Rich in flavor this is a monthly go-to meal at our house. I think I have made over 30 varieties of this salad, and yes every time I make it, it gets better! The 3 main ingredients (quinoa, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes) and the vinaigrette are key to making this salad. Outside of that, I am flexible with the herbs and vegetables I add depending what I have in my pantry. It's a quick and easy recipe that is also vegan and gluten free.
Because you can make a big batch, this is a great recipe to bring for a potluck. If you're looking to eat healthly, but don't have the time to make lunch every day, this meal is a great go-to.
The three main ingredients that make this a great pantry meal lunch are quinoa, chickpeas, and sweet potatoes. I include basic pantry ingredients depending on what I have that week. Feel free to experiment with what pantry staples you have on hand.
Quinoa is more closely related to beets, chard, and spinach than to other grains. It's a great source of protein, fiber and when paired with chickpeas and sweet potato keep you satisfied. It's perfect for any meal prep.
Chef Tips:
- Taking the time to season and slow roast your sweet potatoes is what makes this such a tasty salad.
- Finish this salad with a simple balsamic vinaigrette. I also like to marinate the garlic and onion with some balsamic and olive oil. This takes away the sharp raw flavour leaving it much more balanced. This is a great tip for any salad or sandwich you want to top with raw onions. The basic balsamic vinaigrette can be used for any salad marinade, I usually make a 3x batch and keep it for tossing with greens for a quick side.
- Rarely do I use a bunch of herbs in a recipe, I make sure to store my Fresh herbs in a beeswax food wrap. They allow air to flow while protecting your greens.
Quinoa and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad Ingredients:
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1 large sweet potato 1.5 cups quinoa 1 can chickpeas, drained 1 bell pepper diced 2 carrots grated 1 clove garlic 1 small red onion 1 cup each loosely packed parsley and dill 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon cumin 2 tablespoon balsamic vinaigrette 2 tablespoon olive oil
Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:1 tablespoon Dijon 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons of maple syrup |
How to Make Quinoa and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad:
- Cook your quinoa according to package directions
- Peel and cut your sweet potato in 1 inch cubes, toss with paprika, garlic powder and cumin, season with salt and pepper, drizzle oil and roast on a sheet pan @375 degrees for 30 minutes
- Chop onion and garlic and top with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Let sit 10 mins solo before adding the other vegetables
- Grate carrot
- Chop pepper
- Drain and rinse chickpeas
- Allow sweet potato and quinoa to cool to room temperature
- Toss it all together!
- Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a mason jar and shake until emulsified * the addition of Dijon will make a unified vinaigrette. **store up to 2 weeks
- Gently fold in herbs and vinaigrette.
Enjoy! I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does. It's perfect for an easy meal prep recipe to make for the week. Since the ingredients can change it is a great addition to our meal plan. You can substitute items like peas, white beans, or cauliflower rice or you could even throw this salad in a lettuce wrap - It's up to you!
This salad is a delicious meal that keeps up to 6 days covered in the fridge with our Mind Your Bees beeswax wraps - try our Market Fresh print.
Just remember to gently mix each time you serve some. Looking forward to sharing more healthy meal prep recipes with you soon!
