Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

by Traci ·

4.93 from 14 votes

Total 30 minutes minutes

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Savory Sweet Potato Salad is a mouth-watering sweet potato salad with arugula, pomegranate, dried cherries, quinoa, and pepitas in apple cider vinaigrette. It represents every flavor of the palate and makes the perfect fall season side dish.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (1)

Sweet potato salad has been a favorite holiday side dish for the past few years and it's a hit! As a kid, we always had candied sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, and I loved them. But, it's way too sweet for a holiday side dish now that I'm an adult...with a waistline...that I'd like to keep. This sweet potato salad...it's lightly sweet, tart, savory, crunchy, and peppery all at once! It's a must-have holiday recipe for the sweet potato lovers out there.

Table of Contents hide

1) Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients

2) How to make Sweet Potato Salad

3) Sweet potato salad - flavor and texture galore!

4) Grab these easy potato recipes

5) Fall recipes we love

6) 📖 Recipe

7) Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients

  • quinoa - You can make a classic stove cooked quinoa or make Instant Pot quinoa.
  • sweet potatoes - Make oven baked, stove boiled, or pressure cooker sweet potatoes.
  • raw pepitas - also called pumpkin seeds
  • arugula
  • pomegranate seeds
  • dried cherries
  • apple cider vinegar
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • maple syrup
  • salt and pepper
Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2)

How to make Sweet Potato Salad

  • Step 1. Cook the quinoa and allow to cool.
  • Step 2. Cook the sweet potato (recipe includes microwave and oven-roasting instructions).
  • Step 3. Toast the pumpkin seeds.
  • Step 4. Whisk together salad dressing ingredients and refrigerate.
  • Step 5. To serve, toss all ingredients together...and devour!

You can prep each ingredient up to a few days in advance, store them separately in the refrigerator, and toss everything together just before your throw down goes down.

Once this salad is dressed, it needs to be served immediately as the arugula wilts over time.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (3)

Sweet potato salad - flavor and texture galore!

When you get a biteof this salad with morsels of each ingredient, you'll get savory from the sweet potatoes and pumpkin seeds and slightly bitter flavor from the arugula, tart from the pomegranate, sweetness from the sweet potatoes and dried cherries, and maple dressing, all perfectly balanced with a touch of salt.

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (4)

Grab these easy potato recipes

  • Roasted Smashed Potatoes
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Vegan Potato Salad
  • Loaded Potato Salad
  • Classic Red Potato Salad

Fall recipes we love

  • Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
  • Pomegranate Cranberry Relish
  • Citrus Salad
  • Vegan Green Bean Casserole
  • Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

📖 Recipe

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (5)

Savory Sweet Potato Salad

Savory Sweet Potato Salad is a mouth-watering sweet potato salad with arugula, pomegranate, dried cherries, quinoa, and pepitas in apple cider vinaigrette. It represents every flavor of the palate and makes the perfect holiday dinner side dish.

Prep TimePrep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 10 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 30 minutes mins

Yield 4 1-cup servings

Author Traci Antonovich

4.93 from 14 votes

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Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • ½ cup dry Quinoa or 1 cup cooked
  • 1 medium Sweet Potato
  • ¼ cup Pepitas
  • 2 cups Baby Arugula
  • ½ cup Pomegranate Arils
  • ¼ cup Dried Cherries lightly chopped

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
  • ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup
  • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook dry QUINOA according to package instructions; allow to cool.

To cook the sweet potatoes

  • In the oven:

    Peel skin, chop into cubes, toss in extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 400° until tender (about 10-14 minutes); allow to cool before adding to the salad.

    In the microwave:

    Pierce raw SWEET POTATO several times with a knife; place in the microwave; cook on high until tender (5-8 minutes); allow to cool; remove skin; chop into bite-sized pieces; allow to cool before adding to the salad.

Toast the pepitas

  • Place PEPITAS on a baking tray under low-flame broiler in oven or toaster oven; gently toast until fragrant (be careful, they burn easily).

Apple cider vinaigrette

  • In a bowl, whisk together APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, OLIVE OIL, MAPLE SYRUP, SALT, and PEPPER; cover and chill up until needed.

