This delicious sumac roasted sweet potato salad with quinoa, feta, chickpeas, baby spinach and toasted walnuts all tossed in a simple lemon dressing is packed with flavour and textures. This nourishing salad is perfect for lunch and will keep you full all afternoon long.
I have been on a quinoa salads quest recently; creating different and nourishing salads that are packed with goodness – and are full of delicious flavours too! These type of salads are ones where you can prep ahead – or prep components of them – and then enjoy throughout the week. Just like this halloumi quinoa salad, these filling salads are delicious in the cooler months too – salad is not just for summer 😉
Jump to:
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.
- Sumac – this tart, tangy spice with its beautiful red hue adds a slight citrusy tang to the sweet potato. If you don’t have it then omit it.
- Sweet potato – or substitute with butternut squash or pumpkin.
- Feta – or substitute with goats cheese.
- Chickpeas – I also like to use cooked brown lentils in this salad if I don’t have chickpeas.
- Walnuts – substitute with almonds, or leave out altogether if you want a nut-free salad. The pumpkin seeds / pepitas provide the crunch.
Serving Ideas
This salad is a meal in itself, however it is the perfect side to roasted or grilled meats or fish, or serve with some dips – hummus, yogurt dip, prosciutto and flatbread for a simple lunch with friends.
Make ahead/storage
I recommend serving the salad immediately after mixing together as the spinach can wilt and become watery. However you can make various elements to the salad ahead:
- Roast the sweet potatoes – and store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Toast the walnuts and pumpkin seeds – and store in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
- Make the lemon dressing – and store in the jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftover Ingredients
Food is a huge expense, and unfortunately quite easy to use half a packet here, or a quarter of a bunch there, and then forget about the rest, to have it destined for the bin or compost heap. So here are a few ideas to help use up some of the ingredients you may have leftover once you have made this sweet potato salad.
- Feta – sprinkle over wilted greens or stir fried silverbeet (or substitute spinach); use in this green bean salad or sprinkle over baked eggs.
- Lemon – add any leftover lemon to a chicken traybake or, if you have more than half a lemon, have a look at these lemon recipes.
- Walnuts – store your packet of walnuts in the fridge. Use them to make this pear and walnut salad, walnut dill pesto or coffee and walnut cake.
Why not try…
You may also like these other delicious salad recipes:
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Author: Robyn
This nourishing sweet potato and quinoa salad with spinach, feta and walnuts, is packed with delicious ingredients to create a healthy gluten-free salad full of flavour!
Gluten Free
Equipment
- baking tray lined with baking paper
Ingredients
- 700 g sweet potato cut into 1-2 cm cubes. Leave the peel on if you prefer.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ c / 100g quinoa uncooked
- 120 g baby spinach
- 400 g tinned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 100 g feta cheese
- 70 g walnuts
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds pepitas, toasted
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh mint
- extra sumac for serving
Lemon Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Cook The Quinoa
- Tip the quinoa into a sieve then wash well under a running tap to remove the bitter tasting saponins.
- Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions, drain well and leave to cool.
Roast The Sweet Potato
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200℃ fan / 220℃ / 428℉.
- Line a baking tray / sheet with baking paper.
- Place the cubed sweet potato onto the tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with the sumac. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Tip the walnuts and pumpkin seeds into a small baking tray and pop into the oven for 3-5 minutes, until golden.
- Leave the sweet potato, walnuts and pumpkin seeds to cool to room temperature.
Make The Lemon Dressing
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustards, salt and black pepper to a jar or small bowl and shake / mix to combine. Set aside.
Make The Salad
- Combine the cooked quinoa with the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, baby spinach and walnuts and pumpkin seeds and mint.
- Stir in the dressing then spoon the salad out onto a serving plate or bowl.
- Crumble over the feta cheese and sprinkle with extra sumac.
- Serve the salad immediately.
- Any leftovers will keep in an airtightcontainer in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
INGREDIENTS NOTES
- Sumac – this tart, tangy spice with its beautiful red hue adds a slight citrusy tang to the sweet potato. If you don’t have it then omit it.
- Sweet potato – or substitute with butternut squash or pumpkin.
- Feta – or substitute with goats cheese.
- Chickpeas – I also like to use cooked brown lentils in this salad if I don’t have chickpeas.
- Walnuts – substitute with almonds, or leave out altogether if you want a nut-free salad. The pumpkin seeds / pepitas provide the crunch.
