A hearty salad filled with wheat berries & roasted sweet potatoes tossed with greens & a warming apple cider-cinnamon dressing. A healthy fall side or main.
In one version or another, we’ve probably eaten this salad five times in the last couple of weeks. I know everyone’s sort of hooked on sweet potatoes at the moment, and I guess I’m no different…
Two things I love most about sweet potatoes are: 1. They take less strength and finger-losing risk than butternut squash, and 2. Once you pop them in the oven, the house almost instantly smells like Thanksgiving.
Now that it’s been a little bit colder here, this has been the perfect soul-warming kind of meal to cozy up to with a bottle of red wine.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Cranberry Salad
Author: Jeanine Donofrio
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cooked wheat berries (about ¾ cup uncooked)*
- 1 large sweet potato, chopped into cubes
- 2 cups mixed greens (baby kale, spinach, arugula, etc.)
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta
- ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds (toast on a small skillet for 30 seconds or so)
- Pinch red pepper flakes
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 sage leaves, finely chopped
- Sea salt and fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Chop the sweet potato into bite-sized cubes. Drizzle with some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the edges start to turn darker and roasty. (In the photo I have some sage on my baking sheet, you can roast your sage so it gets a little crispy, but take it off before the sweet potatoes are done).
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, honey, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, sage, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings, and set aside.
- Place the greens in a large bowl. Toss the warm wheat berries and hot sweet potatoes over them so they wilt slightly from the heat. Add the dressing, as much or little as you like. Toss. Add the cranberries, feta, pumpkin seeds, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Gently toss again. Taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.
Notes
*To cook the wheat berries (you can do this ahead of time): I cook these like pasta, not like rice, so the ratio of water doesn't matter - you just need to make sure the water covers them. Fill a pot with salted water and add the wheat berries. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour (sometimes longer). About halfway through check to make sure there is still water covering the wheat berries. If most of your water has been absorbed but your wheat berries are still crunchy, add more water and continue simmering. They are done when they have a soft but still firm, not mushy, bite.
Soooo delicious. Perfect dish for fall.
Guys. I just made this as a practice run for thanksgiving. Omg. You must make it now. Right away. If there is a poster child for amazingly healthy and delicious, this is it. ❤️
I’m so glad you loved it so much!! xoxo
it look so delicous
I have given this a lot of thought….I’m pretty sure this is the best salad I’ve ever made/eaten. Perfect combination of ingredients in both the salad and the dressing. Simple yet richly flavorful. Thanks!
I made this last night for dinner, it was great! Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe! I am going to try more of your recipes for sure! 🙂
This made a fabulous dinner this evening! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m vegan so I made an almond feta to crumble on top instead. So adored both the flavours and textures- sweet, salty, tangy, chewy, nutty….:D
I am in love with this meal. It was so good, and the kids seemed to like it, too. I made the dressing in the Vitamix so I didn’t have to chop the ingredients and so it was blended smoothly into the dish. For greens, I chose 2/3 arugula, 1/3 spinach. I loved it so much I had to have it for breakfast again the next morning!! Thanks for these recipes! We have loved everything I’ve tried on here.
yes yes yes. I love bits of sweet potato in salads. So good. this looks gorgeous.
Yep. This is so happening in my kitchen soon. Thank you!
You are so right about sweet potatoes vs. butternut squash. I do love the smoother and creamier texture of butternut, so I’ll usually peel 1 maaaybe 2 a season. But, what.a.pain. The textures sound so great together and the dressing looks light + perfect. Gorgeous photos.
I’ve been eating similar salads too recently (I love that combination of the sweet potato with feta). It just seems right for this time of year doesn’t it?
Looks delicious. Pinning now.
We are roasted sweet potato fiends — and we love them for their ease in preparation over squash too 🙂 This looks delicious!
This looks good. I like that it seems light and hearty at the same time, will definitely give this a try soon.
I like the different textures you have going on here! A slight crunch from the wheatberries and the soft sweet potatoes! Perfect cold weather night meal!
What a lovely, colourful and fresh looking yet substantial salad.