Description
A sensational salad that moves easily from summer to fall as a side or a vegan main, Roasted Sweet Potato Cauliflower Salad with Chimichurri is power-packed with BIG nutrition and even BIGGER Argentine flavour. The perfect make-it and take it anywhere salad to assemble onsite on your next camping trip or fuel your packed lunch.
Ingredients
Salad Components:
- 3 – 5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into medium florets
- 2 smaller red onions, peeled & quartered OR 2 cups pearl red onions, peeled & sliced lengthwise
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Salt & Pepper – to taste
- 3– 4 cups fresh arugula
Chimichurri Dressing:
- 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, stems removed
- 1 cup cilantro, stems removed
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped
- 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes or chili oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
1. SALAD: Peel, cut and chop your salad ingredients, keeping the red onion separate. Preheat oven to 375⁰F (190⁰C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl toss, first sweet potatoes and then cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper then distribute evenly on a baking sheet, one layer deep. Roast in 375⁰F (190⁰C) oven for up to 35 minutes, turning at the halfway point. You’re looking for good colour, without scorching.
2. Once your sweet potatoes and cauliflower are roasting, line a second (smaller) baking sheet with parchment paper. Use the same bowl to toss the red onions gently with olive oil, salt and pepper then distribute evenly on a baking sheet (cut side down if using pearl onions), one layer deep. Roast in 375⁰F (190⁰C) oven for 12 – 15 minutes until lightly browned, without turning. Turn if using quartered small onions.
3. Remove cooked elements from the oven and cool to room temperature before chilling for at least an hour. Be sure to keep red onions separate as the colour tends to bleed.
4. Chimichurri Dressing: Thoroughly wash all herbs and remove stems. Roughly chop garlic & onions. Add all ingredients except chillies, water, salt & pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Dissolve salt into the water and hold. Season with pepper & chillies to desired levels, and taste. Now add half salted water and pulse twice to mix, taste and check consistency: for this salad, we’re looking for a sauce somewhere between a vinaigrette and a pesto. Add more water if needed, and if it looks too loose, just add an extra splash of olive oil if needed. Transfer to bowl or jar and let stand at room temperature to infuse.
5. Serving: Chill serving platter or bowl. Use the arugula as a base for the heavier ingredients, spreading it evenly over your serving vessel. Artfully distribute sweet potatoes, being careful not to crush the pieces, then add roasted cauliflower and roasted red onions. Last finish with chimichurri, drizzling about a third over the plated salad, reserving the rest for the table for diners to add as desired.
Notes
No food processor? No worries! Chop all your chimichurri ingredients as fine as you can, combine them in a bowl and incorporate oil with a whisk, mashing with the blunt end as much as you can. If you have a large mortar and pestle, use it! Then season as noted with saltwater, pepper and chilies. Food possessors, while convenient, are not essential in every kitchen. You can low-tech almost ANY recipe. Just takes a little longer.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Argentinian