I love a healthy salad, and this Couscous and Sweet Potato Salad Recipe is one of my favorites! We add some grilled protein on the side and make this salad our meal. The roasted sweet potatoes are yummy, and it pairs so nicely with the kale and couscous.
Throw in a few chopped apples and a sweet vinegar coleslaw dressing and you’re ready to dive into a hearty and delicious salad.
My family loves salads, and quite often, we make them about four times a week. I like to pack them with lots of ingredients on hand to toss them all together in a big salad bowl.
For the most part, I’ve shared desserts primarily over here, and beginning this year, I’m trying to post more dinner recipes.
I know that I’m always looking for new dishes to serve my family, and I’m sure this is a universal quest for everyone. So, here’s to more main meals, salads, side dishes, and drinks!
Here are a few main dinner recipes that might interest you!
I can’t forget to mention that this post is part of a Healthy Recipe blog hop. So make sure to check out my friend’s delicious dishes down below.
Couscous and Sweet Potato Salad
Salads are the main staple around our home. We constantly chop up fresh lettuce, vegetables, and fruit to mix into our big salad bowl.
This salad contains yams and couscous, among many other ingredients. I love yams, so we have a basketful of them around the kitchen. Roasting them is easy, and I’ll share how to do that later in the post. And if you haven’t had the pearl couscous, then you’re in for a treat!
Ingredients You’ll Need for This Salad
Pearl Couscous – These are pasta balls that absorb flavors
Yams – A root vegetable that is sweet when roasted
Kale – It’s a part of the cabbage family and is a leafy green
Quinoa – It’s an edible seed that is high in protein
Purple Cabbage – The cabbage leaves are purple in color and packed with antioxidants
Goat Cheese – A healthier cheese that is low in lactose
Apples – Love these for added crunch
Spinach – A green leafy vegetable that is loaded with nutrients
Did You Know That There are Three Types of Sweet Potatoes?
Are you wondering how many sweet potatoes are available in the grocery stores? Well, there are three kinds, so let’s get the story straight!
Orange Sweet Potatoes
They have copper-colored outer skin, and the flesh is bright orange. They become sweet when cooked. This is the type you will need for this sweet potato salad recipe.
White Sweet Potatoes
These sweet potatoes have lighter skin, and the inside is a pale color of beige. There is also a Japanese sweet potato with darker skin, and the flesh is a pale beige.
Purple Sweet Potatoes
These sweet potatoes have purple skin as well as purple flesh. They’re known as Okinawan or Hawaiian sweet potatoes.
How to Make This Salad
Step 1 – Prepare Sweet Potatoes for Roasting
Peel two large sweet potatoes, then cube them. Place them on a baking tray and coat them with oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Bake in the oven at 450 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, turning them over halfway through the baking.
Step 2 – Prepare Couscous
Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onions and sauté them until golden and slightly caramelized. Add couscous, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and stir until couscous browns slightly. If the pan is too dry, add another tablespoon of butter. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender. Cook couscous for about 5-7 minutes.
Step 3 – Prepare Quinoa
Bring water to a boil add quinoa. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and place on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven.
Step 4 – Chop Kale, Spinach, Cabbage, and Apples
Chop kale, spinach, cabbage, and apples into small bitesize pieces. Place in a big salad bowl.
Step 5 – Add Ingredients and Mix Together
Add roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, and goat cheese to the salad. Mix thoroughly and serve with coleslaw dressing.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
I always peel my sweet potatoes, but you can leave the skin on if you like. The skin has added nutrients and fiber. But, if you decide not to peel the skin off, then make sure to clean and scrub it well.
Chop them into about one inch cubes. The closer in size they are the more even they will roast.
Place them on a baking tray and coat them evenly with cooking oil, kosher salt, and pepper. Bake at 450 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. Suppose you like them slightly caramelized. Turn up the heat for an extra two to three minutes until they are golden brown.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
This salad is a beautiful blend of many vegetables, fruit, and cheese. Each bite is loaded with flavors that make it delightful to eat.
The couscous soaks in other flavors, and the yams add a natural sweetness that makes this salad special.
It’s a hearty salad paired with a protein-packed full of awesome nutrients.
Some Salad Essentials
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Couscous, Sweet Potato Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- salt & pepper
Couscous
- 1½ cups pearl couscous
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 1 bay leaf dry
- 1¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Quinoa
- ½ cup red quinoa
- 1 cup water or broth
Salad Ingredients
- 16 oz kale
- 2 cups purple cabbage shredded or chopped
- 2 apples diced
- 4 oz goat cheese optional
Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse pepper
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 450°
- Peel sweet potatoes and chop into 1 inch cubes.
- Place cubed sweet potatoes on a baking tray and add cooking oil, salt and pepper.
- Once the potatoes are roasted take out of oven and set aside for later.
Couscous
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Saute onions until golden and slightly caramelized.
- Add couscous, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and stir often until couscous browns slightly. If the pan is too dry, add another tablespoon of butter. Add broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender.
- Cook couscous for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf and cinnamon stick and set aside for later.
Quinoa
- Bring water to a boil in a medium-size saucepan.
- Add quinoa and stir. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed.
- Place cooked quinoa on a lined baking sheet. Place in a 350° a bake for a couple of minutes. Watch the quinoa since it burns quickly. Remove from oven and set aside for later.
Chop Vegetables
- Wash kale, cabbage, and apples.
- Chop vegetables into bite-size pieces. Place ingredients in a big bowl.
Salad Dressing
- Whisk mayo, sugar, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, and honey together in a bowl until smooth and creamy.
Building the Salad
- Add all the ingredients except for the dressing in a big bowl. Toss and mix thoroughly.
- Serve with salad dressing.
Nutrition
Thanks so much for your visit; I always love meeting new friends. If you make the recipe, leave a comment if you like.
In the meantime, have a wonderful day and see your soon!
Cheers,
10 Healthy Recipe Ideas You Will Love
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How to Make Healthy Chicken Salad That’s Full of Flavor // Twelve On Main
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“Mock” Garlic Mashed Potatoes // My Sweet Savannah
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