This salad shows how sweet potatoes can rise beyond the sweet trappings of maple syrup and marshmallows. Colorful and crunchy with the bold flavors of cilantro and lemon juice, this sweet potato salad is enjoyable year-round. Despite their sweet flavor profile, using savory ingredients takes the versatile vegetable to new levels. Sweet potatoes originate in Central and South America from about 2500 BCE, though prehistoric remnants of the vegetable have also been found in Polynesia dating to about 1000 CE. American colonists began distinguishing the sweet potato from white potatoes after the 1740s. By 1880, Americans enjoyed various candied sweet potato recipes and more than 100 recipes using the tuber were compiled by inventor George Washington Carver by the end of the 19th century.
Recipe Servings: 4
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed to grease baking sheet
- 1¼ lbs sweet potatoes (about 2 jumbo), washed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp salt, divided, plus more, to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper, divided, plus more, to taste
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 green onions, white and green parts thinly chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
- 1 cup corn
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, minced (about half of a bunch)
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice (or lime juice)
- Cayenne pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Grease a baking sheet using nonstick cooking spray and spread the chunks of sweet potato in an even layer.
- Drizzle the potatoes evenly with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the season them with salt and pepper.
- Bake 30–45 minutes or until fork tender. Flip potatoes halfway through cooking.
- Place black beans, green onions, red pepper, corn, and cilantro in large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together the honey, mustard, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Add cayenne, if using. Set aside.
- After potatoes are cooked, add them to bowl with black beans and vegetable mixture. Add sauce and combine gently.
- Check for seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, lemon juice or honey, if desired.
- Serve at room temperature, warmed or chilled.
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