During fall and winter, this sweet potato salad is a must-make recipe! It’s layered with flavor, texture, and perfect for the cold weather months. I enjoy it as a nutrient-dense weeknight meal, but it definitely shines at any holiday dinner.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Salad
This sweet potato salad is a true ode to fall with perfectly seasoned roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, cranberries, and my favorite savory-sweet maple mustard tahini dressing. It’s almost like an autumn twist of my broccoli salad (a potluck favorite) because this salad is also great for gatherings, potlucks, and holiday parties! Trust me, when November hits, it’s going to be a non-negotiable Thanksgiving side dish. Plus, just getting back to basics, I love that it’s loaded with a whole bunch of good-for-you nutrients. Here’s what else I love about this recipe:
- It’s hearty and filling. Thanks to the sweet potatoes and lentils, there’s plenty of plant-based protein and fiber for a filling vegetarian meal.
- It’s easy to prep ahead. You can pre-cook the sweet potatoes and lentils ahead of time, which makes assembly super quick!
- You can serve it warm or cold. I love serving this as a warm salad, but it’s equally delicious at room temperature.
Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: You can really use any variety of sweet potato, though I love orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for the fall vibes.
- Seasoning: I’m using a blend of cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to give the sweet potatoes a warming flavor.
- Lentils: I love using green lentils in salads as they stay firm and hold their shape without going mushy.
- Dried Cranberries: My favorite dried fruit for fall, though you can swap in raisins, apricots, or whatever you have on hand.
- Red Onion: A little bit of red onion adds a crisp bite and a pop of color.
- Fresh Herbs: Parsley and cilantro bring a bright, fresh flavor. I like a combination of both, but you could always just use one herb as well.
- Maple Mustard Tahini Dressing: This creamy, nutty, and sweet dressing ties everything together perfectly!
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
How To Make Sweet Potato Salad
Step one: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly ½-inch cubes. Toss them in a large mixing bowl with the oil, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper. I like to just dig in with my hands to make sure every cube is nicely coated, though you could use a large spoon as well.
Step two: Spread the sweet potato cubes out on a large baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a little space between them. Roast at 425°F (200°C) for 30 to 35 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through so they cook evenly and get those lovely golden edges.
Step three: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the lentils, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until tender, but still holding their shape. Then, drain them in a strainer.
Quick tip: Always check the cooking instructions on your lentil package. The timing always varies depending on the brand. Also, keep a close eye on them as they cook because lentils can quickly become mushy. I’ve had that happen to me plenty of times before!
Step four: In a large bowl, combine the roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, dried cranberries, cilantro, parsley, and red onion. You can toss the salad with the maple mustard tahini dressing, or leave it in a separate container for others to drizzle themselves.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
This roasted sweet potato salad is great for prepping ahead! You can roast the sweet potatoes, cook the lentils, and even chop the herbs and onion a day or two in advance. When it’s time to serve, just toss everything together with the dressing.
For storage, keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The salad will soften over time as sweet potato has a lot of moisture, but it’ll still be delicious. You can even reheat it in the microwave if you’d like to enjoy your leftovers warmed.
More Fall Salad Recipes
- Waldorf Salad: The ultimate holiday salad.
- Caesar Salad: A classic for a reason!
- Simple Kale Salad: Perfect for a quick side dish.
- German Potato Salad: The bacon in this is so good.
- Or enjoy more sweet potato recipes!
If you try this sweet potato salad recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Zwilling Chef's Knife My favorite knife so far!
- Heavy Duty Baking Sheets I love that they don't warp
- Glass Mixing Bowls An essential kitchen item
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 to 3 potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup lentils
- ½ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 recipe maple mustard tahini dressing
Instructions
- Prep the sweet potatoes. Preheat your oven to 425°F (200°C). Peel the potatoes (if you'd like) and cut into ½-inch cubes. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- Season the sweet potatoes. Add the oil, cumin, garlic, paprika, salt, and pepper to the sweet potatoes. Use your hands or a large spoon to toss everything together until it's well mixed.
