Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Tahini Dressing

Ingredients – for the salad

• sweet potatoes – red sweet potatoes are my favorite! They have the best color and flavor

• salted butter or olive oil

• chili powder

• smoked paprika

• honey

• kale, or swap for your favorite mix of greens!

• sesame seeds

• cooked orzo pasta

• cubes of cheddar cheese – I use the Rattlesnake cheddar from Whole Foods

• avocado

• pomegranate arils

Ingredients – for the dressing

• olive oil

• lemon juice

• tahini

• honey

• Worcestershire sauce

• garlic

• parmesan

• chili flakes

Special Tools

Nothing special, but a sheet pan and a salad bowl!

Method

Step 1: roast the sweet potatoes

My sweet potatoes were short and skinny, so I cut them into quarters and roasted larger chunks. You can do the same, or if your potatoes are larger, cube them. I wanted to have the outer pieces of the potatoes crispy, but have more soft flesh inside each potato. Like a baked sweet potato with some charring!

On a baking sheet, toss the potatoes with butter or oil. I prefer butter. Then add the seasonings: chili powder, smoked paprika, honey, and salt.

Roast the potatoes until they’re very soft, about 20 minutes. Smash them with a fork, then roast for another 5 minutes.

Step 2: make the dressing

This is truly one of my favorite dressings. I make it all the time.

A combination of creamy tahini (sesame seed paste), lemon juice, honey, and a couple of teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce. The tahini provides a wonderful creamy dressing, while the honey and Worcestershire sauce add sweet, savory, and salty flavors.

Oh, and parmesan too! It’s just delicious.

Blend all the ingredients with a blender or food processor, then add water as needed to thin the dressing out. You’ll need more water than you think, so make sure you season the dressing with salt.

Step 3: toss the kale

Now, add the kale to a big salad bowl and pour over the dressing. Massage the dressing onto the kale to help break it down and make it less tough.

Top the dressed kale with sweet potatoes, sesame seeds, cooked orzo pasta, and cubes or slices of cheddar.

Then top with the avocado and pomegranate.