Roasted Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Salad Recipe - Vegetarian, GF (2024)

This Roasted Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Salad makes the perfect, healthier, light fall lunch or vegetarian side dish addition to your Thanksgiving menu!

Gimme all the fall savory recipes.

Bring ONNNNN the cozy soups, crockpot dinners, hearty casseroles, and . . .

Salads.

Ummm.

What?

I know.

Typically you don’t think of salads as fall food.

Usually they’re summer food.

Because who wants a crisp cold salad when the leaves are falling, the air is chilly, and your favorite pumpkin candle is burning in the background?

Nobody.

BUT.

THIS Roasted Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Salad is different. It’s totally warm and cozy and loaded with fall favorites like sweet potatoes, apples, and wild rice.

So.

Bring ONNNNN the cozy salads, please!

I don’t even know if you can technically call this a salad, but I’m just gonna go with it, ok?

There are three parts to today’s Roasted Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Salad Recipe:

Part One: The Vinaigrette

Part Two: The Roasted Yumminess

Part Three: The Rest of the Salad

The Vinaigrette is SUPER simple, but packed with flavor: olive oil based mayo + apple cider vinegar, dijon, honey, and salt. I really wanted to use mayo as the fat in this dressing, because I wanted something a little creamy to coat the sweet potatoes and wild rice.

Have no fear, because it’s perfectly light, not too heavy, but still nice and creamy.

The Roasted Yumminess is next. Throw some cubed sweet potato, sliced red onion onto a sheet pan and toss with just a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until the sweet potato is perfectly golden and tender.

Then, there’s The Rest of the Salad.

Into a large bowl:

• Apple
• Red grapes
• Goat cheese
• Walnuts
• Arugula
• Roasted Yumminess
• Cooked Wild Rice

You’ll combine the above with as much or as little dressing as you’d like and you’re ready to serve!

I’ve tried this Roasted Sweet Potato and Wild Rice Salad cold, warm, AND at room temperature. While it’s all really tasty, I do prefer this slightly warm or room temperature.

I absolutely love the combination of tender potatoes, sweet red onion, crisp apples, juicy grapes, tangy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, hearty rice, and fresh arugula.

Combine that with the creamy, tangy, vinaigrette, and THIS is a salad people will get excited about.

– Jennifer