Tender roasted chunks of sweet potato and protein packed quinoa are gently tossed with peppery arugula and coated in a simple Maple Ginger Vinaigrette in this Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad. Perfect for lunch or dinner, this healthy salad will fill you up and power you through the day.
I was about to post another taco recipe today, but then I realized my website might be getting a little too full of taco recipes (is that even possible?!). I don’t want you guys to think that all we eat around here are tacos, so I decided I would mix it up with this healthy Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad. If you are looking for more taco recipes, don’t worry. I have a couple more ready to share with you guys soon so you will be all ready for Cinco De Mayo next month. You can also check out my Pulled Pork Carnitas Tacos with Jalapeno Lime Brussels Sprout Slaw recipe to satisfy your cravings in the meantime. But for now, back to the salad!
This Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad with Maple Ginger Vinaigrette is not your average bland and boring salad. It is packed with roasted sweet potatoes, crunchy pecans, crisp red onion, peppery arugula, and salty feta. All topped off with a spicy and sweet maple ginger vinaigrette, this salad is perfect as a lunch or dinner. Packed with extra protein from the quinoa and fiber from the sweet potatoes, this salad will fill you up and help power you through the day.
How Do You Make This Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad?
This Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad with homemade Maple Ginger Vinaigrette is super easy and quick to make. I first made this salad one afternoon when my mom was coming over for lunch, and I was able to prepare everything and mix up the vinaigrette while the sweet potato roasted. Then when my mom got here, I just tossed it all together and served. This salad was perfect for me and my mom, since we both love quinoa but unfortunately usually can’t get my dad or Steve to eat it.
For the quinoa, I like to cook up extra quinoa once a week and keep it in the fridge to add as a protein and fiber boost to salads or quick breakfast scrambles. You can also actually cook a big batch of quinoa, freeze it in a zip lock bag, then break it up into chunks and pull a little out to use as needed. For more tips on how to cook extra light and fluffy quinoa, check out some tips in my Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, & Quinoa Power Bowl recipe.
One of my favorite parts of this salad is how the tiny quinoa gently stick to and coat the soft roasted sweet potato, adding crunchy bits on the exterior of each tender sweet potato nugget. If you also have some ripe avocado, I definitely recommend chopping it and tossing it in as well for a similar effect. I actually was planning to add avocado to this salad, only to find out that the sad, lonely avocado that had been hiding in the bottom of my fruit drawer was waaaaaay past it’s prime.
Do I Need to Use Fresh Ginger in the Maple Ginger Vinaigrette?
This Maple Ginger Vinaigrette is slightly tangy and sweet with a kick from the fresh ginger. While I am all about kitchen shortcuts and using pantry ingredients, there really is no substitute for fresh ginger. But after forgetting about my ginger and pulling a piece of sad mushy ginger out from bottom of the veggie drawer a few too many times, I have developed a couple of tips and tricks to help make keeping fresh ginger on hand easier.
The first, and most important, trick is to store your ginger in the freezer. When I get ginger home from the store, I peel it and stick the whole piece in the freezer in a zip lock bag right away. It is easiest to peel ginger using the back of a small spoon. Just slide the edge of the spoon along the ginger and the peel comes right off.
To use the frozen ginger, you just take it out and either grate it or thinly slice it. Depending on how cold your freezer is, you might need to let the ginger thaw a bit. But just leaving it on the counter for a few minutes should make it soft enough to slice or grate. For dressings and sauces, like this Maple Ginger Vinaigrette, I usually grate the frozen ginger on a microplane so that I end up with almost a fine dust or paste that mixes in evenly. The best part of storing your ginger in the freezer (aside from less waste!), is that I find it makes it less stringy and easier to chop or grate without the mess.
Looking for More Healthy Salad Recipes?
If you enjoy this Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad with Maple Ginger Vinaigrette, check out some of my other favorite healthy salad recipes that would be great for your dinner, lunch, or meal prep.
- Greek Salad with Kale and Quinoa
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale, & Quinoa Power Bowl
- Kale and Shredded Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
- Peach, Feta, & Arugula Salad with Fresh Basil Vinaigrette
Enjoy!
Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa, and Arugula Salad with Maple Ginger Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- salt & pepper
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 3 oz arugula (about 3 cups)
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ of a red onion (thinly sliced – see note)
- ¼ cup toasted pecans
Maple Ginger Vinaigrette
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbs maple syrup
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°
- Cut sweet potato into ½ inch cubes. Toss with coconut oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread sweet potato evenly on a baking sheet, and bake 15 minutes. Stir and continue to cook another 15 minutes.
- While sweet potato cooks, mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- To a large bowl add arugula, quinoa, crumbled feta cheese, red onion, and toasted pecans. When sweet potato is cooked, cool slightly, then add to salad.
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately. If making ahead, wait to add the dressing until just before serving.