- Roast the sweet potatoes. Arrange the sweet potato in a single layer on a large baking sheet, making sure there's space in between the cubes. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring the potatoes half way through to ensure all sides are cooked through.
- Cook the lentils. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the lentils, reduce the heat to a very low simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Pro tip: make sure to read the instructions on your lentil package, as different varieties may have different cook times. Drain the lentils in a strainer.
- Mix together. In a large mixing bowl, add the roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, dried cranberries, cilantro, parsley, and red onion. Drizzle with the maple mustard tahini dressing and toss together. Feel free to drizzle extra dressing on top before serving.
Lisa’s Tips
- Make-ahead and storage tip: Roast the sweet potatoes and cook the lentils ahead of time, then toss with the dressing just before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Behind The Scenes
For me, sweet potatoes are a bit of a magical veggie, because they really do make me and my gut feel so darn good. That’s why I bake sweet potatoes on the regular (or just cook them in the microwave when I’m in a rush). But it’s also why I’m obsessed with this salad! The color, the nutrients, the texture, the layers of flavor… it really does tick all of my boxes. And side note—if you have my Healthy Meal Prep cookbook it’s almost a twist on my roasted butternut squash salad, which I also love!
Everyone loves this and asks for the recipe. Winner, make this!!
Glad this sweet potato salad has been such a hit, Jessie!
I havent made this sweet potato as yet however it wont be long . Im sure my family will love this it is very versatile. I will get back to you . I’m excited at 69 I want to be trendy . I have very good daughter in laws that are amazing cooks .
Excited to hear everyone’s thoughts on this salad!
This salad is the best winter salad! Earthy and crunchy and sweet/salty. It’s good warm, room temperature, or cold. Thank you Lisa!
You’re so very welcome, Trina! It’s my favorite salad for winter as well. :)
What is the serving size? Thanks! Looking forward to trying this.
Hi Tina – the serving size is about 1 1/2 cups per serving. Enjoy!
Very good. Dressing is fantastic!
Glad you’re loving the dressing on this salad, Kim!
Delicious salad that is loaded with healthy ingredients. I should have thinned the dressing with a bit more water since the salad seemed a little heavy but the flavor was good. Next time I will! Everyone liked it.
Yes, you can definitely thin the dressing to make it a bit more drizzly. So happy you loved it, Susan!
Looks wonderful but I’m not a fan of Tahini could you please suggest an alternative to this dressing that would work on the salad. Love all your recipes..my bookmarked file is full of them. Thanks
Hi Lori – if you’re looking for something creamy, you could swap in my ranch or caesar dressing. For something lighter, give my lemon vinaigrette a try. And I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying so many of my recipes! :)
Fantastic salad that everyone at the table, even the salad dislikers, enjoyed! The dressing was perfect.
(A note that if you make your own tahini, don’t try to make a small amount- the seeds won’t be heavy enough in the blender to press themselves down and get fully blitzed!)
So happy you and your friends loved this sweet potato salad, Anna! And great point on the homemade tahini. Yes, you need a minimum amount of seeds in the blender, for them to blend up properly.
Made this for Thanksgiving, it was so delicious! I did swap the lentils for quinoa as I am not a fan of lentils in salad (although love them in soups or curry lol). I also threw in some chopped pecans before serving. This will now be on our holiday menu moving forward!
Glad this sweet potato salad was a hit for Thanksgiving, Sarah!
If you have allergies to sesame what is a substitute for Tahini…thank you.
Hi Lynn – you could use sunflower seed butter as well. Enjoy!
I made this for our Thanksgiving dinner. A big thumbs up for this delicious
Thrilled to hear this was a hit for Thanksgiving dinner, Nancy!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it has become a go to! Very flavorful and it’s pretty! My kids even enjoyed it and that’s always a plus!!
Glad this is a dish the whole family can enjoy, Kelly!
I used dates instead of cranberries. Probably tastier warm. Loved the salad dressing and the sweet potatoes.
Dates are a wonderful alternative! Enjoy, Maureen!
Another winner! Delicious midweek side or can add meat to make it a main dish. I omitted the onion and parsley because we done like those and it w as still delicious!
