Instead of the usual greens, black beans and sweet potatoes are the stars of this salad! Both fiber and protein rich, enjoy this salad as a hearty side dish or a main meal.
Learning Objectives
Learn a recipe for a salad centered around beans and sweet potatoes.
Level Ups (optional)
For more depth of flavor, grill ½ inch whole onion slices and dice after cooling them. Spice this salad up with sliced jalapeno or a little hot sauce in the dressing.
Substitutions (optional)
Substitute the lime juice with apple cider vinegar + ½ tsp grated lime zest.
Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Large bowl for mixing salad
Spatula
Ingredients
- INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp ground cumin powder
- 1 tsp ground chili powder
- ½ tsp ground chipotle powder (optional)
- 1 tsp real maple syrup
- 1 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or 1 tsp chopped garlic
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD:
- 1 medium sweet potato, scrubbed and pierced 3-4 times with tip of knife to release any steam
- One 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 ¾ cups cooked black beans)
- 1 ear of corn, cooked (or ¾ cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted)
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cups baby spinach (1 cup for salad, 1 cup for garnish)
- ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves (about ½ of a bunch)
- ½ cup sliced green onions (2-3 green onions)
Directions
- Cook the sweet potato by either placing it in a preheated 350° F degree oven for 1 hour or microwaving for 5-6 minutes. Let it cool completely. Peel and cut into ½ inch cubes. This can be done a day or two in advance.
- In a large bowl, combine the dressing and cooked sweet potatoes. Toss thoroughly. Add in the black beans and corn. You can prepare this up to a day in advance. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired. You can also add more lime juice and spices if desired.
- Just before serving, line the serving platter with 1 cup of the spinach. Toss remaining spinach into potato mixture. Toss in half of the red onions, cilantro and green onions. Mound the salad onto a serving platter and top it with remaining red onions, cilantro and green onions.
