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If you are like me, you are looking for more creative ways to make salads. I have more salads now than ever because my wife loves to have salads with meals. I also am trying to eat a salad more often because I know it is good for me. This Sweet Potato and Caramelized Shallot Salad is such a unique and colorful salad.
Sweet Potato and Caramelized Shallot Salad
This Sweet Potato and Caramelized Shallot Salad draws flavor from three different sources which blend together so well. The sweet potatoes are naturally sweet. When roasted, they become even sweeter. The sweet potatoes are blended with thyme and olive oil. So simple yet deep with flavor. Then, I chose shallots in lieu of onions. These shallots are mixed with molasses and honey among other things to add sweetness when caramelized.
The coolest thing about this dish is the dressing. The dressing is created from the leftover sauce in the caramelized shallot pan. What do you think is the liquid that is added to deglaze the pan? The answer is orange juice. Just enough orange juice is added to the pan to scrape up the flavors of the pan and make a unique dressing.
- 2 Sweet Potatoes, diced into 1 - 2" cubes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons molasses
- 3 large shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 heads red leaf lettuce
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Take the diced sweet potatoes and mix with the thyme and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.
- Place in the oven and cook for 20 - 30 minutes - the sweet potatoes should be fork tender.
- Separately, heat your cast iron skillet on medium high heat. Add in 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil with the vinegar, honey, molasses and some salt.
- Once warm, add the shallots and bake for 10 per side. Flip keeping the shallots shape in tact.
- Remove the shallots and set aside.
- Turn down the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, cumin, red pepper flakes and let the flavors meld for a minute.
- Add the slice garlic and cook just until it browns - maybe 2 minutes.
- Pour in the orange juice and scrape up the bits on the bottom of the skillet.
- Reduce a little.
- To assemble, chop the lettuce into smaller pieces.
- Add the sweet potatoes and mix the salad.
- Place the caramelized shallots evenly over the salad.
- Finish, by topping with the dressing.
- Serve and enjoy!
Ingredients
The shallot are sliced to 1/8″ thick or so and then caramelized in a pan with honey and molasses.
Shallots in Skillet
Caramelized Shallots
Finished Shallots
The sweet potatoes are roasted in the oven.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
The dressing is made by adding the garlic to the drippings of the caramelized shallot pan. Then the orange juice is reduced to finish off the dressing.
Garlic Added
Stock Added
The final salad is dressed with the lettuce, sweet potatoes, caramelized onions and the orange juice dressing.
That salad looks absolutely scrumptious. Sweet tomatoes go great in salad.
Love the flavors in this salad .. oh, and the caramelized shallots is like the cherry on the cake !
I love this idea with sweet potato. Sounds super easy and tasty as well. I’ve got to try this!
I absolutely adore the combo of sweet potato and shallot and adding it to a salad is pure genius!
What a mouthwatering salad for spring!
This looks awesome! I love sweet potatoes and am always looking for more ways to fix them! This one is a keeper.
Sweet Potato and Caramelized Shallot Salad sounds like a true winner to me, love all the flavors and textures you have incorporated.
Wow, this salad ticks all the boxes for flavour and nutrients – thanks for sharing:-)
Thank you Camilla.