This salad has been a staple in my kitchen for years. Back then, I was looking for an alternative to potato salad for a picnic when I stumbled upon this sweet potato salad from the New York Times. As I will make anything that contains sweet potatoes, cilantro, and black beans, I was immediately won over. As a result, this black bean salad gets made quite a bit in our house. Often, I eat it as is, serve it over grains, throw it in an omelette, or stuff it in a taco. It's both versatile and full of flavor.
Step by Step
Black Bean Salad
variations
While this salad is already a slight variation of the original recipe, I've found that the best variations are in how you can use this salad (besides just eating it). One note, if you're in a hurry, you could always steam the sweet potatoes. But roasting them is really key to bringing out the flavor!
Tacos: Heat up a few tortillas, fill with this salad and top with avocado, cheese, and hot sauce. Instant dinner!
Eggs: Make scrambled eggs or an omelette and use this salad as filling (I recommend leaving out the pepitas for this variation).
Grain Bowl: Serve this salad atop grains. Then drizzle with an avocado cream sauce or a few dashes of hot sauce.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad
The perfect picnic salad, this black bean salad is vegan and gluten-free made with roasted sweet potatoes, fresh cilantro, and an easy spiced dressing.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Cuisine: Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet potatoes
- 1 small red onion
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Juice and zest from 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed if using canned
- ½ cup cilantro
- ¼ cup pepitas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚ F. Peel sweet potatoes, cut into ¼ inch cubes and place on a sheet tray. Chop onion into ¼ inch pieces and add to the tray. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil on top and add ¼ teaspoon of salt. Toss until sweet potatoes are well coated. Spread into a single layer and roast until sweet potatoes are tender and starting to brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting, combine remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a jar with the lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, minced garlic, and chili powder. Shake well.
- Once sweet potatoes are done, transfer to a bowl. Add in the black beans, pepitas, and cilantro. Drizzle with the dressing and toss until salad is combined. This is best done with the sweet potatoes are still warm.
Notes
Tips & Tricks: Double the recipe to use in meals throughout the week.
Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: Sweet Potatoes, Pepitas, Cilantro
Nutrition
- Calories: 303
- Sugar: 5.9
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 14.5
- Carbohydrates: 37.8
- Fiber: 8.6
- Protein: 8.5
- Cholesterol: 0
Explore Black Beans
Black beans go hand in hand with sweet potatoes. In fact, it's one of my favorite combinations for vegetarian Mexican food. For example, the combination works perfectly in tacos, nachos, quesadillas, and enchiladas. A few examples:
Huevos Rancheros
Chipotle Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tamales
Vegetarian Nachos with Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
First published on June 6th, 2011. Last updated on January 14th, 2015.
muppy says
You've done it again, this would be an ideal salad in my eyes 🙂
Melani says
Just what I was looking for, I've just made this for dinner and it was delicious! : )
Kate says
This looks sooo amazing!! I am definitely going to be trying this one this week! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lindsay @ Pinch of Yum says
Is this a new blog look for you? I haven't visited in a while, but things look different (and great)! I'm going to make this tonight! 🙂
erin says
Yup! Switch to the new design a little over a week ago!
Cara says
I feel exactly the same way - bbq's can so boring and fattening, for no good reason when there's so much beautiful produce to be had! I had a similar experience to you, showing up at a family gathering this weekend with two very healthy (one vegan) side dishes. My cousin, a trained chef, could not believe how good these healthy dishes were - I guess he only learned butter and cream in culinary school! This salad sounds right up my alley, I adore sweet potatoes and black beans. Happy summer!
Cookie and Kate says
Two of my favorite things: sweet potatoes and The New York Times. Yum.
Julia @acedarspoon.com says
I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog. Your photos are just beautiful & the recipes looks so yummy and healthy. I can't wait to try this one and pinned it for later!
Lauren @ Lauren Caris Cooks says
I can definitely get on board with a Sweet potato salad, I love the idea of this with scrambled eggs. That may need to happen this weekend! The new blog looks great! 😀
Barbara (BarbB) says
Yum. Again I say yum. It looks amazing. I love sweet potatoes and I love black beans. And I like all the ideas that you gave to use it. Will be trying this over the weekend.
Jessica says
I made this tonight and it was so good! My son asked what was wrong when I made a yummy noise after taking a bit. Yum, yum, yum. Hoping it tastes just as good with my eggs in the morning.
★★★★★
erin says
HA! Love it. And I hope you enjoy it with the eggs- it's one of my favorite variations!
Karen A says
Hi Erin, I just wanted to let you know I took this to the potluck today at Church and everyone that tried it loved it. It traveled easy, I served it at room temperature. It will definitely be something that I take again.
erin says
So glad to hear!
Karen says
This was de-LISH!!!!!!!! Think I'll toast my pepitos next time and will fine tune the cook time for the veggies so the sweet potato isn't overly squishy!....My bad! my son (22 yrs old) and i loved this and have already decided lunch tomorrow will be this as a quesadilla with the chicken this accompanied!
★★★★★
Ryan says
This looks delicious! Seems like a very easy dish to making during the week. I'll post about it after I make it!
Liz says
I made this recipe last night, and just finished the leftovers for lunch. I have to say, it was really, really good. Followed the recipe exactly, and will definitely be making this again very soon with no changes 🙂 Thank you for your wonderful blog!!!
★★★★★
Terryann says
Is this salad good the next day cold? Or did you warm up in a pan?
Erin Alderson says
I've had it both warm and cold- it's great either way!
Janelle says
It is good either, but I zapped it for a quick 30 secs to take the chill off and I think that is my favorite way.
Geraldine Couie says
This is the fourth time I have made this wonder dish. Being born near the Mexican border I prefer
more spice. I put 4 times more chili powder, some red pepper flakes and about 3 times more garlic.
