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
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
- Winter Salad with a creamy dressing
- Italian Salad with tomatoes and croutons
- Spinach Salad with apples and bacon
- Creamy Cucumber Salad Recipe with red onion
- Chick-Fil-A Kale Salad with a simple dressing
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.
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.
I 100% agree with the others that this recipe exceeds expectations! This is definitely going to be a part of my rotation. I was sceptical of the individual ingredients but once all tossed together, the dressing combines everything PERFECTLY! The colours looks amazing and for the first time my salad bowl looked like the pictures 🙂 I didn’t have spinach so I substituted for kale (slightly wilted) and I added a bit of goat feta; it was divine.
Thank you for sharing!
So happy to hear you enjoyed this salad! Thank you so much for the comment and review Janine 🙂
We LOVE this recipe! The combination of flavors is so good. The one thing we did differently was cook the quinoa in coconut milk—so yummy!
Great idea; I love it!
Delicious.
Yay! thanks Angie! 🙂
Chelsea has done it again! On a quest to find healthy food with favor, this recipe succeeds expectations. The colors look absolutely beautiful. It was also easy to make. I enjoyed how the timing of each ingredient came together at the same moment.
Thank you so much for your sweet comment Jess! I’m so happy you loved this recipe! 🙂
Fabulous recipe! I made it for my parents tonight and everyone loved it. It’s a little different from the southwestern quinoa salad that I always make. I didn’t have dried cranberries so I used my dried cherries instead. Definitely will make again.
Thanks so much Ash! I’m so happy to hear you and your family loved this recipe! 🙂
HOW IS THE SUGAR CONTENT SO LOW GIVEN THE DRIED CRANBERRIES?
DRIED CRANBERRIES ALWAYS HAVE SUCH A HIGH SUGAR CONTENT:( DO YOU DRY THEM YOURSELF?
Made this for dinner as is. I was a little concerned that my kids would not like this as I served as a main dish but it was a hit! Had enough left over that my daughter took it to school for lunch. Thank you for sharing ????
Yay! Thrilled to hear that! Thanks so much for the comment and review 🙂
This was delicious! The dressing was so easy and so good! I added some fresh red onion and slivered almonds for some crunch! Thank you!
So happy to hear that! Thanks Jodi 🙂
Just made this for my daughter who had a baby 3 days ago. Added 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion, two chopped chicken thighs that I braised on the stovetop, and 1/2 chop chopped roasted almonds. Gave it protein and crunch! She loved it! Making it for my hubby and I for dinner tonight!
Sounds awesome! Thanks for the comment!
Recently came across this recipe and it’s simply delicious. My kids are obsessed with this salad and surprisingly they started to like sweet potato?. I shared this recipe with my family and friends and they all love it!!
YAYYY!! I am soo happy to hear this! 🙂 Thanks for passing it along and for your kind comment! 🙂