Roasted Sweet Potato Salad With Feta And Maple-Mustard Vinaigrette

This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad is made for Thanksgiving potlucks! Tender roasted sweet potatoes are tossed with a maple-mustard vinaigrette, dried cherries, crunchy pepitas and feta cheese. It’s easy to make ahead, travels well and tastes great warm or at room temperature.

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A Thanksgiving Side Dish That Doesn’t Need Reheating

Thanksgiving potlucks can get a little complicated when everybody shows up with a dish that needs oven space. I developed this roasted sweet potato salad specifically to be a Thanksgiving side dish that travels well and doesn’t need to be reheated before serving.

It starts with sweet potatoes roasted until tender and lightly browned. While they’re in the oven, a maple-mustard vinaigrette comes together with thinly sliced shallots, celery and dried cherries. The warm potatoes are tossed with the dressing, then finished with crunchy roasted pumpkin seeds, crumbled feta and fresh parsley.

Unlike a traditional cold sweet potato salad, this one is meant to be served warm or at room temperature. You can bring it to the table shortly after roasting or prepare it ahead for a holiday gathering. And with maple syrup, dried cherries and thyme, the flavors fit right in with a Thanksgiving menu.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients

A full recipe card, including exact ingredient amounts, appears at the bottom of this post.

• sweet potatoes – peel and cut them into 1-inch cubes so they roast evenly. Roasting concentrates their natural sweetness and gives them lightly browned edges.
• olive oil – used for roasting the sweet potatoes and making the vinaigrette.
• kosher salt and black pepper – season both the sweet potatoes and the dressing so the finished salad has plenty of flavor.
• apple cider vinegar – provides the acidity that balances the sweetness of the potatoes, maple syrup and cherries.
• maple syrup – adds just a touch of sweetness to the salad dressing and complements the roasted sweet potatoes.
• Dijon mustard – adds tang and helps bring the vinaigrette together.
• fresh thyme – gives the dressing an earthy, savory flavor that works especially well with the other fall ingredients.
• shallot – slice it very thinly. Tossing the raw shallot with the vinaigrette while the potatoes roast helps mellow its sharp flavor.
• celery – adds a fresh, crisp contrast to the soft roasted sweet potatoes.
• unsweetened dried cherries – provide concentrated tartness and chewy texture. Roughly chopping them is important! I found that leaving the cherries whole made them too large and awkward to eat in this salad.
• roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) – add crunch and a savory, nutty flavor. Buying them already roasted saves a step. Nuts like pecans or walnuts can be substituted here if you don’t like pepitas.
• feta cheese – the salty, tangy crumbles balance the sweet potatoes and cherries. Add it after tossing the salad. You could also use goat cheese or blue cheese here to change it up a little!
• fresh parsley – adds a pop of color to this feta sweet potato salad just before serving.

How To Make Warm Sweet Potato Salad

1. ROAST. Toss peeled, cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast at 425 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until tender and lightly browned.

2. WHISK. While the potatoes roast, whisk together apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, thyme, the remaining olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

3. ADD. Stir the thinly sliced shallot, celery and chopped dried cherries into the vinaigrette. Let everything mingle while the sweet potatoes finish roasting.

4. TOSS. Add the warm roasted sweet potatoes and pepitas to the bowl. Toss gently to coat everything in the maple-mustard vinaigrette without breaking up the potatoes.

5. FINISH. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with crumbled feta and fresh parsley. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Make Ahead, Storage And Reheating

One of the best things about this roasted sweet potato salad is that it doesn’t need to arrive at the table piping hot. That makes it especially practical for Thanksgiving potlucks, where oven space and serving times can be unpredictable.

• Make Ahead: Roast the sweet potatoes up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate them after cooling. Prepare the vinaigrette and stir in the shallot, celery and dried cherries, then refrigerate this mixture separately from the potatoes. Before serving, let the potatoes lose some of their chill, toss everything together, and finish with the pepitas, feta and parsley.
• Transport: For a Thanksgiving potluck, pack the prepared salad in a covered container and transport it chilled in an insulated cooler if it won’t be served promptly. Bring the feta, parsley and pepitas separately for the freshest finish. The salad can be served at room temperature, but don’t leave it unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours total.
• Refrigerate: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If the salad is still warm, cool it in a shallow container before covering and refrigerating promptly. The celery and pepitas will gradually lose some of their crunch.
• Reheat: Reheating isn’t necessary. If you prefer the salad warm, gently heat the sweet potato mixture in the microwave at reduced power before adding any reserved feta, parsley and pepitas.
• Freeze: Freezing is not recommended. The celery will lose its crisp texture, and the feta and dressed sweet potatoes won’t have the same consistency after thawing.

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