Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple Walnuts and Bacon

This Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple-Glazed Walnuts, Pomegranate and Bacon makes a wholesome lunch or a festive salad for a holiday dinner.
I’m making room amid all the cookies and tarts for some healthy greens this week with this Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad!

These last few days before Christmas are my favourite days of the year. They’re filled with checklists of all the things we like to do . . . and bake . . . and eat! Sweets and chocolate seem to creep in to our diet. While we love our traditional Christmas favourites (butter tarts, I’m looking at you) a nutritious bowl of greens is always a good idea. This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad topped with maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate and a sprinkle of bacon bits was a welcome lunch today.

While it was an appetizing lunch, it would also be an ideal salad to include in one of your holiday dinners in the next few weeks.

Top a bed of tender baby spinach and crisp chopped romaine with rounds of roasted sweet potatoes, maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate arils and crumbled bacon. This salad has a beautiful balance of savoury and sweet. It’s tossed with my favourite lemony Honey-Dijon Dressing that you’ll find on more salad recipes on this blog than I can count! It’s my go-to dressing that seems to go well with almost any salad.

How to caramelize sweet potatoes

Caramelizing sweet potatoes by roasting them in the oven makes them incredibly flavourful. I’ve found the best way to get that crispy exterior is to roast them in a very hot oven. Heat an empty baking pan in the oven for 5 minutes. Toss the sweet potatoes in a little olive oil (not too much) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dump them on to the hot pan, listen to them sizzle, then roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning once half way through.

Meanwhile, heat walnuts (or pecans if you prefer) in a skillet over medium heat on the stove top. Toast for 4-5 minutes or just until they become fragrant, then toss with a little maple syrup. Spread them on a small piece of parchment paper to cool, then break apart. 

Assemble this Sweet Potato Spinach Salad, either in individual bowls or in a large serving bowl or platter.

Layer the greens, sweet potatoes, maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate arils, and crumbled bacon bits, then drizzle with a light, lemony Honey-Dijon dressing just before serving. (Omit the bacon to keep this salad vegan.)

A nourishing wholesome salad to keep you healthy at this busy time of year!

5 from 2 votes

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Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple Walnuts and Bacon

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

This Roasted Sweet Potato Spinach Salad with Maple-Glazed Walnuts, Pomegranate and Bacon makes a nutritious lunch or a festive salad for a holiday dinner.

Course: Salads and Dressings

Cuisine: Canadian, American, Gluten-Free

Servings: 2 large or 4 side salads

Calories per serving: 267 kcal

Author: Flavour & Savour

Ingredients

• 2 small sweet potatoes
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 cups chopped romaine
• 1/2 cup walnuts, glazed with 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 2 slices bacon nitrate-free, cooked and crumbled

Honey-Dijon Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
• 2 tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients for Honey-Dijon Dressing in a small jar. Set aside to allow flavours to blend.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. When hot, place a baking tray in the oven to heat. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into rounds 1/2 inch thick. If potatoes are large, slice into half circles. In a medium bowl, toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Remove hot tray from oven using oven mitts, arrange sweet potatoes so they don't touch each other and return to the oven. Roast for 15 - 20 minutes or until tender, turning over half way through roasting time. For crispy edges, place under the broiler for 2 - 3 minutes, watching carefully.

3. Toast walnuts in a small skillet for 4 - 5 minutes, just until they become fragrant. Toss with 1 1/2 teaspoons pure maple syrup. Let cool on a sheet of parchment paper and break apart when cool.

4. Wash and dry spinach and chopped romaine. Arrange in bowls or on a serving platter, topping with maple-glazed walnuts, pomegranate arils, roasted sweet potatoes and crumbled bacon bits. Drizzle with dressing and serve immediately.

You might also like this Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries and Feta

Love Sweet Potatoes? Try these recipes, too.

Chipotle Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Soup

Smoky Sweet Potato Wedges

Sweet Potato Frittata with Fresh Salsa

Hoisin Orange Sheet Pan Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

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