Skip boring salads & try this roasted sweet potato, spinach & feta salad with creamy avocado and a bright citrus dressing. A delicious plant-based salad bowl for lunch or dinner.

Vegan Roasted Sweet Potato, Spinach & Feta Salad

Name: Vegan Roasted Sweet Potato, Spinach & Feta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle East, Lebanese
Ingredients: 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; 2 teaspoons paprika; 1 teaspoon za'taar (use oregano if you can't find); 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon garlic powder (granules or 1 clove fresh garlic crushed); 1 pinch salt and pepper; 1 cucumber, cut in half lengthways, seeds scooped out with a teaspoon (discard) and sliced into half moons; 120 g baby spinach; 400 g (14 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 2 ripe avocados (flesh only, see notes for safely removing stone), chopped into chunks; juice of ½ lemon; 1 red onion, halved, skinned and finely sliced; 9 pickled baby beets, halved; 100g (3½ oz) vegan feta; juice of ½ lemon; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; ½ teaspoon za'taar (or dried oregano); 1 pinch salt and black pepper

I'm cautiously easing into spring by introducing a few salads to my meal plan.

It's still quite cold and wet here in Scotland, so the salads have to be substantial, like this roasted sweet potato, spinach, and feta salad.

Instead of lighter salad leaves, I added baby spinach and crunchy cucumber to this colourful salad bowl and finished it with a zesty citrus dressing.

Perfect for lunch boxes, but filling enough to enjoy for dinner too.

Why you will love this hearty salad

Here are a few reasons why you must try this salad:

It's so tasty - one of those recipes that just works and hits the spot every time, so you make it on repeat
Fuss-free - while the sweet potatoes are roasting, whip up the easy dressing and add the rest of the salad to a large bowl
Healthy option - but tastes delicious
Warm sweet potato - contrasts with the cool salad and cream vegan feta
Crunch - from the cucumber
Protein - from the chickpeas
Tangy sweet vinegar kick - from the pickled beets
Finished with - a simple zingy dressing
Dinner - or a filling lunch option
Leftovers - can be enjoyed the next day

I hope you will love this salad bowl as much as we do!

close up of roast sweet potato, beet and feta salad bowl.

What you'll need to make this roasted sweet potato salad bowl

Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this delicious salad that's perfect for dinner or to meal prep for lunches.

Salad Bowl

🍠 Sweet potatoes
🥒 Cucumber
🥑 Avocado
🥬 Baby spinach leaves
🧅 Red onion
🥫 Chickpeas
🥄Pickled baby beets
🧀 Dairy-free feta cheese

Flavourings

🥄 Olive oil
🥄 Lemon juice
🥄 Paprika
🥄 Garlic powder - or fresh garlic, crushed
🥄 Cumin
🥄 Za'taar - a Middle Eastern herb mix (dried thyme, oregano, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt)
🥄 Salt & black pepper

Salad Dressing

🍋 Lemon juice
🥄 Olive oil
🍯 Maple syrup
🥄Za'taar
🧂 Salt & black pepper

The full printable recipe is at the bottom of the page. Keep reading, scroll down, or use the jump to recipe button at the top of the page.

Dairy-Free Roasted Sweet Potato, Avocado & Beet Salad.

Variations to the salad bowl once you have tried the basic recipe

I always recommend trying a recipe as I share it, the first time you make it, as it's well tested and I know it works.

But once you have tried it, then you can make some swaps to change it up slightly every time you make it.

Here are some ideas for tweaking the salad:

Add a different protein

Tofu - Tear extra firm tofu into chunks and toss in the seasoning, and roast with the sweet potatoes
White beans - add white beans, such as cannellini beans, instead of chickpeas
Sausages - cook your favourite plant-based sausages, cut into chunks and add to the salad
Falafel - makes a good addition too

Swap the greens or sweet potatoes

Rocket leaves - also called arugula- give a peppery taste
Kale - instead of spinach, but give it a massage with a little olive oil to soften the leaves
Salad leaves - use a bag of mixed salad leaves instead of baby spinach
Butternut squash - instead of sweet potatoes

Change the dressing

Changing the dressing can make the salad taste completely different.

Instead of the lemon dressing, add:

Toast some seeds or nuts

In a dry pan, toast some seeds or nuts for a few minutes for crunch and to add extra nutrients and healthy fats to the salad.

Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Pine nuts

Each of these variations will keep your salad bowl interesting, without the need for a whole new salad recipe.

Remove the avocado stone safely and easily

Please do not remove the stone from your ripe avocado with a knife, even if it is sharp.

Many people use this method, by hitting the stone of an avodaco with a sharp knife, so the blade enters the stone, and you can twist it out.

But it is so dangerous, and I have a safer way of doing it.

Just cut the avocado in half, press the stone out from behind (the skin side), and if the avocado is ripe, it will just pop out.

It's actually quite satisfying and much safer.

Then you can scoop out the flesh with a spoon and chop it into chunks or slices.

pin it for later

Salad bowl with roasted sweet potatoes & vegan feta cheese.

Also, join my Facebook group Living on the Veg.

It's a very friendly community with lots of recipes and chat. I'm in there every day chatting with group members, many of whom have become friends over the years.

Remember and say hi. I'm always happy to chat and answer questions.

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for my daily recipe. One easy recipe sent to your inbox every morning for inspiration.

How to make sweet potato, spinach and beet salad

A step-by-step photo guide showing how to make this easy salad bowl and zingy dressing, followed by a full printable recipe.

Make the dressing first

Add all the salad dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix well.
Taste to check the seasoning.
Set aside.

Salad step 1

Preheat your oven and line a large baking tray (sheet pan) with non-stick baking paper (parchment paper).
Peel and chop your sweet potatoes and add to a mixing bowl with the flavourings and extra virgin olive oil and toss well to coat.

Salad step 2

Spread the coated sweet potato in a single layer and bake until crisp and starting to brown at the edges and soft inside.
While the potato cooks, make the salad.
In a large mixing bowl at the cucumber and avocado.
Squeeze lemon juice over the avocado to prevent browning.
Add the spinach.

Salad step 3

Add the chickpeas to the bowl.
Once the sweet potato has cooked, leave it to cool for a few minutes, until it is just warm, then add it to the salad along with the dressing and mix well
Add the beets when serving so the whole salad isn't turned pink and top with some crumbled feta.
Enjoy!

salad, warm salad, roasted sweet potato salad, sweet potato salad bowl. spinach, vegan feta

Dinner, Lunch

Middle East, Lebanese

Yield: 4

Author: Jacqueline Meldrum