It really satisfies any day of the week! Glad you enjoyed this one, Trisha :)
This is a delicious salad with wonderful flavor, color and textures. I doubled the recipe as I was taking it to a potluck. Thanks for the inspiration.
Hi Maureen – I’m happy you loved it for your potluck! So smart to double the recipe, especially as it always gets gobbled up. :)
Quite delicious! I didn’t have cilantro or cranberries so swapped in dried cherries, which are a smidge tart. We really liked the unique flavor combination of the tahini with the dijon. We ate this as a main and it filled us up. Set aside some lemon to squeeze on top for some brightness. We’ll definitely be making this again with cilantro and cranberries!
Glad this was the perfect dinner idea, Lizz!
I made this as an alternative to more traditional sweet potato dishes this Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit! (And was secretly rather amused that lentil haters didn’t even notice they were there 😉!) The tahini dressing is fabulous as well and I’ll be using it on roasted root veggies. My shortcut cheat was using canned lentils, rinsed and well drained. YUM!
Hi Renee – I’m glad everyone enjoyed it for Thanksgiving! And no problem with the canned lentils. I’ve done that before myself as well. ;) Enjoy!
Made this for Thanksgiving dinner and I have to say this is absolutely delicious! The dressing is 🤌🏻. We all had the same reaction eating the first bit. Eyes got big followed by a “ooooooh, that’s good”! Huge hit.
Yay, love to hear that kind of reaction! So happy everyone enjoyed it, Leone!
As a lover of sweet potatoes and most of your recipes, I just had to try this one. I have to say, it did not disappoint! It wasn’t too labor intensive and the sweet and savory mix was delicious. Thanks again for another great recipe
Yay! I’m so glad you ended up loving this sweet potato salad, Carol!
Lisa I know this is for comments only, but i need to communicate with you. What is the name of the little glass container for the dressing of the sweet potatoes salad that you show in the video. also you say that i can find in Amazon. Would you please tell me the name?
Hi Lucila – In the video I’m using a tulip Weck Jar. You can find it linked from the shop page on my website. Hope that helps!
It looks delicious, and i am making for Thanksgiving
Wonderful! Let us know how it turns out. Happy Thanksgiving!
Holiday level! I used buckeye beans from Rancho Gordo because I wanted to use what I had on hand. Used sweetened cranberries and double cilantro and no parsley. Absolutely delicious.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this sweet potato salad with what you had on hand, Heidi.
Made this salad to bring to a vegetarian Thanksgiving gathering. I couldn’t fine unsweetened dried cranberries so used apple juiced sweetened ones instead. They weren’t too sweet so a good substitute if you can’t find unsweetened. The salad was delicious and made a pretty presentation on the holiday table. I’m enjoying the leftovers today!
I’m happy you enjoyed this salad, Rebecca! And apple juice sweetened cranberries are perfect as well. Enjoy those leftovers!
I substituted quinoa for lentils, and we loved this recipe! I made the quinoa ahead and tossed the salad when the sweet potatoes came out of the oven. It’s such a perfect fall flavored recipe with a pop of freshness from the herbs.
Love the idea of using quinoa in this salad as well, Mariah!
thanks for this recipe. I love a fully plant based option that includes so many delicious ingredients and is simple. I love tahini dressing and really enjoy this version with mustard. Mine ended up a little mushy. I don’t mind as I still love the whole combo. I think I have to work on the lentils (and use green) as I struggle to get them cooked without getting too soft. I plan to bring this as a side for Thanskgiving!
Hi Dana — Keep a close eye on your lentils as they can easily be overcooked! But, I’m glad you loved this salad and excited to hear it’ll be a part of your Thanksgiving spread!
Delicious flavor! I added turkey sausage to make it a main dish. My husband & I both loved it.
Amazing! Love the addition of turkey in this, Kim. Enjoy!
Yum!!!! So good!
Happy to hear you loved this sweet potato salad, Priscilla!
Hi, can this be made the night before and warmed up the day of the event or should it just be served cold? Thanks!
Hi Leann – Yes, you can make this the day before and even warm it up the next day!
