Pecan Sweet Potato Salad with Tahini Lime Dressing
Slightly sweet, nutty and rich this Pecan Sweet Potato Salad is perfect for fall. Or anytime you want a fun healthy salad. 
This would be a 100% perfect salad if it were fall. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the corona outbreak, it’s to work with what you have. Happily, I’ve also learned that “making do” can be… delicious!
You see, way back in the depths of my panty, there were sweet potatoes left from last fall’s CSA harvest. And no way was I going to let them go to waste now!
Inspired by leftovers
“Yes,” my oldest keeps saying, “this is when your style of eating pays off Mom!” What she means is that local eaters (2 CSAs, meat in bulk from local farms) always have a lot of food lying around the house.
Closeup
The fresh greens also came from one of my CSAs, even though they aren’t “in season” now. At this time of year, they do a small harvest from greenhouses which usually goes to restaurants. Since that business has dried up, some local families are helping to rescue them—and treating ourselves!
mmm
And I’ll share one final tip for good anytime eating. Always keep organic lemons and limes in the freezer. (I just pop them in a bag and pull out as needed.) The juice is much tastier than bottled and then you have zest you can use too.
I am working especially hard to get my veggies in now and find that a creative salad can be good for 2-3 servings. It’s a habit I think I’ll take with me. Even when this is all a memory.
Pecan Sweet Potato Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Sweet Potato:
- 1 large sweet potato cubed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼-1/2 t salt
Tahini Lime Dressing:
- 2 Tablespoon tahini
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1 Tablespoon very hot water
Salad:
- ¼ c dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pecan halves
- 6 cups fresh salad greens or up to 8 cups for more nutrition
Instructions
- Toss sweet potato cubes in olive oil, cinnamon and salt. Roast at 375 for about 20 minutes until tender, or pan fry on medium high until tender. Set aside to cool.
- To make dressing, mix tahini and hot water so tahini is softened, then whisk in remaining ingredients.
- Divide salad greens between four bowls. Top each with about a tablespoon of pecans and another tablespoon of dried cranberries. Divide cooled sweet potato cubes among the four salads and drizzle with dressing.
I love sweet potato but have never used it in salads. This looks delicious and nutritious! The tahini lime dressing sounds wonderful as well!
From a germaphobe’s point of view, when all this is a memory, I hope the population in general continues with good hand washing/disinfecting hygiene. I’ve seen too many people walk straight out of public bathrooms without washing.
I don’t even like to think about the people who don’t wash their hands…
I have all the ingredients for this – love that I don’t need to make substitutions! Coincidentally, I checked the tahini the other day to see if it was rancid! It was fine, so we are good to go. The two things that are hard about sheltering in place – I run out of salad greens and milk so quickly!
I’ve been buying more romaine since it seems to last better David. And if I get CSA spinach it is usually picked hours before I get there so super fresh. That has saved me since I can’t live without my salad! I do need to be more organized when this is all over though…
Hope you are doing well. Our son returned safely home and is doing his studies from Germany. No visit to Milwaukee for us. Stay healthy
It’s such a difficult time. My brother had a high school exchange student from Germany who returned about a month ago too. Is your son done this year? Stay well too.
Commencement was scheduled for May, 23rd. Hopefully he’ll get his diploma.
So sad, that the whole world has to stay at home.
Oh that is such a sad way to finish. My youngest graduated last year and I am so grateful I got to go. You’ll all have to visit “just because” when this is all over.
This looks so yummy! Adding tahini to my Instacart order!
We’ve been up in Door County for about a month–ever since MATC canceled classes and they were one of the first. The Egg Harbor health food store does curbside pickup so I was excited to get some tahini. Happily we even have a big freezer here :).
We were supposed to be in Arizona/Utah now for spring break, alas. Hope you are staying well.