- Roast the sweet potatoes – and store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Toast the walnuts and pumpkin seeds – and store in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
- Make the lemon dressing – and store in the jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 748kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 24gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 421mgPotassium: 1334mgFiber: 17gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 27834IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 289mgIron: 7mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 700 g sweet potato cut into 1-2 cm cubes. Leave the peel on if you prefer.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ c quinoa uncooked
- 120 g baby spinach
- 400 g tinned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 100 g feta cheese
- 70 g walnuts
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds pepitas, toasted
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh mint
- extra sumac for serving
Lemon Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Cook The Quinoa
- Tip the quinoa into a sieve then wash well under a running tap to remove the bitter tasting saponins.
- Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions, drain well and leave to cool.
Roast The Sweet Potato
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200℃ fan / 220℃ / 428℉.
- Line a baking tray / sheet with baking paper.
- Place the cubed sweet potato onto the tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with the sumac. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Tip the walnuts and pumpkin seeds into a small baking tray and pop into the oven for 3-5 minutes, until golden.
- Leave the sweet potato, walnuts and pumpkin seeds to cool to room temperature.
Make The Lemon Dressing
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustards, salt and black pepper to a jar or small bowl and shake / mix to combine. Set aside.
Make The Salad
- Combine the cooked quinoa with the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, baby spinach and walnuts and pumpkin seeds and mint.
- Stir in the dressing then spoon the salad out onto a serving plate or bowl.
- Crumble over the feta cheese and sprinkle with extra sumac.
- Serve the salad immediately.
- Any leftovers will keep in an airtightcontainer in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
INGREDIENTS NOTES
- Sumac – this tart, tangy spice with its beautiful red hue adds a slight citrusy tang to the sweet potato. If you don’t have it then omit it.
- Sweet potato – or substitute with butternut squash or pumpkin.
- Feta – or substitute with goats cheese.
- Chickpeas – I also like to use cooked brown lentils in this salad if I don’t have chickpeas.
- Walnuts – substitute with almonds, or leave out altogether if you want a nut-free salad. The pumpkin seeds / pepitas provide the crunch.
- Roast the sweet potatoes – and store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Toast the walnuts and pumpkin seeds – and store in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
- Make the lemon dressing – and store in the jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 748kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 24gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 421mgPotassium: 1334mgFiber: 17gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 27834IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 289mgIron: 7mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Ingredients
- 25 oz sweet potato cut into 1-2 cm cubes. Leave the peel on if you prefer.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- salt
- black pepper
- ½ c quinoa uncooked
- 4 c baby spinach
- 14 oz tinned chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 3½ oz feta cheese
- 2½ oz walnuts
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds pepitas, toasted
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh mint
- extra sumac for serving
Lemon Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt
- black pepper
Instructions
Cook The Quinoa
- Tip the quinoa into a sieve then wash well under a running tap to remove the bitter tasting saponins.
- Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions, drain well and leave to cool.
Roast The Sweet Potato
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200℃ fan / 220℃ / 428℉.
- Line a baking tray / sheet with baking paper.
- Place the cubed sweet potato onto the tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with the sumac. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Roast for 25-30 minutes, stirring half way through.
- Tip the walnuts and pumpkin seeds into a small baking tray and pop into the oven for 3-5 minutes, until golden.
- Leave the sweet potato, walnuts and pumpkin seeds to cool to room temperature.
Make The Lemon Dressing
- Add the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustards, salt and black pepper to a jar or small bowl and shake / mix to combine. Set aside.
Make The Salad
- Combine the cooked quinoa with the sweet potatoes, chickpeas, baby spinach and walnuts and pumpkin seeds and mint.
- Stir in the dressing then spoon the salad out onto a serving plate or bowl.
- Crumble over the feta cheese and sprinkle with extra sumac.
- Serve the salad immediately.
- Any leftovers will keep in an airtightcontainer in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Notes
INGREDIENTS NOTES
- Sumac – this tart, tangy spice with its beautiful red hue adds a slight citrusy tang to the sweet potato. If you don’t have it then omit it.
- Sweet potato – or substitute with butternut squash or pumpkin.
- Feta – or substitute with goats cheese.
- Chickpeas – I also like to use cooked brown lentils in this salad if I don’t have chickpeas.
- Walnuts – substitute with almonds, or leave out altogether if you want a nut-free salad. The pumpkin seeds / pepitas provide the crunch.
- Roast the sweet potatoes – and store in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
- Toast the walnuts and pumpkin seeds – and store in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
- Make the lemon dressing – and store in the jar in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 748kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 24gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 13gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 421mgPotassium: 1334mgFiber: 17gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 27834IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 289mgIron: 7mg
HAVE YOU MADE THIS RECIPE?
I’d love to see your creation!
Tag me! #atmrsjoneskitchen
Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen
Or just leave a comment below!
Let me know your thoughts!