Roasted sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and crispy chickpeas topped with a delicious avocado dressing makes this quinoa sweet potato salad the perfect make-ahead meal.
Make-ahead meals are perfect for lunch, especially when they're healthy - from an edamame, chickpea and apple salad to roasted Thanksgiving salad, there are endless options.
And this quinoa and sweet potato salad not only works as a great make-ahead lunch, but also dinner as well.
Think of this sweet potato salad as Mexican meets Mediterranean. You get some of the Mexican flavors with the spices like the chili powder, paprika and cumin but then the Mediterranean comes in with the chickpeas and pistachios, giving you that added crunch.
While the sweet potatoes taste great, it is the avocado dressing that really makes the meal. It is actually inspired by Pinch of Yum. This dressing is quick to whip up, delicious and can be used on much more than this quinoa sweet potato salad, making it extremely adaptable.
So if you want a healthy make-ahead lunch or dinner for that matter, this quinoa and sweet potato salad is the perfect option.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Quinoa - loaded with health benefits but can also use rice or farro.
- Sweet potatoes - the star of the salad which makes it more filling.
- Chickpeas - gives protein and extra crunch.
- Shallots - has a mild onion flavor that creates extra flavor.
- Olive oil - helps cook the vegetables and adds flavor to the avocado dressing.
- Chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper - enhances the flavor.
- Baby kale - milder than older kale which you can also use.
- Pistachios - adds crunch and flavor.
- Avocado - creamy/healthy base for the dressing.
- Italian parsley and cilantro - adds flavor and freshness.
- Jalapeño - adds a little heat.
- Limes - adds some brightness/acid to the avocado dressing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients, except the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until combined. And pistachios and pulse until smooth.
- Cook quinoa according to package instructions and set aside. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, add the diced sweet potatoes, chickpeas and shallots. Toss with olive oil, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the sweet potato mix in an even layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until sweet potato is tender, flipping halfway through.
- Toss the kale, sweet potato mixture, quinoa and pistachios in large bowl until mixed. Add dressing right before serving.
Benefits of Quinoa
Quinoa has become super popular and there is good reason for it. Some of the health benefits of quinoa include
- Contains all nine essential amino acids.
- Has twice as much fiber as other grains which lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and glucose levels.
- Contains iron which keeps our red blood cells healthy.
- Has lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair.
- Is rich in magnesium which relaxes blood vessels.
- High in riboflavin which improves energy metabolism.
- Contains a high content of manganese which is an antioxidant.
FAQs
Yes. In general, butternut squash and pumpkin are a great replacement for sweet potatoes and cook in about the same amount of time.
Baby kale is exactly what it sounds like - a younger version of kale. The flavor isn't as strong and it doesn't need to be massaged with oil before serving like kale. Also in general baby kale doesn't need to be cooked. Think of it as similar to arugula.
Serve the salad at room temperature. This is a salad that is best served at room temperature or even warm. If making ahead, just pull out of the fridge one hour before serving.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Be consistent with your diced sweet potatoes. You want them to cook in the same amount of time. If you decide to dice the vegetables at 1 inch instead of ½ inch, just keep in mind they'll take longer to cook.
- Roast the vegetables and chickpeas long enough so the veggies are cooked and caramelized and the chickpeas are crispy.
- if using as a make-ahead lunch, keep the avocado dressing separate and toss right before eating.
Other Salad Recipes
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Veggie Grain Bowl
- Summer Quinoa Salad
- Couscous Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
- Kale Sweet Potato Salad
- Kale Caesar Salad
If you’ve tried this quinoa sweet potato salad or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Quinoa Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½" cubes
- 1 (14 oz can) chickpeas, drained and washed
- 3 shallots, chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 4 cups baby kale
- 1 cup pistachios, roasted
Avocado Dressing
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup Italian parsley and cilantro
- 1 jalapeño, ribs and seeds removed
- 2 garlic cloves
- juice of two limes
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup pistachios, roasted
Instructions
Salad
- Cook quinoa according to package instructions and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, add the diced sweet potatoes, chickpeas and shallots. Toss with olive oil, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add the sweet potato mix in an even layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until sweet potato is tender and chickpeas are crispy, flipping halfway through.
- Toss the kale, sweet potato mixture, quinoa and pistachios in large bowl until mixed. Add dressing right before serving.
Avocado Dressing
- Add all of the ingredients, except the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until combined. And pistachios and pulse until smooth.
Notes
- Be consistent with your diced sweet potatoes. You want them to cook in the same amount of time. If you decide to dice the vegetables at 1 inch instead of ½ inch, just keep in mind they'll take longer to cook.
- Roast the vegetables and chickpeas long enough so the veggies are cooked and caramelized and the chickpeas are crispy.
- if using as a make-ahead lunch, keep the avocado dressing separate and toss right before eating.
- Serve the salad at room temperature. This is a salad that is best served at room temperature or even warm. If making ahead, just pull out of the fridge one hour before serving.
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