This sweet potato salad is a delicious winter side dish, lunch or light dinner. Roasted sweet potato and Brussels sprouts, creamy avocado, cubes of feta cheese and sweet pomegranate add texture and crunch with bulgur wheat forming the base of the salad.
I love salads that are hearty enough to be considered a meal (without leaving you hungry). Can you add protein to this? Absolutely! But it’s also unnecessary because the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts add so much body and texture to this salad, along with the bulgur wheat. Add any of your favorite salad toppings but as is, this salad is unbelievably delicious and my new go-to. It’s also great for meal prep as the bulgur wheat, sweet potato and Brussels sprouts can be made up to 4 days in advance and kept in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble and serve.
Ingredients needed
- Bulgur wheat. I love the texture of bulgur wheat but you can substitute with any grain of your choice. Quinoa, brown rice, couscous, barley or farro are all delicious options.
- Sweet potato. Butternut squash can also be used.
- Brussels sprouts. Kale and cauliflower are good substitutes.
- Avocado.
- Feta cheese. Goat’s cheese can be used instead.
- Pomegranate.
- Rocket/arugula. Baby spinach or fresh herbs can also be used.
For the dressing
- Olive oil.
- Fresh lemon juice.
- Fresh herbs: I used chives, a few sprigs of dill and parsley.
How to make sweet potato salad
Peel and chop the sweet potato into cubes and halve the Brussels sprouts. Place both vegetables onto a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper (I also added a pinch of chilli flakes to the sweet potatoes) then roast at high temperature until fork tender and caramelized around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
While the vegetables are in the oven, cook the bulgur wheat by combining one part bulgur wheat and two parts water with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the grains have absorbed the water and are chewy but tender. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Make the dressing by blending together all the ingredients. To assemble the salad, add the bulgur wheat and rocket/arugula to a large bowl then pour over half of the dressing and toss well. Add the sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, feta cheese and sliced avocado. Top with pomegranate then pour over the remaining dressing and serve.
Can I make this ahead?
The bulgur wheat, sweet potato and Brussels sprouts can be cooked up to 4 days ahead and kept in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The dressing can be made and kept in a jar in the fridge for up to a week. Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Hearty salad recipes
Roasted sweet potato salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups bulgur wheat
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 300 g (10oz) brussels sprouts halved
- 2 avocados sliced
- 1 cup feta cheese cubed
- ½ cup fresh pomegranate
- 2 handfuls fresh arugula/rocket
for the dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh herbs chives, dill, basil, parsley
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts to the prepared pan and drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I also added a pinch of chilli flakes to the sweet potatoes but this is optional.
- Place the vegetables in the oven and allow to roast for 30 minutes or until fork tender and caramelized around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the vegetables are roasting, cook the bulgur wheat. Combine the bulgur wheat with 4 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently until the grains have absorbed all the liquid and the bulgur wheat is chewy yet tender. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Make the dressing by blending all the ingredients together with an immersion blender or in a food processor.
- To assemble, add the bulgur wheat and arugula/rocket to a large bowl and add half of the dressing.
- Add the sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, sliced avocado and feta cheese.
- Top with the pomegranate and pour over the remaining dressing then toss and serve.
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