  • To serve, toss together QUINOA, SWEET POTATO, ARUGULA, PUMPKIN SEEDS, POMEGRANATE ARILS, DRIED CHERRIES, and VINAIGRETTE.

Final step

Click stars to vote. Please visit 'Comments' below for reviews.

4.93 from 14 votes

Did you make this recipe? I'd love to see it!Follow @thekitchengirl on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag #thekitchengirl. This always makes my day!

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5117IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

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Comments

  1. Mary Helene says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (6)
    My new favorite any potato salad - thank goodness the family feels the same!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Yay! So glad you and your family love it...and thanks for popping in to let me know 🙂 I really appreciate it!

  2. Midge says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (7)
    CAn you skip the quinoa? Please advise.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Hi Midge, you can totally leave the quinoa out. No problem...enjoy!

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Sandi! Yes, it has all of those things going on 🙂 All my favs!

  3. Jennifer | SavorwithJennifer.com says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (9)
    Wow! Fall on a plate in such a GORGEOUS way! Can't wait to try this.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Jennifer! Hope you love it like I do!

  4. Jill says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (10)
    I love all the ingredients in this salad. Plus it looks so pretty - perfect for Fall entertaining!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Jill! It is perfect for fall 🙂

  5. Kelly Anthony says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (11)
    This salad has it all! Oh my goodness, I wish I had a plate of it RIGHT NOW! So craving sweet potatoes after all those yummy photos!!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Kelly! Love the kind words 🙂

  6. Elaine Benoit says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (12)
    This salad looks so hearty and delicious! I love autumn salads and yours looks absolutely perfect!!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Elaine! Love hearing that...hope you get to try it out sometime 🙂

  7. Taylor Kiser says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (13)
    Love everything about this salad! It will be a beautiful addition to the Thanksgiving table!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Taylor! We love it for holiday feasts 🙂

  8. Lisa Bynum says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (14)
    Where I live, it still feels like summer. I'm so ready to start pulling out fall recipes, but it's too dang hot! This recipe is perfect! I can get all those yummy fall flavors without breaking a sweat.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Haha yep! You sure can! It's good through the winter too 🙂

  9. Michelle says

    So many Fall flavors! It looks fantastic!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Michelle!

  10. rebecca says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (15)
    this is FALL right here! looks delicious

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Rebecca!

  11. Lisa | Garlic + Zest says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (16)
    I could eat this for lunch every day! Love the pomegranate -- I actually have one on my counter right now... Will have to make this!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Yay Lisa! Hope you love it like I do! Served it up for Thanksgiving last year...it was a hit 🙂

  12. Jacque says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (17)
    I LOVE a good salad to take on during the fall season. This looks like absolute perfection.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      You're makin my day with comments like that! Thank you 🙂

  13. Ginny McMeans says

    Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (18)
    What a beautiful and flavorful salad! The sweet and tangy go perfectly together.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thank you! Yes, that was the goal...thanks for saying so 🙂

  14. Jessy says

    I feel like you've found the most incredible flavor combo on this! I'm especially loving the addition of arugula!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thank you! Yes, I totally agree with you on the flavor combo...it was a happy accident a few years ago. And I'm hooked for life! 🙂

  15. Sarah says

    This salad is packed with flavor and all of my favorite ingredients. LOVE! ...especially that pomegranate mmm!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thank you! I cannot resist this salad during the fall season... the pomegranate makes it!

Savory Sweet Potato Salad Recipe - The Kitchen Girl (2024)

FAQs

What is amish potato salad made of? ›

This Amish Potato Salad starts off with a sweet, creamy dressing that gets drizzled over all the potato salad classics – celery, boiled eggs, onions, and sweet pickle relish. This is a great summer side dish and a nice change from the usual. That sweet dressing is a bit different, but oh so good!

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

Should you cool potatoes before making potato salad? ›

When using vinaigrette, don't let the potatoes cool before dressing them. And when making a mayonnaise-based potato salad, stay away from dressing warm potatoes. The hot potatoes will cause the mayonnaise to melt and become oily.

Why is my potato salad bland? ›

Because classic potato salad is basically a softened potato mixture with mayonnaise, its flavor can be slightly bland. According to The Kitchn, you can perk up your potato salad with an easy, tasty hack, and it doesn't require any extra work: simply add pickle brine.

