Cozy Cacao Winter Salad (Printable Version)
Winter salad with roasted sweet potatoes, greens, nuts, and cacao-infused vinaigrette for a comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
02 - 5 oz baby spinach or mixed greens
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Nuts & Cheese
04 - 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
05 - 2 oz goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
→ Cacao Vinaigrette
06 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
08 - 2 tsp unsweetened cacao powder
09 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
10 - 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Finishing
13 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
# How To Make:
01 - Set oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss sweet potato cubes with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread evenly on the baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes, turning once, until tender and caramelized. Allow to cool slightly.
03 - Toast pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally until fragrant. Set aside.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cacao powder, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth.
05 - In a large bowl, combine greens, roasted sweet potatoes, red onion, toasted nuts, and dried cranberries. Drizzle with the cacao vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
06 - Top salad with crumbled goat cheese if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cacao vinaigrette tastes sophisticated and mysterious, but it takes just minutes to whisk together.
- Roasted sweet potatoes give you that warm, caramel-like sweetness without any sugar added.
- It works for lunch, dinner, or as an unexpected side that makes people ask what's different about it.
02 -
- Don't skip toasting the nuts in a dry skillet, it releases their oils and makes them taste three times more interesting than raw.
- Whisk your cacao powder into the vinaigrette really well or you'll get little grainy bits, the mustard helps it emulsify and stay smooth.
- Toss the salad right before serving because the warm potatoes will eventually wilt the greens if they sit too long together.
03 -
- Toast your nuts the moment you turn the oven on, it takes just a few minutes and the timing works out perfectly with the potatoes.
- Make the vinaigrette in a jar you can shake if you don't have a whisk, it'll emulsify the same way and you can store any leftovers in it.