Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Olive & Chickpea “Dressing”
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Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Olive & Chickpea “Dressing”

Metro Health News
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Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Warm Olive & Chickpea “Dressing”


You’re going to love this hearty roasted sweet potato salad with chickpeas and a warm olive “dressing.” The sweet potatoes cook in the oven while you build the dressing on the stove top. Each bite has a tender bite of sweet potato, peppery arugula, briny chopped olive, and salty vegan feta. It’s a real flavor party, similar to this kale sweet potato salad with spicy tahini ranch! Ready in 40 minutes with 10 main ingredients.

An overhead shot shows chopped sweet potatoes, a juiced lemon, chopped Castelvetrano olives, and minced shallots.An overhead shot shows chopped sweet potatoes, a juiced lemon, chopped Castelvetrano olives, and minced shallots.
An overhead shot shows roasted sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with a metal spatula.An overhead shot shows roasted sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with a metal spatula.
An overhead shot shows a sauté pan containing a mixture of olive oil, minced shallots, chopped green olives, and za'atar.An overhead shot shows a sauté pan containing a mixture of olive oil, minced shallots, chopped green olives, and za'atar.

I love a warm dressing when hearty ingredients like chickpeas and sweet potatoes are involved. With this salad, I have you heat up olive oil in a sauté pan before adding minced shallot, za’atar spice blend, and chopped olives. The warm oil brings out the flavor of all elements beautifully with a gentle sizzle. As a final step, I have you add the chickpeas and some lemon juice. Spoon that goodness over arugula and the roasted sweet potatoes!

About the za’atar in our dressing:

  • Za’atar refers to both an herb (sometimes called a variety of oregano or thyme) native to the Levant region, and a spice blend mixture with the herb, sumac, sesame seeds, salt, and sometimes a dab of oil. In this recipe, we use the spice blend!
  • The use of this seasoning dates to the 12th century and continues to be ubiquitous (with variations) throughout the Middle East.
  • You can read more about za’atar on ICE Culinary’s blog as well as this post featuring a homemade za’atar recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Urban Farm & Kitchen.

In my everyday food and cooking life, I am a fan of salty and briny flavors. This plated salad really shines in that department. If your palette is wired similarly, I know you’re going to enjoy this one. I find this dish hearty enough on its own for lunch or dinner. If you wanted to fill our your plate a touch more, I recommend serving this with my marinated and grilled tempeh.

An up close, overhead shot shows a sauté pan containing a mixture of olive oil, minced shallots, chopped green olives, and za'atar.An up close, overhead shot shows a sauté pan containing a mixture of olive oil, minced shallots, chopped green olives, and za'atar.
An overhead shot shows a hand stirring a mixture of green olives, chickpeas, shallots, za'atar, and olive oil with a spatula in a sauté pan.An overhead shot shows a hand stirring a mixture of green olives, chickpeas, shallots, za'atar, and olive oil with a spatula in a sauté pan.
An overhead shot shows: a platter with arugula and roasted sweet potatoes, a small bowl of crumbled vegan An overhead shot shows: a platter with arugula and roasted sweet potatoes, a small bowl of crumbled vegan
An overhead shot shows a hand spooning a chickpea and olive mixture over arugula and roasted sweet potatoes.An overhead shot shows a hand spooning a chickpea and olive mixture over arugula and roasted sweet potatoes.
An overhead shot shows a roasted sweet potato salad with baby arugula, vegan An overhead shot shows a roasted sweet potato salad with baby arugula, vegan

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Olive & Chickpea “Dressing” (Vegan)

This hearty roasted sweet potato salad is bursting with flavor! Briny olives, earthy za’atar and chickpeas, tender sweet potatoes, peppery arugula, and creamy vegan feta come together beautifully. Ready in 40 minutes with 10 core ingredients.