How to make a potato salad Jamie Oliver? ›

Method
  1. Gently boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and slowly add the olive oil. ...
  3. Slice the cooked potatoes in half and dress with the shallot and parsley vinaigrette.

How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

Don't Undercook (or Overcook) the Potatoes

Poke them with a fork after the water has boiled for 5 minutes (or, if steaming, after 15 minutes). Don't wait until they fall apart when pierced with a fork.

Should you rinse potatoes in cold water after boiling for potato salad? ›

Rinsing potatoes helps remove excess starch, so it is recommended to rinse the potatoes before cooking. To ensure even more starch is out of the way, it's recommended that they even be quickly rinsed after boiling. We recommend using hot water for rinsing after boiling and cold water prior to boiling.

What is in Walmart potato salad? ›

POTATOES, MAYONNAISE (SOYBEAN OIL, WATER, EGG YOLKS, VINEGAR, SALT), MUSTARD (WATER, VINEGAR, MUSTARD SEED, SALT, SUGAR, SOYBEAN OIL, TURMERIC, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SPICES, ANNATTO EXTRACT (COLOR], XANTHAN GUM, CITRIC ACID, NATURAL FLAVOR), DILL PICKLE CUBES (CUCUMBER VINEGAR, SALT, CALCIUM CHLORIDE, NATURAL ...

What are all the ingredients for potato salad? ›

Stir mayonnaise, pickles, hard-cooked eggs, red onion, celery, mustard, cider vinegar, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Fold in cooled potatoes until well combined. For best flavor, chill potato salad in the refrigerator until chilled or overnight before serving.

What are funeral potatoes made of? ›

Make Cheesy Funeral Potatoes

Next, into the prepared baking dish, combine: a 2lb bag of frozen diced hash browns, 16 ounces of sour cream, 1 can of cream of chicken, 1 stick of melted butter, 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese and add in some garlic powder (measure with your heart).

What is Japanese potato salad made of? ›

Japanese-style potato salad is a popular dish that is made with semi-mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables, ham, hard boiled egg, and mayonnaise. Although the salad's inspired by Western-style potato salad, it uses Japanese mayonnaise (a.k.a.

What is Russian potato salad made of? ›

This is no ordinary potato salad. This salad consists of potatoes, turkey hot dogs, pickles, scallions, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet peas. All of the ingredients are finely chopped and dressed with mayonnaise.

What is French potato salad made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. 9 Yukon Gold potatoes.
  2. ½ cup vegetable oil.
  3. ¼ cup tarragon vinegar.
  4. ¼ cup beef consommé or vegetable broth.
  5. ¼ cup chopped green onions.
  6. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
  7. 1 teaspoon salt.
  8. 1 teaspoon ground black pepper.

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

There's no reason at all, so my advice is to leave the skins on. The skin on a potato adds a nice texture and flavor to the potato salad and it's also the healthiest part.

Why is my potato salad always watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients. Steaming the potatoes instead of boiling them is a good way to ensure that excess moisture isn't trapped inside.

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad? ›

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Which type of potato is best for potato salad? ›

Russet, Yukon Gold, or red potatoes (new potatoes) are all excellent for potato salad. They do cook at different rates so be sure to adjust cook time depending on which type of potato you select.

Why is my potato salad gummy? ›

Not Getting The Cook Time Right

Considering potatoes are the main ingredient, over- or undercooking them can lead to a less-than-perfect side dish. If you overcook them, the result is a mushy, grainy mess. And if you undercook them, you end up with crunchy (not in a good way) potatoes.

What goes bad in potato salad? ›

But the truth is, mayonnaise isn't your main concern when it comes to spoilage. The actual culprit is the potatoes. Yes, it's true!

Why do I feel sick after eating potato salad? ›

They give potato salad a breeding ground for foodborne toxins such as salmonella or listeria when the correct temperature is not maintained. That's why potato salad should be kept cold, either by putting the serving dish on ice or leaving it in the refrigerator or cooler until just before it's served.

How do you keep potatoes from getting mushy in potato salad? ›

Cook the potatoes properly: Overcooking potatoes can cause them to become too soft and mushy. To prevent this, boil the potatoes until they are just tender, but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and let them cool completely before adding the dressing.

What makes homemade potato salad watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

References

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