Roasted Asparagus Salad with Sweet Potatoes
Roasted Asparagus Salad with roasted sweet potatoes and fresh vegetables, all tossed in a herby lemon vinaigrette.
Have you ever roasted asparagus for a salad? I'd say it's absolutely delicious. The best part is how the asparagus gets slightly charred, but still holds its vibrant green color and crunch.
Since asparagus can have a bitter, more savory flavor, roasted sweet potatoes balanced the flavor beautifully. This is such a vibrant spring salad for brunch, Sunday dinners, or special gatherings.
Roasted Asparagus Salad Ingredients
This salad comes together with a handful of fresh, simple ingredients.
How to Trim the Asparagus
Grab one asparagus spear and gently bend it near the bottom. It will naturally snap right where the tender part begins, and the woody end stops.
That breaking point is your guide for the rest of the bunch to trim.
Line them up and trim the asparagus shoots right around the same spot so you're only removing tough ends.
Once you cut off the tough ends, cut the asparagus in half. You don't want long spaghetti bites.
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Season with olive oil, sea salt, and coarse black pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast until tender (full detailed instructions on the recipe card).
Roast the asparagus in the same way as the sweet potatoes. You can either use two separate baking sheets to roast them one at a time, or after roasting the sweet potatoes for 20 minutes, slide them over and add the asparagus to the same pan. Roast the asparagus for an additional 10 minutes.
When roasting the sweet potatoes, I don't toss them halfway through baking. I forget about them so that the bottoms get nicely golden and caramelized.
Place the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir frequently for 3-4 minutes until they're fragrant.
Whisk lemon zest, juice, garlic, honey, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, then slowly drizzle in olive oil until it's bright and silky.
Make-Ahead Tips
Roast in advance: You can roast the sweet potatoes and asparagus up to 2 days ahead. Store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge.
Reheat before serving: When ready to serve, spread the roasted vegetables on a baking sheet and warm in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes, just until heated through.
Prep the vinaigrette early: Whisk the lemon herb vinaigrette a day ahead and keep it in a sealed jar. Shake well before drizzling.
Toast pistachios just before serving.
To assemble: Combine warmed vegetables, fresh toppings, and vinaigrette right before serving to keep everything vibrant and flavorful.
Similar Recipes
PrintRoasted Asparagus Salad with Sweet Potatoes
This roasted asparagus salad with sweet potato is a vibrant spring side dish with crisp vegetables, fresh mint, and a bright lemon-herb vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad / Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables
- 1 ½ pounds fresh asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Fresh Toppings
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup English cucumber, sliced into thick circles and quartered
- ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup whole pistachios, raw and unsalted
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the diced sweet potatoes to the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Toss to coat and spread into an even layer. Roast for 30 minutes, or until tender and lightly caramelized.
- Remove the sweet potatoes from the pan and set aside to cool slightly. Arrange the trimmed asparagus on the same baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
- While the vegetables roast, place the pistachios in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast for 3-4 minutes, just until fragrant. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, honey, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and cracked black pepper until combined.
While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. - Arrange the roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus on a serving platter. Top with grape tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, toasted pistachios, and fresh mint.
- Drizzle with the lemon herb vinaigrette just before serving.
Notes
Choose thin to medium asparagus for this salad
Thick asparagus spears are better suited for grilling or braising. Look for spears no thicker than your finger.
Toast your pistachios every time
Raw pistachios are good. Toasted pistachios are extraordinary. The oils bloom, the flavor deepens, and the crunch intensifies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 277
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 517.3 mg
- Fat: 18.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.1 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg