Sweet Potato Lentil Salad {Fall Favorite}

Quick Summary

Sweet Potato Lentil Salad- this hearty and healthy salad is made with roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, kale, feta cheese, red onion, dried cranberries, and finished with a balsamic maple mustard dressing. The ultimate fall salad!

I love a salad that is full of goodies and this Sweet Potato Lentil Salad has all of my favorites in one big bowl!

This hearty and healthy salad is made with roasted sweet potatoes, lentils, kale, red onion, feta cheese, and dried cranberries. The salad gets tossed in a simple balsamic maple mustard dressing that is SO good!

I love making this salad for lunch or serving it along side any fall meal. It is also a great side dish to serve at Thanksgiving. Everyone appreciates something healthy to go with the most decadent meal of the year.

Sweet Potato Lentil Salad Ingredients

You are going to love all of the healthy ingredients in this salad!

Sweet potatoes– you will need two medium sweet potatoes (or yams).
Olive oil– for drizzling over the sweet potatoes!
Green lentils– rinse the lentils under cold water and pick out any small stones or pebbles.
Vegetable broth– I cook the lentils in vegetable broth to give them more flavor.
Bay leaf– add this aromatic leaf to the lentils while they are cooking.
Kale– I use chopped kale, it is hearty and goes so well with this fall salad. If you don’t care for kale, you can use spinach, arugula, or your favorite greens.
Red onion-for a pop of color and flavor!
Feta cheese– for creamy, salty kick! Goat cheese or blue cheese would be good too. If you need the salad to be vegan or dairy-free, you can omit the cheese.
Dried cranberries– so sweet! Pomegranate would be good too!
Parsley– fresh herbs are always a good idea!

Balsamic Maple Mustard Dressing

I LOVE this salad dressing. It is so good and compliments all of the flavors in the salad so nicely. Don’t worry, it is easy to whisk up!

You will need:

Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Dijon mustard
Maple syrup– make sure you use pure maple syrup!
Garlic

How to Roast Sweet Potatoes

Roasted vegetables are the BEST, including sweet potatoes. Don’t worry, they are easy to make.

First, make sure you cut the sweet potatoes the same size so they cook evenly. I don’t peel the sweet potatoes, but you certainly can.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. You want the oven nice and hot before you put in the potatoes.
Place the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well coated. Make sure they are in an even layer and not touching. If they are crowded on the pan, they won’t cook as well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender, flipping halfway through with a spatula.
You can make them in advance!

How to Cook Lentils

If you haven’t cooked with lentils before, you are in for a treat. They are super easy to make and are SO good. I love using lentils in salads, soups, and more!

While the potatoes are roasting, you can cook the lentils.

In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, water or broth, and bay leaf. I like to use vegetable broth because it gives the lentils more flavor.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then turn to low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are soft, but still slightly firm. Do not overcook or the lentils will be mushy.

Assembling the Salad

Place all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with the salad dressing and toss until well coated. Season with a little salt and pepper.

If you want to add nuts, go for it! Candied pecans, pecans, walnuts, or almonds are all good options. Pepitas are tasty too!

Serve and enjoy!

How to Store the Salad

I love this salad because you can make the sweet potatoes, lentils, and dressing in advance, if you need to. If you aren’t going to eat the salad right away, keep the ingredients separate until you are ready to eat and then toss with the dressing.

After you have dressed the salad, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The kale is hearty will hold for a few days.

More Fall Salad Recipes

Salads

Sweet Potato Lentil Salad

For the salad:

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into cubes (peel if you want)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed well and picked over
3 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
3 cups packed chopped kale
1/3 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

For the Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and toss until well coated. Make sure they are in an even layer and not touching. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender, flipping halfway through with a spatula.
While the potatoes are roasting, cook the lentils. In a large saucepan, combine the lentils, water or broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then turn to low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are soft, but still slightly firm. Do not overcook or the lentils will be mushy.
In a large bowl combine the cooked lentils and sweet potatoes. Add the kale, red onion, feta cheese, cranberries, and parsley.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve immediately.

You can add pepitas, walnuts, or pecans. If you don’t like kale, you can use spinach or arugula. Omit the feta cheese if you need the salad to be vegan or dairy free.

Calories: 265kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 509mg, Potassium: 578mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 10848IU, Vitamin C: 35mg, Calcium: 123mg, Iron: 3mg