Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Maple-Orange Dressing

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Maple-Orange Dressing, walnuts, red onion, apple, dried cranberries, and goat cheese is an amazing healthy side dish to incorporate into any meal.

Wholesome, healthy, and bursting with complementary flavors, my Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad is the perfect partner for any entrée. Buttery sweet potato mingles with earthy quinoa and vibrant orange to deliver a healthy salad that’ll have you coming back for more!

I’ve talked about the humble sweet potato a lot on this website. Take my healthy sweet potato casserole or my vegan sweet potato pancakes, for instance. I simply cannot get enough of this earthy, nutty, buttery delight!

And I’m happy to report that today is no exception. My roasted sweet potato quinoa salad makes a total hero out of this vegetable and pairs it with another one of my favorite ingredients – quinoa! 

Add in a vibrant orange, cinnamon, and maple syrup dressing (and some more stunning produce!) and you’ve got one of the best salads you’ll ever taste.

Sweet potato, apple, cranberry, and a maple-orange dressing give this salad a hearty dose of sweetness. But, that’s evenly matched by the nuttiness of the walnut and quinoa, the tang of the goat cheese, and the acidity of the red onion. In short, this salad ticks all the boxes!

I’ve designed this sweet potato and quinoa recipe as a side dish for your main course. But I’ve definitely wolfed down a big bowl as a main before. 

It’s just that good.

Ingredients for Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Here are all the ingredients for my roasted sweet potato quinoa salad. There’s a lot of fresh stuff in here, and selecting great-quality produce will pay dividends when it comes to flavor!

Sweet Potato: The heart of this salad. Sweet potatoes are versatile, healthy, and addictive. Roasting makes your potatoes creamy, buttery, and utterly irresistible! 

Quinoa: I love a superfood, and quinoa is one of the very best. It’s a complete plant-based protein and contains all 9 essential amino acids. It’s also loaded with iron, fiber, magnesium, and vitamin B!

Red Onion: For that delectable crunch. Red onion in a salad is always a winner for me, as it brings a gentle hint of acidity to the dish without being overpowering.

Walnuts: Chop them into super fine pieces to distribute that flavor more evenly. Leave the chunks a little bigger if you want a little more texture.

Honey Crisp Apple: Honey crisps are known for being juicy and tart. Their sharp bite works well with the mellow sweet potato and the zesty orange.

Dried Cranberries: Another great health food! They taste awesome, but dried cranberries also add a pop of color to our quinoa and sweet potato salad. Who doesn’t love a bit of eye candy?

Goat’s Cheese: Crumbly, tangy, creamy goodness. Goat’s cheese is right up there with feta and halloumi in the realm of perfect salad cheeses. 

Orange: We’ll be using both the zest and the juice in this recipe. 

Olive Oil: The oil for our salad has to both help roast the sweet potatoes and form the base of the dressing. Olive oil is great for this. It has a high smoke point to let you get a good roast and also has a wonderful flavor and texture to elevate your maple-orange dressing.

Pure Maple Syrup: The best way to add a sugary taste without any artificial sweeteners. Organic, Grade A, pure maple syrup wins every time for me when my recipes need a sweet kick.

Ground Cinnamon: For a bit of warmth!

Salt: To taste.

Recipe Customizations

• You only need to substitute the goat’s cheese to make this recipe vegan. These days there are some fantastic vegan cheese alternatives. But why not try marinating crumbled tofu in lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and salt for a natural, homemade alternative?
• I use honey crisps because they’re my favorite apple. If you prefer a different variety, switch it out!
• Why not sprinkle over some earthy thyme or aromatic rosemary as a finishing touch? Both options elevate grain or vegetable salads (and this is both!).

Tips for the Perfect Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

• I like to leave the skins on my sweet potato. The skins crisp up beautifully in the oven to give yet another texture to your salad, and they’re so good for you! Just FYI, sweet potato skin is loaded with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.
• Pair my orange quinoa salad with a complete protein (such as chicken breast or tofu) for a full, healthy, complete meal.
• Take the extra time to make sure all the water has evaporated from your quinoa before removing it from the heat. Then, give it a really good fluff with a fork before adding it to the salad. For me, quinoa lives or dies on its texture, and it’s no fun if it’s wet and squishy!

What Does It Taste Like?

I’m dead serious; this is the best quinoa salad ever. 

There’s a bunch of textures going on here. From the grains of quinoa to the crumbly goat’s cheese to the hearty chunks of sweet potato, it’s glorious. 

The flavors are also off the charts. The sweetness of the apple, the zesty burst of orange, and the tantalizing warmth of cinnamon are all fabulous!

How to Make Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chop the sweet potato into ½ inch cubes. I leave the skin on, but that’s up to you! 

Spread them on a baking sheet, and coat them in a good helping of olive oil.

Sprinkle your potatoes with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Otherwise, leave them until the sweet potato is cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside.

While your potatoes are roasting, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add your quinoa. Hold the heat at a simmer, then cover and cook for about 15 minutes.

Check all the water is absorbed, and cook for a bit longer if your quinoa is still wet. When it’s done, give it a gentle fluff with a fork, and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together your cinnamon, maple syrup, orange juice and zest, salt, and 3 more tablespoons of olive oil. This is your maple-orange dressing! 

Toss this into a large serving bowl with your quinoa, making sure the grains and dressing are evenly combined.

Add the remaining salad ingredients (including the now-cooked sweet potato!), give it a good mix, and enjoy!

I’m not exaggerating: I once packed this orange quinoa salad in a Tupperware container and took it right up into the mountains to share with my fellow hikers. 

It keeps very well in a sealed container for several hours, and it’ll last in the fridge for a good 3-4 days. Talk about an overachiever!

Fresh, filling, and wonderfully healthy, this sweet potato salad is guaranteed to have you coming back for more. Tell me in the comments section if you give it a try!

Are you loving this maple-orange quinoa salad recipe? Here are some other super-salads for you to try!

More Healthy Salad Recipes:

• Kale and Blueberry Salad with Vegan Buttermilk Dressing
• Winter Citrus Roasted Beet Salad
• Zesty Cucumber Salad with Pine Nuts
• Roasted Butternut Squash Kale Salad
• Green Bean Salad with Walnuts and Feta

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

5 from 15 votes

One of my personal favorites, this Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Maple-Orange Dressing is an incredible side dish to any main entrée!

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa uncooked
• 1 large sweet potato chopped and roasted
• ¼ cup red onion sliced (about 1 loosely packed )
• 1 cup walnuts chopped
• 1 honey crisp apple peeled and chopped
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 4 goat cheese

For the maple-orange dressing

• 1 Tbsp orange zest
• 1 whole orange juiced (1/2 cup of juice)
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon to taste
• 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Chop the sweet potato into ½” cubes (I leave the peel on).
• Spread the sweet potato chunks on a baking sheet and drizzle them with enough olive oil to coat them. Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything.
• Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked through and slightly crispy on the outside.
• While the sweet potato is roasting, bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add the quinoa. Return to a full boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork.
• Whisk together all of the ingredients for the maple-orange dressing in a small bowl.
• In a large serving bowl, add the cooked quinoa and pour all of the maple-orange dressing over the quinoa. Toss together.
• Add the remaining salad ingredients and toss everything together.
• Consume the best quinoa salad ever.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving · Calories: 345kcal · Carbohydrates: 44g · Protein: 9g · Fat: 16g · Fiber: 5g · Sugar: 10g

Author: Julia

Course: Salads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten free recipes, grain salads, healthy quinoa salad recipe, paleo, roasted sweet potato quinoa salad, vegetable side dishes, vegetarian quinoa salad

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