Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Chopped Salad Recipe

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This Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Chopped Salad Recipe is a vibrant and colorful dish loaded with bright and fresh ingredients blended with an orange yogurt poppy seed dressing.  Layered on a bed of assorted lettuces, this sweet potato salad recipe includes crunchy vegetables, salty cashews, creamy gorgonzola cheese, crisp bacon, and juicy oranges.

A creamy orange yogurt poppy seed dressing provides a tasty contrast to the savory ingredients and ties all the flavors together.  This is a refreshing roasted sweet potato salad, a vibrant and well-balanced meal.

What is the difference between a regular salad and a chopped salad?

A typical mixed salad is comprised of an assortment of ingredients cut into bite-sized pieces.  The basic ingredients are generally tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and other vegetables.

Chopped salads are more densely packed with an assortment of ingredients cut into small, uniform-sized pieces.  There is a balanced distribution of flavors and textures throughout the salad.

Why make this easy recipe

• There is a wide range of textures in this chopped salad.  The nuts add a buttery crunch, the cheese provides creaminess, and the vegetables offer fresh crispness.
• The contrasting flavors in this chopped salad are very complementary to each other.  There is the honied flavor of the tender sweet potatoes, the sharpness of the gorgonzola, the citrus tang of the oranges, and the pungent zing of the shallots.
• The yogurt dressing adds a light creamy element to help combine all the separate ingredients.
• A variety of leafy greens can be used such as spicy baby arugula, crisp romaine, or frilly red leaf lettuces.

Ingredients

sweet potatoes - Roasting enhances the natural sweetness.

shallots - Thinly sliced is best.  Using a mandoline is recommended but if you use a knife try to make very thin slices.

bacon - Crispy bacon adds crunch and smokiness.

cashews - Use dry roasted and salted for the best flavor.

carrots - Use pre-shredded for ease of salad prep.

orange - For a burst of flavor, every part of the orange is used throughout the salad - segments, juice, and zest.

yogurt - Use plain skyr or Greek yogurt for the dressing.

honey - Just a bit of sweetness to blend with the yogurt.

poppy seeds - A touch of nuttiness.

kosher salt - For the greens and the dressing

lettuce -Pick a blend of greens of different textures, colors, and flavors.

How to make the sweet potato chopped salad

Prepare the lettuce

Remove any wilted lettuce leaves and combine all the types in one bowl.  Rinse the greens in cold water. Using a salad spinner, remove any excess water.  Place the lettuce in an airtight container in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Prepare the salad ingredients

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Peel and chop the sweet potato cubes, ½ inch pieces, and place on a sheet pan in a single layer.  Toss with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with ¼ of kosher salt and a healthy pinch of ground black pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown and fork tender.  Let the roasted sweet potatoes cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

• While the sweet potatoes about roasting, prepare the bacon. Cut the uncooked slices into pieces. Fry the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Thinly slice the shallot. It is easiest to use a mandolin to make very thin slices. However, you can use a knife.
• Remove the zest from the orange using a Microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater.
• Remove the remaining peel from the orange. You should remove all of the pith from the orange.  Using a sharp knife, cut along the membrane of an orange segment. Cut along the opposite membrane so that the segment can be removed. Continue around the whole orange, removing all the segments.

• After you have removed all the segments, squeeze the juice from the remaining membranes into a measuring cup or small bowl. You will need 1 tablespoon of juice.
• Cut the orange segments into three smaller pieces.

Orange Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing

• Measure ½ cup of Greek yogurt or skyr into a small bowl.
• Add the honey, orange juice, zest, and poppy seeds to the bowl.  Add a pinch of kosher salt to the dressing.

• Using a whisk, mix all the ingredients. The salad dressing will be thick.

Arrange the salads

• Before portioning the lettuce into bowls, sprinkle a ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt and a pinch of ground black pepper into a large bowl of the greens.  Seasoning makes a big difference in the final flavor of the salad.  But use a light hand.  

• Divide the chilled lettuce among 4 salad bowls. Each bowl will get approximately 2 cups of greens.
• Add the ingredients in rows across the top of the lettuce. Divide the ingredients equally among 4 salads. Each one will get ½ cup of sweet potatoes, 2 tablespoons of bacon, 1-2 tablespoons of shallot slices, 3 tablespoons of cashews, 2 tablespoons of gorgonzola cheese, 2 tablespoons of shredded carrots, and 2-3 tablespoons of orange segments.
• Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons of the orange yogurt poppy seed dressing across the top of a salad. If you have any zest remaining, sprinkle it across the top.

FAQs

1. If your personal preference is a vegetarian salad, omit the bacon.  You may need to add additional salt to the greens.
2. Substitute the bacon for some pulled rotisserie chicken to create a larger dinner salad.
3. Make sure the cooked ingredients in the salad are at room temperature or cold.  Putting anything hot on the lettuce will cause the leaves to wilt.
4. You can meal prep the ingredients ahead of time.  The best way to ensure a fresh salad is to store everything in separate containers and arrange the salads right before serving.
5.  When making salad recipes in large batches, it's essential to adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly. Additionally, ensure that the dressing is added just before serving to prevent the greens from wilting. If possible, store the dressing in a separate container to maintain freshness.

A refreshing salad on a warm evening

This is a beautiful and delicious salad but also a satisfying meal without being too heavy.   The sweet and savory mix of flavors and the contrasting textures combine to create a refreshing meal that is well-balanced.

In this Oven Roasted Sweet Potato Chopped Salad Recipe it is easy to get the perfect bite containing little bits of each ingredient.  Salad lovers, this is a great recipe for you!

Here are some additional salad recipes to try.

https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/asparagus-and-fava-bean-panzanella-salad/

https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/asparagus-and-fava-bean-panzanella-salad/

https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/shredded-brussels-sprout-salad/

 

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