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This Sweet Potato Salad is so easy to make and full of flavor! It’s made with roasted sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, crunchy pistachios, and pomegranate seeds, all tossed in a simple citrus dressing. It’s a great side dish for Thanksgiving, the holidays, or any time you have sweet potatoes to use up.
I love making recipes with sweet potatoes, especially around the holidays. They’re so easy to work with and go well with so many different ingredients. For this salad, I added pistachios for some crunch, pomegranate seeds for a little sweetness, and fresh mint and parsley. The citrus dressing brings everything together, and you can even roast the sweet potatoes ahead of time to save yourself some work.
If you want more vibrant salads that still feel cozy enough for fall or Thanksgiving, try my Loaded Harvest Quinoa Salad or Herbed Potato Salad.
Recipe Overview
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need to make this sweet potato salad. The full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Sweet potatoes: I use orange sweet potatoes. Cut them into similar-sized cubes so they cook evenly.
- Olive oil: For roasting the sweet potatoes. Avocado oil works, too.
- Seasonings: Onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Nothing complicated!
- Fresh herbs: Mint and parsley add a nice fresh flavor. I recommend using fresh herbs for this recipe.
- Pistachios: Add a little crunch. You can also use chopped walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Pomegranate seeds: Add sweetness and a little crunch. Dried cranberries are another option.
- Red onion: I like using red onion in salads because of its flavor and crunch.
- Citrus vinaigrette: Made with olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, and cumin, this dressing ties everything together.
How to Make Sweet Potato Salad
Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender and lightly golden.
Make the dressing: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, whisk together the olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, cumin, and salt in a small bowl or jar.
Assemble the salad: Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly, then transfer them to a large bowl. Add the chopped mint, parsley, pistachios, pomegranate seeds, and sliced red onion.
Toss and serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is coated. Serve right away or refrigerate until ready to enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- Add the dressing before serving: If you’re making this ahead, keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat. This helps the potatoes hold their shape and keeps the pistachios crunchy.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet: Spread the sweet potatoes out so they roast instead of steam. Use two baking sheets if needed.
- Cut the potatoes evenly: Try to keep the cubes about the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- Let them cool a little: You don’t want to add the fresh herbs while the potatoes are piping hot because they’ll wilt.
- Save some toppings: Set aside a little of the pistachios, pomegranate, and herbs to sprinkle over the salad before serving.
Common Questions
I usually do, just because I like the softer texture, but it’s totally up to you. The skin adds extra fiber and actually holds up really well once roasted, so go with whatever you prefer.
Yes, the potatoes and all those fresh mix-ins will start soaking up the dressing if it sits too long, so it’s best to toss it right before serving.
This dish is naturally gluten-free and easy to make vegan with a quick swap of maple syrup instead of honey.
Yes! Chopped walnuts, almonds, or pecans would all work. You can also use pumpkin seeds if you want to make the salad without nuts.
Dried cranberries are a great substitute. They add a little sweetness and work well with the roasted sweet potatoes and citrus dressing.
Can I Make This Salad Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can roast the sweet potatoes a day ahead and keep them in the fridge. You can also make the dressing and store it in a separate container.
When you’re ready to serve, combine the sweet potatoes with the herbs, red onion, pomegranate seeds, and pistachios. Add the dressing, toss everything together, and you’re good to go!
You can serve this salad cold or at room temperature, so there’s no need to reheat the potatoes unless you prefer them warm.
Storage
- Store leftover sweet potato salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You can enjoy it cold or let it sit out briefly before serving. The potatoes will soften a little as they sit in the dressing, and the pistachios may lose some of their crunch.
- I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the fresh herbs and other toppings won’t have the same texture once thawed.
More sweet potato Sides
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- Baked Candied Sweet Potatoes
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Smoked Sweet Potatoes
- Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sweet Potato Wedges
Thanks so much for being here and cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and a ⭐️ rating below.
Sweet Potato Salad (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup shelled roasted pistachios, chopped
- 1 large pomegranate, seeded
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into half moons
For the Dressing:
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey, or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss 5 medium sweet potatoes cubes with 2 tablespoons olive oil, Kosher salt and black pepper, and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Roast for 25-30 minutes until golden and tender, flipping halfway through the cook time. Let them cool in the pan while you prepare the dressing.
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients until emulsified. Taste and adjust to your taste. (3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon ground cumin)
- In a large bowl, combine roasted sweet potatoes, ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, ¼ cup shelled roasted pistachios, 1 large pomegranate, and 1 small red onion.
- Drizzle with dressing and gently toss. You can refrigerate for 1 hour or serve immediately.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes: Cut into evenly sized cubes so they roast at the same rate. Spread them out on the baking sheet without overcrowding. Use a large sheet pan to roast all the potatoes at once; otherwise, use 2 pans or work in batches.
- Nuts: Swap the pistachios for walnuts, pecans, almonds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Pomegranate: Dried cranberries are a good substitute.
- Dressing: Use maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan option.
- Make ahead: Roast the sweet potatoes and prepare the dressing up to a day ahead. Store separately in the fridge and assemble before serving.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Serving: Enjoy slightly warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent recipe and easy to modify. I substituted pumpkin seeds and didn’t have the mint and it was still excellent.
So glad you loved it. Thanks for the feedback.