I combined crisp apples, roasted sweet potatoes and fluffy quinoa into a Sweet Potato Apple Salad that delivers a surprising mix of textures and flavors you’ll want to try at your next holiday or dinner.
I’ve been obsessed with this salad for weeks. What grabs me first is the nutty quinoa and roasted sweet potatoes working together, the contrast keeps pulling me back.
I can’t explain why people always ask me what I put in it, they get suspicious when it’s not the usual holiday bowl, and that makes me smile. I often label it Thanksgiving Quinoa Salad when I bring it cause it’s the kind of side that steals the show.
Try it once and you’ll be thinking about the textures and flavors all week.
Ingredients
- Quinoa brings plant protein and fiber, light nutty taste, great chewy base, keeps ya full.
- Sweet potatoes add vitamin A, natural sweetness and creamy bite when roasted.
- Apple gives crisp freshness and tart sugar, balances savory and sweet notes.
- Pecans offer healthy fats and crunch, toasty flavor that feels real rich.
- Dried cranberries bring chewy bursts of sweet tartness, adds color and interest.
- Feta gives salty tang and creamy bits, optional but makes salad pop.
- Simple dressing blends olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple and mustard, brightens flavors.
- Red onion adds sharp bite and slight sweetness, thin slices wake the salad.
- Parsley brings fresh herbal lift, a lil green brightness and aroma.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes about 2 medium, peeled and cubed
- 1 large apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and chopped
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of the kosher salt and some black pepper, spread on a baking sheet and roast until tender and slightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once.
2. Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine mesh sieve, then combine with 1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and let cool a bit.
3. While those cook, chop 1 large apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith) and thinly slice 1/2 small red onion. If you want a milder onion taste, soak the slices in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes then drain.
4. Toast 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, shaking or stirring, until fragrant and a little darker. Watch them, they burn fast.
5. Make the dressing: whisk together 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 small minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified.
6. Combine the slightly cooled quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, chopped apple, drained red onion, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and 3/4 cup crumbled feta if using into a large bowl.
7. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar or maple syrup if it needs brightness or sweetness.
8. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for color and fresh flavor. If you’re not serving right away, add the apple just before serving so it stays crisp, or toss the apple in a little dressing to slow browning.
9. Serve warm, at room temp or chilled. This holds well in the fridge for a couple days, flavors deepen overnight but add nuts and feta just before serving if you want them extra crunchy.
Equipment Needed
1. Rimmed baking sheet for roasting the sweet potatoes, you want the cubes to get some color
2. Small saucepan with a lid to cook the quinoa, brings it to a boil then simmer
3. Fine mesh sieve to rinse the quinoa and drain the onion if you soak it
4. Cutting board and chef’s knife to peel and cube the potatoes and chop the apple and garlic
5. Large mixing bowl to toss the quinoa, sweet potatoes and the rest together
6. Small skillet (dry) to toast the pecans, watch them they burn fast
7. Measuring cups and spoons for the quinoa, pecans, oil, vinegar and seasonings
8. Whisk and a small bowl or jar to make the dressing, plus a fork to fluff the quinoa
FAQ
Apple Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Quinoa: swap for farro (chewy, use same ratio but longer cook time), couscous (much faster, not gluten-free), brown rice (heartier, longer cook), or cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
- Sweet potatoes: use butternut squash (same sweet-roast vibe), carrots (smaller cubes, roast till tender), pumpkin, or regular Yukon/Red potatoes if you want less sweetness.
- Pecans: try walnuts (very similar texture), sliced almonds (crisp), toasted pepitas or sunflower seeds for a nut-free choice, or hazelnuts if you like a deeper flavor.
- Feta cheese: replace with goat cheese (soft and tangy), queso fresco (milder crumbly), crumbled firm tofu marinated in lemon for vegan option, or omit and add extra toasted nuts for texture.
Pro Tips
1) Cut the sweet potato into even sized cubes and roast them in a single layer so they brown instead of steam. Give the pan some space, flip once, and use a hot sheet pan or the edges will never crisp up the way you want.
2) Rinse the quinoa, then either toast it dry in a skillet for a minute for nuttier flavor or cook it in broth. Once it’s done, fluff and spread it out to cool a bit so the steam doesnt make the salad soggy.
3) Prevent apple browning by tossing the pieces in a little dressing or lemon juice right after chopping, or better yet just add the apple at the last minute if you’re storing the salad. For a milder bite from the red onion soak the slices in cold water 5 to 10 minutes, then dry them well.
4) Toast pecans until they smell nutty but watch them closely, they go from perfect to burnt fast. Save some nuts and the feta to sprinkle on top just before serving so you keep max crunch and texture.
Apple Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad Recipe
I combined crisp apples, roasted sweet potatoes and fluffy quinoa into a Sweet Potato Apple Salad that delivers a surprising mix of textures and flavors you’ll want to try at your next holiday or dinner.
6
servings
433
kcal
Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheet for roasting the sweet potatoes, you want the cubes to get some color
2. Small saucepan with a lid to cook the quinoa, brings it to a boil then simmer
3. Fine mesh sieve to rinse the quinoa and drain the onion if you soak it
4. Cutting board and chef’s knife to peel and cube the potatoes and chop the apple and garlic
5. Large mixing bowl to toss the quinoa, sweet potatoes and the rest together
6. Small skillet (dry) to toast the pecans, watch them they burn fast
7. Measuring cups and spoons for the quinoa, pecans, oil, vinegar and seasonings
8. Whisk and a small bowl or jar to make the dressing, plus a fork to fluff the quinoa
Ingredients
-
1 cup uncooked quinoa
-
1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth
-
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes about 2 medium, peeled and cubed
-
1 large apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith), cored and chopped
-
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
-
1/3 cup dried cranberries
-
1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
-
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese optional
-
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
-
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
-
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
-
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
-
1 small garlic clove, minced
-
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds) with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of the kosher salt and some black pepper, spread on a baking sheet and roast until tender and slightly browned, about 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once.
- Rinse 1 cup quinoa in a fine mesh sieve, then combine with 1 3/4 cups water or vegetable broth in a small pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and let cool a bit.
- While those cook, chop 1 large apple (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith) and thinly slice 1/2 small red onion. If you want a milder onion taste, soak the slices in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes then drain.
- Toast 1/2 cup chopped pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, shaking or stirring, until fragrant and a little darker. Watch them, they burn fast.
- Make the dressing: whisk together 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 small minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until emulsified.
- Combine the slightly cooled quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, chopped apple, drained red onion, 1/3 cup dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and 3/4 cup crumbled feta if using into a large bowl.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or a splash more vinegar or maple syrup if it needs brightness or sweetness.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for color and fresh flavor. If you’re not serving right away, add the apple just before serving so it stays crisp, or toss the apple in a little dressing to slow browning.
- Serve warm, at room temp or chilled. This holds well in the fridge for a couple days, flavors deepen overnight but add nuts and feta just before serving if you want them extra crunchy.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 281g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 433kcal
- Fat: 20.5g
- Saturated Fat: 4.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.02g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.5g
- Monounsaturated: 9.7g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
- Sodium: 283mg
- Potassium: 591mg
- Carbohydrates: 56.5g
- Fiber: 7.9g
- Sugar: 15.5g
- Protein: 10g
- Vitamin A: 16000IU
- Vitamin C: 6.5mg
- Calcium: 155mg
- Iron: 1.8mg