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Sesame Sweet Potato and Radicchio Salad is a gluten-free, vegan-friendly meal or side dish that’s rich in nutrients and great for make-ahead lunches.
I could wax poetic about how delicious this salad is all day. To break it down, we’ve got a mix of roasted sweet potatoes balanced by beautifully bitter ribbons of radicchio and parsley. A rich and creamy sesame dressing ties it all together with nutty depth and toasty undertones.
Serve it alongside your protein of choice, or as is for a hearty and healthy meal.
How Healthy Are Sweet Potatoes?
Sweet potatoes offer a whole host of nutrients; for example, beta-carotene, vitamins B6 and C, potassium, and fiber. However, the concentration of specific nutrients actually depend on the flesh color. Sweet potatoes with orange flesh are richest in beta-carotene, while those with purple flesh are richer in anthocyanins. Both beta-carotene and anthocyanins are naturally occurring plant phytochemicals prized for their potential role in health and disease prevention.
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes:
Oven-roasted sweet potatoes are the no-fail, throw-together weeknight side. To start, slice the sweet potatoes into cubes or wedges and toss in either avocado oil or olive oil, and your seasonings of choice. I typically leave the skins on for extra fiber, however if you prefer skinless, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skins before roasting.
As far as seasonings, I like to balance the sweetness of the spuds with savory herb blends, such as dried oregano, smoked paprika, cumin, salt and pepper. However, for this recipe, we keep in plain Jane with salt and pepper (they get the ultimate flavor treatment by being tossed with sesame dressing).
How Long to Roast Sweet Potatoes:
How long your spuds need to roast is totally dependent on the size of the pieces. For instance, if you’re baking wedges, they make take upwards to 50 minutes in a 425°F oven. On the other hand, if you’re cooking cubes, they may only take 30 minutes. Just be sure to keep checking and tossing them every 15 to 20 minutes, and pull them from the oven once they’re fork-tender and slightly caramelized.
What is in Sesame Dressing?
The MVP ingredient that gives the dressing its creaminess and bold sesame flavor is tahini. My go-to brand of tahini is Soom Foods, which is ultra smooth in consistency with butter nuances and toasty depth. If you’d like to try any Soom products (I’m also obsessed with their Silan date syrup), you can get 10% off your order off soomfoods.com by using the code ‘dishingouthealth’ at checkout!
In addition to tahini, the dressing also calls for fish sauce—a highly concentrated condiment popular in Asian cooking that lends a supreme umami blast. However, if you’re making the dressing vegan, you can swap it out for either soy sauce or tamari. 
What Goes With This Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe?
In short, just about anything! Baked salmon or white fish, roasted chicken, or crispy cubed tofu are all great protein options, as well as a sprinkling of shelled edamame.
In addition, this salad holds up exceptionally well for make-ahead lunches, so it’s a great recipe to make at the start of the week and enjoy for lunches over the next 1 to 2 days.
If you make this recipe, be sure to tag #dishingouthealth on Instagram so I can see your beautiful creations. Additionally, I’d love if you could come back and leave a review, as well as share with your friends!
Other Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes:
Smoky Stuffed Lentil Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges with Asian Peanut Sauce
Sweet Potato Grain Bowls with Turmeric Honey Mustard
Sesame Sweet Potato and Radicchio Salad
Ingredients
- 5 cups cubed sweet potato from 2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tsp. sea salt divided
- 2 Tbsp. tahini sesame seed paste
- 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice divided
- 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger
- 1 tsp. fish sauce*
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 2 cups thinly sliced radicchio
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds lemon wedges, additional fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp. of the oil and 1/2 tsp. of the salt; arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing once halfway through, under tender and slightly caramelized.
- While potatoes roast, prepare sesame dressing by whisking remaining 2 Tbsp. oil with tahini, 2 tsp. of the lemon juice, ginger, fish sauce, and sugar until smooth. Gradually whisk in up to 2 Tbsp. water (in 2 to 3 tsp. increments) until sauce is smooth and reaches desired level of creaminess. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine radicchio and parsley. Toss with remaining 2 tsp. lemon juice and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add roasted sweet potatoes and gently toss all ingredients with sesame dressing. Garnish with sesame seeds, lemon wedges, and additional fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
I calculate these values by hand to ensure accuracy, however expect up to a 10% variable depending on food brands.
This was SO good!! Enjoyed it with grilled salmon tonight!
Love your recipes!! Making this one next.