[ I have to keep the Vampires away ] Being a diabetic I use one medium sweet potato and then add lots of carrots to keep the starches down. I also slice my sweet potatoes in round slices just prefer to have it that way. I like it warm but I like it better cold because the spices have time to mingle better. I love roasted veggies they taste so good. It is in the oven as I am typing. Try it you will love it.
★★★★★
Allana says
This is an amazing recipe. The dressing really makes everything pop. So healthy, paelo if that is what you are going for. Beautiful to the eyes and taste buds. I will follow you with more delicious recipes. I used the whole zest of a small lime. FYI
Thank you.
Diane says
Looks good, nice combo. FYI–You forgot to include how you cooked the red onion in your recipe. (I just did a quick sauté, but other readers maybe want direction)
erin says
It's in the first paragraph- I roast it with the sweet potato!
Dorothy says
This looks delicious. I'm going to make it today. Do you use raw or toasted pumpkin seeds? Thank you!
erin says
Toasted!
Jordan says
I've made this twice now and loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
Sara says
Just what I was looking for! I found it on Pinterest. Can't wait to try it 🙂 Thank you!
Ellie says
I don't like onions, but I will definitely be making this minus the onion. And pumkin seeds are my new favourite! 🙂 Thanks girl!
Windy says
Is this supposed to be a warm salad or is it still good cold? Could you make it ahead of time?
Erin Alderson says
It's wonderful as both- you could easily make it ahead of time.
Elizabeth says
Made this for dinner last night, it was SO GOOD. My husband loved it, too!
Paula says
This salad is packed with flavour. The sweet potato is in perfect pairing with the cilantro. The kick from the chilli powder is subtle but present, and I love the crunchiness of the sunflower seeds (replaced the pepitas). I'm definitely doing this again!
Brian Wright says
Made this tonight, and its excellent. So many sharp acidic flavors balanced out by this mushy sweet potato.
The first taste test, I almost teared up.
JENNIFER says
I've made this several times and always double it. It's too good not to. The only change I make is to increase the amount of garlic, because I believe everything should have more garlic in it, and unless I'm serving it to vegan guests, I offer cheese (feta, parmesan, and cheddar are all good) to top it off. I love the texture, colours, flavour, how quick it is to put together - I love everything about it. Thanks for sharing it!
★★★★★
Klancy says
I really enjoyed this! Question, though, I noticed that the serving yield is 2, but the nutrition information shows that it serves 4. Is 303 the calorie breakdown if the recipe is divided into two or four portions? Thanks!
★★★★
Erin Alderson says
Four! I just updated the recipe.
David says
This is absolutely amazing, so easy to make and tastes delicious. thank you!
★★★★★
Marissa says
Huge hit with my 2 1/2yr old and 9mo old!! We were supposed to do grocery shopping today and didn't-so I thought I was scraping the bottom of the barrel here. Before we started I actually prayed (begged? It's been a rough morning) that everyone would like it, haha! The result: silent, happy toddlers gorging themselves on this yummy dish; first peaceful moment all morning! Thank you!! Will definitely be making again. (Adjustment: I added a touch of salt to mine!)
★★★★★
Laurie says
Just made this for a picnic tomorrow, delicious! Roasted a red pepper and golden beet that needed using, and added an ear of the first sweet corn. It’s the kind of recipe that adapts beautifully! So good!! It’s going to take all my might to leave it alone overnight. Thanks much 🙂
★★★★★
vicky says
It says 4 servings. What is the size of a serving?
Erin Alderson says
I don't really have a size but if I remember right, it's a couple of cups.
Mathieu says
Love it! Stuffed me for almost a whole day!!! And i added some sun-dried tomatoes and it was delicious!!! Thx for the meal prep recipe
★★★★★
Karen says
I've been dreaming of eating it again ever since I made it the first time last week!!!
★★★★★
Keara says
This is my all-time favorite recipe! Not being much of a cook myself, I really appreciate its simplicity. I couldn't believe I was capable of making something this delicious - but every one I make it for LOVES it! Thank you so much for posting it!!
★★★★★
Peaches says
I've made this at least a dozen times since I found the recipe. Without a single exception, everyone who has tried it, loves it. I was asked to bring it to Thanksgiving dinner this year! Thanks so much for sharing a great recipe!
★★★★★
Janelle says
This was so good! And so easy because I had a bag of pre-cut sweet potato cubes. Husband is the meat guy in the family and he inhaled it. I took it for lunch the next day and it was even better.
★★★★★
David says
I don't know if this is a stupid question or not, but can you freeze this?
Looking for batch recipes for lunches but don't want to ruin it by havign it every day for a week.
It looks great though 🙂
Erin Alderson says
I don't think this would freeze well but I honestly can't say for sure- never tried!
Kerri M says
Just made this tonight. It is delicious. I will be making this again and again. My new favorite Pinterest recipe.
★★★★★
Derick says
Absolutely delicious. Healthy, easy, and cheap as well. This will be my new potluck dish, thanks!
★★★★★
Katie says
Easy, clean, quick and DELICIOUS! Made it 3x now and my family enjoys it.
★★★★★
Hannah Maust says
This is one of my staple go-to recipes- I have made it so many times now! I usually eat it with rice, and have made it for many groups of people and everyone always seems to enjoy it!
★★★★★
Karen Eyers says
Made this salad for family and friends who were over for dinner and everyone loved it. Healthy too! Will definitely be making it again sometime soon.
★★★★★
Isobel F Whitcomb says
This turned out amazing!! I doubled most of the ingredients (for a potluck) but not the dressing and found that it was plenty dressed. I also added paprika and cayenne to the dressing for a little kick, plus frozen corn and jalapenos to the salad. Finally I made a lime crema and turned the salad into veggie tacos!!