Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato (Printer-friendly)

Fluffy quinoa meets caramelized sweet potatoes with fresh herbs in this vibrant, nourishing bowl.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
02 - 1 small red onion, sliced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

→ Grains

05 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
06 - 2 cups water

→ Fresh Herbs & Greens

07 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 2 cups baby spinach

→ Dressing

09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 1 clove garlic, minced
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - 1/2 tsp ground cumin
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Optional Additions

15 - 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (omit for vegan)
16 - 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Toss sweet potato cubes and red onion slices with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway, until sweet potatoes are tender and slightly caramelized.
03 - Combine quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together remaining olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
05 - Add cooked quinoa, roasted sweet potato, red onion, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and baby spinach to the bowl with dressing. Toss gently to combine.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to serving plates. Top with crumbled feta and pumpkin seeds, if using. Serve warm.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The warm roasted vegetables make it feel substantial enough for dinner while still being light and energizing
  • Everything can be prepped ahead and the flavors actually get better as they sit together
  • It is one of those rare dishes that satisfies both the comfort food craving and the desire to eat something vibrant and fresh
02 -
  • Cutting the sweet potatoes into uniform half inch cubes is the difference between perfectly roasted pieces and some that are raw while others burn
  • Let the quinoa sit covered off the heat for those five minutes because rushing this step makes it gummy instead of fluffy
  • The salad tastes dramatically different once the dressing has time to soak into the warm grains so do not skip tossing it immediately
03 -
  • Double the roasted vegetables and keep extras in the fridge for quick lunch additions throughout the week
  • Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before sprinkling them on top
  • Massaging the spinach with a little olive oil before adding it makes it silkier and less bitter

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