This Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad mixes roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy quinoa, fresh spinach, sweet cranberries, and creamy avocado with a delicious lemon dressing.

Sweet Potato-Quinoa Salad in a bowl, dressed and ready to serve.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

This salad brings all my favorite flavors together. Quinoa is always in my kitchen—it’s hearty and makes a great base. Roasted sweet potatoes? My very favorite veggie, so they’re in too!

I added creamy avocado, fresh basil, and sweet cranberries for the perfect salad balance. And the lemon dressing? It’s the best!

All the ingredients—veggies, grains, cranberries, oil, and avocado—are prepped for easy assembly.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad:

  • Sweet Potatoes: Peel and cut into small cubes for even cooking.
  • Quinoa: Follow my guide for the easiest, fluffiest quinoa!
  • Spinach: Roughly chop for better mixing.
  • Avocado: Use a ripe one for the best creamy texture.
  • Cranberries: Sweetened ones add a pop of sweetness.
  • Basil: Adds fresh flavor but is optional.
  • Lemon: Fresh juice makes the dressing taste better.
  • Olive Oil: A good one makes the dressing richer.
  • Garlic: Mince or use pre-minced for ease.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds tang and helps blend the dressing.
Dressing ingredients for this sweet potato quinoa salad prepped: olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon, lemon, garlic, and seasonings.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad Dressing Notes

  • Sweeter Dressing: Add up to 1 tablespoon of honey for a sweeter dressing.
  • Storing Leftovers: Store dressing in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container.
  • Recombining Dressing: If it separates or clumps, let it sit out for 20 minutes, then shake to mix.
  • Adjusting Amount: Use less dressing if you like—the recipe can be halved.
  • Vegan Option: Replace honey with agave or another sweetener.
Dressing being mixed together in a mason jar.

Quinoa Notes

  • Make it ahead to save time—cooking and cooling it early makes salad prep quicker.
  • In a rush? Spread it out on a pan and pop in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Sweet potatoes roasting on a pan for this sweet potato quinoa salad.

Roasting Sweet Potatoes

  • Best Types: Pick Red Garnet or Jewel for a sweet, creamy texture.
  • Cut Small: Chop into 1/2-inch cubes for even cooking.
  • Roast Right: Spread out on a big pan to stop steaming. Crowding makes them mushy.
  • Cool: Let them cool fully before adding to the Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad.

Greens and quinoa mixed together, then topped with sweet potatoes, basil, avocado, cranberries, and dressing.

Variations

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad Variations

  • Add Meat: Top with grilled chicken, flank steak, or rotisserie chicken for more protein.
  • Swap Herbs: Use cilantro or green onions instead of basil for a new flavor.
  • More Toppings: Add seeds, nuts, feta, or goat cheese for extra texture and flavor.
  • Add Fruit: Toss in diced apples for a sweet crunch.

The dressing poured over the dish.

Storage

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad Storage

Keep Separate: Don’t add dressing or avocado if you won’t eat it all in one go. The salad (without dressing or avocado) stays fresh for 3 days in the fridge.

To Meal Prep:

  • Store Salad: Split undressed salad into containers and keep the dressing in a jar.
  • Store Avocado: Use 1/4 avocado each day. Cover the rest with lemon juice and store in a bag, cutting off browned spots as needed.
  • To Eat: Add avocado, toss with dressing, and enjoy!

More Delicious Salad Recipes

4.96 from 45 votes

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad blends tender roasted sweet potatoes, fluffy quinoa, fresh spinach, creamy avocado, and sweet cranberries with a zesty lemon dressing.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings, as a side

Equipment

  • Small pot
  • Large mason jar or other sealable container
  • Sheet pan

Ingredients 
 

Salad

  • 6 cups cubed sweet potatoes 2 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 5 cups fresh baby spinach coarsely chopped (4.4 ounces)
  • 1 large avocado chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil optional

Lemon Dressing

  • 1 large lemon
  • 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 tablespoon honey see note 1
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes. Place on a large sheet pan with plenty of room so they will roast (not steam). Drizzle with olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, and salt/pepper. (I add 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.) Toss everything to coat, space out cubes, and roast 15 minutes. Then flip potatoes and roast for another 10–20 minutes or until desired tenderness.
  • Prepare quinoa according to the directions in this post. Cool to room temperature or spread on a sheet pan and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes if in a hurry.
  • Zest lemon to get 1 teaspoon of zest and juice it for 3 tablespoons of juice. Combine all dressing ingredients in a mason jar, adding salt and pepper to taste (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper). Seal the jar and shake until well-mixed. Store in the fridge until ready to use, and shake again before dressing the salad.
  • Toss spinach and cooled quinoa together in a large bowl. Add cooled sweet potatoes, avocado, cranberries, and basil (if using). Add dressing only to the portion being eaten immediately (see storage notes below). Toss with desired dressing amount (about 3/4 of the dressing is usually enough). Adjust seasoning with a pinch of salt if needed. Enjoy promptly once dressed.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: To keep the salad vegan, swap out the honey for another liquid sweetener, such as agave.
Storage: This salad is best eaten immediately after being dressed, so if you want leftovers, only add avocado and dressing to the portion that will be eaten immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 482kcal | Carbohydrates: 49.9g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 30.1g | Sodium: 173.6mg | Fiber: 8.4g | Sugar: 11.7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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4.96 from 45 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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120 Comments

  1. Lynn Pantages says:

    5 stars
    The salad was amazing. I added some roasted black beans and cut down on the oil for the dressing. It was absolutely delicious. Thank you.

    1. Chelsea says:

      So thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much Lynn!

  2. April says:

    I love everything about this salad! Except I wish it was just a bit quicker to make, but even so, itโ€™s so worth it! Healthy, delicious! Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much for your comment! ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Kristin Yarwood says:

    5 stars
    I hosted a dinner for 8. Everyone loved this recipe and several went back for another helping. Made to recipe and had optional pepitas and goat cheese to add.

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Kristin! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Kathy says:

    When you put together the final salad, did you add all of the quinoa? It makes a lot of quinoa. I am so so sorry excited to have this for Christmas.

  5. Rebecca says:

    5 stars
    Super yum! Great for a hot day summer meal and hits all of my friends dietary restrictions. Thanks so much!

    1. Chelsea says:

      I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Rebecca! ๐Ÿ™‚