aside. Turned out they match alltogether.
Thanks for the recipe!
connie says
What can I use for flavor in substituting the red pepper. I can’t have nightshades. Have options for other ingredients but I really miss the red pepper flavor.
Virginia Greuling says
May I sub pinto beans for the black beans?
CCK Media Team says
Sure 🙂
Jane says
I made this salad and it was sooo yummy! Thanks!
Gail says
Thank you Katie for this brilliant recipe! It was absolutely divine, and surprisingly satisfying. The only reason I made substitutions was due to the availability of ingredients. I used two medium-sized sweet potatoes, two medium-sized red onions, and about a cup of butternut squash that was winking at me in the fridge. Oh, and come to think of it, I sped up the cooking time by nuking the unpeeled-yet-scrubbed-and-pierced sweet potatoes in the microwave before putting them in the oven, and ditto for the squash. Plus, I threw-caution-to-the-wind, and added roughly three cups of kale massaged with olive oil and garlic powder (massaging kale is SO worth the 90 seconds of extra effort!). And thank-you to Mariia for suggesting a sprinkling of goat cheese. When I serve it for my non-vegan guests, I’ll definitely try this. Magnificent.
Question: Any recommendations for other varieties of beans? The black beans were good, yet I kept thinking there might be something better. I’m a chronic recipe tweaker.
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for trying it, and honestly you can use pretty much any kind of bean! Pinto or garbanzo would be nice.
Tesss says
Mung Beans were excellent in this recipe!
CCK Media Team says
Love your idea!
Kathleen Erikson says
I love your recipes, even bought your cookbook, but I have to ask…you’re so slim, do you actually eat the foods you post?! How do you keep your trim figure!!
Sue Silver says
Kitchen smells delicious, wondering whether to drain beans & corn or include juice from both cans? Love the healthy aspect & coloring!
CCK Media Team says
Hi, we drain them 🙂
Diane says
Made this for a packed lunch today and it was awesome. Will definitely make this sweet potato salad again.
I cooked the sweet potato and diced onion combo in the air fryer. By the time the sweet potato was cooked the onion was a little too brown with a predominant flavor. Next time I will chop the onion into larger pieces to compensate, or cook the onion separately.
Thank you for the recipe.
Sheila says
I tried the recipe. It came out so well though I skipped cilantro. Love the salads, and thanks for sharing the recipe!
Sandra says
Really delicious, thank you.
Susie says
So good Katie! Made it tonight, used the cilantro, cut corn from 2 cooked ears and a very light sprinkle of Penzey’s Arizona Dreamin! Served at room temp! Excellent!!
Sue says
This was amazing my guests really loved it and wanted the recipe. I am making it again for girls day!
Sallie says
Flavorful flexible treat. My salads can never have enough “stuff “. My additions included fresh queso, quinoa, jalapeño and pepitas. Yummy!
Mark Baldwin says
Per sweet potato salad, can you add beets?
Mark Baldwin says
Also it says it has a garlic lime dressing but there’s no recipe in the description.
Jen says
DELICIOUS!!!!! Prep time was more than 5 minutes with washing the vegetables and chopping. Well worth the effort. I’ll be serving and sharing this with others often!
Marlene says
I’ve made a similar recipe which leans toward the sweeter side with added mango cubes and a ginger-honey-lime dressing and caramelized pecans. No beans and lighter onion taste w scallions or chives. Have also added baby spinach at end.
SueJ says
This was fabulous! Made exactly as-is, except I added the zest of half a lime before I juiced it. Also included the corn and cilantro. I wondered about not roasting the bell pepper, but am glad I followed the recipe, because the texture the raw pepper adds was great. Thank you for recipes like this that encourage my “Salads? Meh.” husband to enjoy his veggies.
Nancy says
I am ready to make this and I assume you used a medium onion as there is a big difference in yield depending if the onion is small, medium or large.
Andrea says
What a great idea! Sweet potato salad! Personally, I hate red peppers, so I diced up avocado instead and seasoned the whole thing with the lime, red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for this.
kaity says
would like to make this but it’s unclear what goes into the garlic-lime dressing? can you provide instructions for the dressing? thank you!
Lisa Ward says
I was wondering the same thing. All the salad ingredients listed, but no dressing. Weird.
CCK Media Team says
Hi, the lime and garlic listed in the recipe make all the dressing you need. There is no need for any other dressing 🙂
Beverly says
Very good mix. My family now eats sweet potato.
CMM says
This sweet Potato salad is outrageously good! I followed the recipe, exactly, except I sprinkled the sweet potato and onion mixture with garlic powder, generously before roasting instead of using fresh garlic. It’s even better than I imagined! Love it! I have to stop myself from eating the whole bowl.