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Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 40 minutes

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Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa or other small-kernel grain or 1 cup raw
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes (1 large or 2 medium) peeled and grated
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives or parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. If you’re starting with raw quinoa or other grain, cook it according to the package directions. Drain if necessary and let cool a bit.
  2. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the sweet potatoes and shallot, spreading them out as evenly as possible; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, undisturbed, until the mixture sizzles and browns on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir with a spatula to turn and separate the potatoes, then cook, stirring like that every 2 or 3 minutes, until they’re just tender but not mushy. Transfer to a baking sheet and separate the pieces so the potatoes stop cooking.
  3. Whisk together the remaining oil and the vinegar in a large bowl with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, and bell pepper and toss with two forks, separating the ingredients as you coat them in the dressing. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and garnish with the chives. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to several hours.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Recipe variations

SOUTHWESTERN MILLET AND SWEET POTATO SALAD A little more guts: Substitute millet for the quinoa, lime juice for the vinegar, and cilantro for the chives. When you assemble the salad in Step 3, add 1 avocado (peeled, pitted, and diced), 1/4 cup toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or red chile flakes.