Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

Serve this Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad alongside any main entrée for a healthy and delicious side dish! Corn, bell pepper, onion, and a cilantro lime dressing make this fresh and flavorful dish so dreamy. Easy to prepare and even easier to customize, you’ll love this simple healthy salad recipe!

It may sound strange to make a salad with sweet potatoes, but hear me out.

The sweet flavor, creamy texture and the fact that sweet potatoes pair so famously with other ingredients like black beans and herbs makes them a lovely candidate for refreshing summer salads.

Back in my early days of developing recipes, I was positively obsessed with my Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Spinach and Grapes and I put it on repeat for years.

Taking inspiration from that delicious gem, I created a new roasted sweet potato salad with black beans, corn, onions, and the loveliest cilantro lime dressing.

Don’t panic. If you aren’t into cilantro you can easily swap it out for fresh parsley.

The way I see it, this easy sweet potato black bean salad recipe is ideal for meal prep so you can munch on it throughout the week. It is also lovely to bring to any summer bbq or picnic you may attend for a healthy side dish option.

You’d be surprised how much people love the healthier options at food gatherings. I’m constantly blown away that a light and refreshing salad like this often beats out a classic potato salad.

The roast sweet potatoes provide a lovely infusion of vitamin C for a healthy potato salad that boosts the immune system.

The best part about this recipe, aside from how easy it is to prepare, is you can find the ingredients at any grocery store AND customize it as much as you’d like.

Let’s discuss the basic ingredients for this simple salad!

Ingredients for Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad:

Sweet Potato

Black Beans

Corn

Red Bell Pepper

Green Onions

Red Onion

This combination of ingredients creates a marvelous medley of textures and flavors. We’re getting some natural sweetness, tang, and creaminess.

Ingredients for Citrus Herb Dressing:

Avocado Oil

Lime Juice

Mayonnaise (optional)

Pure Maple Syrup

Fresh Cilantro or Parsley

Fresh Garlic

Salt

The salad dressing ingredients bring a lovely fresh herby citrus zing that ties everything together nicely.

Recipe Adaptations:

• Include your favorite vegetables, such as baby spinach or broccoli. Leafy greens like romaine lettuce, baby arugula, or spring greens work great in here too!
• Use olive oil instead of avocado oil for baking the sweet potato and for the dressing.
• Roast up some brussels sprouts alongside the sweet potatoes if you’d like.
• Toss in 6 ounces of feta cheese crumbles or creamy goat cheese if you love it.
• The mayonnaise provides creaminess and richness to the dressing, but you can either omit it or replace it with Greek yogurt. Use vegan mayo to keep the recipe vegan.
• If you love the flavor of chili powder and are looking for some Mexican flair, toss the sweet potatoes in two teaspoons of chili powder or taco seasoning.
• Dice up a ripe  avocado and toss it in just before serving.
• Use apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or rice vinegar instead of the lime juice in the dressing.
• For a little spice, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the salad.
• If you don’t have fresh garlic on hand, use one teaspoon of garlic powder for the dressing. 
• Add 2 teaspoons of dijon mustard to the dressing if you love mustard.
• Use brown sugar instead of pure maple syrup in the dressing.
• ​If you have access to pomegranate seeds, feel free to toss in 1/2 cup to 1 cup.
• Swap out the dressing in this recipe for store-bought or homemade honey mustard dressing or tahini dressing.
• Toss in pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, chopped almonds or pecans for a nutty infusion.
• Add in 2 to 4 hard-boiled eggs if you enjoy eggs in your cold sweet potato salad.

Now that we’ve discussed the healthy ingredients and some ways you can change up the recipe, let’s make it!

How to Make Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash and scrub the sweet potato, then place it on a cutting board and chop it into bite-sized chunks using a sharp knife.

Transfer the chopped sweet potato to a baking dish along with the avocado oil and sea salt. Use your hands to toss everything together until all of the sweet potato chunks are coated with oil and salt. Spread the sweet potato cubes into a single layer so that they bake evenly.

Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the tray half-way through, or until the sweet potatoes are lightly golden brown and cooked through. Remove the roasted sweet potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature while you’re preparing the rest of the recipe.

Transfer the ingredients for the dressing to a small blender (or use a small bowl or measuring cup) and blend until everything is well-combined.

Drain the canned corn and black beans into a colander, give them a rinse with cool water, and transfer to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl.

Add the chopped red bell pepper, red onion, and green onions to the large bowl.

Transfer the roasted and cooled sweet potatoes to the mixing bowl as well.

Pour the salad dressing over the vegetables and use salad tongs to toss everything together until well-combined. Taste the salad for flavor and add more sea salt, black pepper, or lime juice to taste.

Serve this sweet potato salad recipe with your main dish and enjoy!

This easy sweet potato salad tastes even better the next day. You can prepare it in advance for great results.

Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

There you have it! A superfood salad that’s packed with nutrients and flavor.

Whip it up this vegan sweet potato salad to enjoy throughout the week and bring it to any food gathering like barbecues or picnics.

If you love healthy salad recipes like this, also try these summertime favorites.

More Healthy Salads:

• Chickpea Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds
• Chickpea Avocado Cucumber Salad
• Refreshing Greek Salad  
• Greek Pasta Salad  
• Easy Asian Cucumber Salad
• Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Enjoy this refreshing hearty salad during the warm months of the year!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

Refreshing and hearty sweet potato salad with black beans, corn, and cilantro lime dressing pairs beautifully with just about any main dish. This healthy vegeatble side is versatile and customizable!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

4 to 6 Servings

Ingredients

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad:

• ▢ 1 large (1.33 lb) sweet potato, chopped into chunks
• ▢ 2 Tbsp avocado oil
• ▢ ½ tsp sea salt, to taste
• ▢ 1 cup corn kernels
• ▢ 1 cup black beans
• ▢ 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ 1 bunch green onion, chopped
• ▢ 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped

For the Dressing:

• ▢ 3 Tbsp avocado oil
• ▢ 2 Tbsp mayonnaise, optional
• ▢ 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• ▢ ⅓ cup packed fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
• ▢ 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1 small clove garlic, minced
• ▢ ½ tsp sea salt, to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash and scrub the sweet potato, then place it on a cutting board and chop it into bite-sized chunks using a sharp knife. Transfer the chopped sweet potato to a baking dish along with the avocado oil and sea salt. Use your hands to toss everything together until all of the sweet potato chunks are coated with oil and salt. Spread the sweet potato cubes into a single layer so that they bake evenly. Roast on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, shaking the tray half-way through, or until the sweet potatoes are lightly golden brown and cooked through. Remove the roasted sweet potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature while you’re preparing the rest of the recipe.
• Transfer the ingredients for the dressing to a small blender (or use a small bowl or measuring cup) and blend until everything is well-combined.
• Drain the canned corn and black beans into a colander, give them a rinse with cool water, and transfer to a large mixing bowl or serving bowl. Add the chopped red bell pepper, red onion, and green onions to the large bowl. Transfer the roasted and cooled sweet potatoes to the mixing bowl as well.
• Pour the salad dressing over the vegetables and use salad tongs to toss everything together until well-combined. Taste the salad for flavor and add more sea salt, black pepper, or lime juice to taste.
• Serve this sweet potato salad recipe with your main dish and enjoy!

Notes

• This easy sweet potato salad tastes even better the next day. You can prepare it in advance for great results.
• Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (of 6) – Calories: 248kcal – Carbohydrates: 32g – Protein: 5g – Fat: 12g – Saturated Fat: 2g – Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g – Cholesterol: 3mg – Sodium: 852mg – Fiber: 7g – Sugar: 9g

Course: Side Dishes & Snacks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free side dish, healthy side dishes, healthy sweet potato salad, plant based side dishes, roasted sweet potato salad, sweet potato black bean salad, vegan sweet potato salad, vegetable side dishes, vegetarian side dishes

Servings: 4 to 6 Servings

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Julia

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