So delicious! I did make some tweaks based on what I had on hand–subbed pomegranate arils for cranberries and mint for cilantro. I also threw in some microgreens and sprinkled with some sumac. I’ll definitely make this again.
Thrilled to hear you loved this sweet potato salad, Heather! Pomegranates sound delicious in this.
Love love this salad. Super easy and quick and the dressing really adds to the taste. So happy I have leftovers for two lunches.
Those leftovers are the best, aren’t they? :) So happy you enjoyed this salad, Babette!
Just made a batch of this for lunches for the next few days. Also made a recipe of the herb baked chicken breast for protein, diced it up and added it in! So delicious! Thanks for another staple recipe Lisa :)
You’re more than welcome, Sarah! And great job adding the baked chicken to it. I do that all the time as well for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Added pumpkin seeds for the fall vibes. this is so good could easily see myself adding diced turkey left over to make a turkey salad remix gosh so fun !
Hi Kiara – yes, pumpkin seeds are a great addition! And diced leftover turkey after Thanksgiving would make it one super tasty, complete meal. Have fun with the recipe!
Is the 1/2 cup measurement of lentils uncooked? I need to replace the lentils (I’m thinking maybe roasted pecans) and need to convert. Thank you!
Hi Cheryl – yes, that measurement is for uncooked lentils. Enjoy the salad!
I fixed this yesterday for my grand niece’s engagement get together we had at our house. ABSOLUTELY was so enjoyed by everyone. The dressing is amazing too. I will cook this again for the holiday get togethers. So original so good and was definitely the hit of the day. I printed out the recipes and gave them to my niece’s and they agreed they would be fixing this again over the holidays and beyond. YUMMY!!!
Yay! Thanks so much, Sheila. It makes me so happy to hear that your family loved this recipe! And thank you for printing and sharing the recipe as well. Enjoy! :)
This recipe is so good! Everything comes together so well, and the maple mustard tahini dressing is to die for. I could drink it, it’s so good. I don’t know how you do it Lisa, but my happy tummy says thank you! 😁
Oh yay, I’m so thrilled you loved this new sweet potato salad recipe, Kat! And isn’t that dressing the best? I could drink it as well, haha.
That is so delicious! I made it exactly as you wrote it, with the tahini dressing. Fabulous!
Wonderful! So happy you loved it!
This salad look delicious! I’m trying very hard to eat low glycemic foods and while I see the nutritional values at the bottom of the recipe, are those per serving (so 74g of carbs per serving)?
Thanks.
Hi Sara – yes, the nutrition info is per serving. Hope you enjoy this salad!
What brand of unsweetened cranberries do you use? I only seem to find the apple juice sweetened or the traditional craisins with sugar.
Hi Johanna – I just added a link on the ingredient in the recipe card. I do use cranberries that are sweetened with apple juice. I just avoid ones with processed sugar. Hope you enjoy this sweet potato salad!
Looking forward to making this! Would canned lentils work? Thank you Lisa for the BEST recipes!
Hi Julie – yes, you could use canned lentils and then just add those at the end. Enjoy!
Do you think I could use pumpkin instead of sweet potato?
Hi Sara – yes, you could swap that in. Enjoy!
When I saw this salad in my inbox this morning I knew I had to try it 😀
It tastes AMAZING (although my guess is that it will be even better tomorrow) and it’s also really filling. Thank you for this wonderful recipe 💗
You’re more than welcome, Judith! You’re a rockstar for jumping on this new recipe so quickly. I’m thrilled you loved it!
Made with organic white sweet potatoes, no cilantro. So simple and dressing was a star! Will always have on the rounds. Thank you!
So happy you loved it, Linda!
This is fantastic and different! I will make it again!
Where are yhe measuremts listed? I wish to make this today.
Hi MJ – If you scroll down to the recipe card, you’ll find the measurements there!
Hi. Can this be eaten warm, room temperature and cold? Thanks.
Hi Melanie – yes, though I prefer it warm or room temperature. Enjoy!
No metric measurements? :-(
Hi Heather – Thanks for catching that! Just added the metric measurements.
Brilliant – thanks so much!