Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad

Ready in 30 minutes, covered in a rich and creamy tahini dressing and sprinkled with feta cheese, this roasted sweet potato and chickpea salad is full of flavor and works well as a vegetarian main course or hearty side dish.

Sweet potatoes are such an underrated salad ingredient. While they are commonly used in curries and casseroles, and as side dishes, they work so well cooled and added to salads. Their hearty texture can make a light salad more filling and their sweet flavor is a lovely addition to a salty and savory salad.

So, if you’ve never added sweet potatoes to a salad, this roasted sweet potatoes and chickpea salad recipe is the perfect place to start.

Why You’ll Love It

• Quick and Easy – Made with minimal ingredients in 30 minutes, this vegetarian sweet potato chickpea salad is very easy to make.
• High in Fiber – The combination of sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and leafy greens ensures that this salad has over 9 grams of fiber per serving.
• Great for Meal Prep – This hearty salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and you can make a big batch of the creamy tahini dressing and keep it for weeks to come.

Ingredients + Substitutions

• Sweet Potatoes – To add some complex carbohydrates and fiber, you can also use butternut squash. The recipe calls for raw sweet potatoes, but you can use diced frozen sweet potatoes if desired, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Chickpeas – To add some vegetarian protein and fiber. I used canned chickpeas, but you can cook your dried chickpeas if preferred, see the notes section of the recipe card for details. If you’d prefer crispy chickpeas in your salad, simply add them to the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes.
• Arugula – To add some leafy greens. If you don’t like arugula, you can use kale, spinach, or a mixture of fresh herbs such as parsley, dill, or basil.
• Feta Cheese – To add some saltiness, protein, and healthy fat. You could also use crumbled goat cheese, parmesan cheese, or grilled halloumi.
• Tahini – To make the creamy tahini dressing.
• Lemon – To add some acid to the tahini sauce.
• Olive Oil – To add some healthy fats, roast the sweet potatoes, and make the dressing.
• Maple Syrup – To add a hint of sweetness to the dressing, you can use honey or brown sugar if preferred.
• Garlic – To flavor the tahini sauce. The recipe calls for a garlic clove, but you can use garlic powder if preferred, see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
• Spices – A mixture of paprika, salt, and pepper to season the sweet potatoes and dressing.

How to Make Sweet Potato Chickpea Salad

1. Season the sweet potatoes. Dice the sweet potatoes into bite-size pieces, then add them to a large baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and salt, and toss until well coated.
2. Roast the sweet potatoes. Transfer the baking sheet of sweet potatoes to an oven at 400°F and roast for 20-22 minutes until the sides are lightly browned and the sweet potatoes are tender. Once cooked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the sweet potatoes to cool completely
3. Make the tahini dressing. Add the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, water, garlic, and salt to a small food processor or blender and blitz until well combined.
4. Mix the salad. Add the cooled sweet potatoes, chickpeas, and arugula to a large bowl, cover with the tahini sauce, and toss until well combined. Then add the crumbled feta cheese and gently toss again until well incorporated.
5. Serve and enjoy. The sweet potato chickpea salad can be served immediately or stored in the fridge.

You can find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

Serving Suggestions

This salad is a great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, and healthy fat. To ensure it’s a balanced meal, I would suggest serving it with a source of protein such as:

• Curried Honey Mustard Chicken
• Honey Lime Chicken Skewers
• Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Tofu Skewers
• Grilled Steak

More Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad Recipes:

• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Quinoa and Chickpea Salad
• Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
• Grilled Sweet Potato Wedges

Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad

Author: Stephanie Kay

The combination of sweet and salty flavors in this roasted sweet potato and chickpea salad makes it absolutely delicious and ensures it’s full of flavor, fiber, and plant-based protein.

• Author: Stephanie Kay
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings
• Category: Salad
• Method: Roasted

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Ingredients

Roasted Sweet Potatoes:

• 2 sweet potatoes, diced (about 4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad:

• 1 can (14 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups arugula
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Tahini Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
• 1 pinch salt
• Pepper, as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the diced sweet potatoes to the baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika and salt, and toss until well combined and the potatoes are coated in spices and oil.
3. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and cook for 20-22 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender, can easily be pierced with a fork, and lightly browned on the sides. Once cooked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the potatoes to cool completely.
4. In a small food processed or blender, add the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, garlic clove, water, and salt, and blend until well combined, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed. If the dressing is too thick, add a splash of water, no more than a tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. (If you don’t have a small food processed or blender, finely mince or grate the garlic, then add all of the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until well combined.)
5. Once the roasted sweet potatoes have cooled completely, add them to a large bowl with the chickpeas and arugula, covered with tahini dressing, and toss to combine. Top with feta cheese, toss again until well incorporated, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. The salad can be served immediately or transferred to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

To Use Frozen Sweet Potatoes: Use 4 cups of diced frozen sweet potatoes, prepare them on the baking sheet as per step #2, then transfer them to a 400°F oven to bake for 25-30 minutes until tender and the edges are lightly charred.

To Use Dried Chickpeas: Add 3/4 cups of dry chickpeas to a large bowl, cover with room temperature water, and soak overnight or for at least 8 hours. Once soaked, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the soaked chickpeas, and cook them for 40 minutes to 1 hour until tender. Once cooked, strain and rinse the chickpeas and add them to the soup as per step #5.

To Use Garlic Powder: Swap the garlic clove for 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 340 calories
• Sugar: 8 grams
• Fat: 15 grams
• Carbohydrates: 45 grams
• Fiber: 9 grams
• Protein: 10 grams