Melting Sweet Potato Salad: tender baby spinach topped with caramelized, deep-orange melting sweet potato rounds, crumbled bacon, herbed goat cheese coated in bacon and chives, candied maple pecans, and a warm bacon vinaigrette dressing.
If you loved the Melting Sweet Potato recipe, this salad version will be right up your alley.
This Melting Sweet Potato Salad with Candied Maple Pecans, Bacon Vinaigrette, and Herbed Goat Cheese is one of my favorite winter salads. It combines tender baby spinach, caramelized sweet potato rounds, crispy bacon, goat cheese balls rolled in bacon and fresh chives, crunchy candied maple pecans, and a savory warm bacon vinaigrette.
This is a salad I’d happily make frequently. Many components are make-ahead friendly, which keeps assembly quick. Roasted sweet potatoes store for up to a week and reheat gently in a microwave, oven, or hot skillet before serving. The warm bacon vinaigrette keeps in the refrigerator for about five days, and candied maple pecans stay fresh for a couple of weeks.
When you cook bacon for the dressing, roast the remaining slices in the oven so you can crumble and store them in an airtight container. Use some of the crumbled bacon and minced chives to coat small goat cheese balls—these keep well in the refrigerator for a week alongside any extra crumbled bacon.
When you’re ready to serve, reheat the sweet potatoes and vinaigrette, arrange baby spinach on a platter, and dress the salad. Add the warm potatoes, drizzle the vinaigrette, then top with goat cheese balls, candied maple pecans, and the remaining bacon and chives.
As an entree, this salad is hearty enough on its own. As a side, it pairs beautifully with steak, roast chicken, pork, beef, or salmon. For extra flair, add a few pickled Brussels sprouts to the plate.
If you enjoy substantial side salads, consider other hearty options like Bresaola Parmesan Salad, Cranberry Brussels Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette, Fattoush with crumbled pita chips, Farro Salad with Kale, Marinated Chickpea Salad, Layered Chopped Taco Salad, Cucumber Scallion Salad (5-minute recipe), Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad, Barbecue Bacon Ranch Chopped Salad, or Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad.
Melting Sweet Potato Salad
I prefer the melting sweet potatoes just warmed through—leftover roasted potatoes are perfect. If you roast them fresh, let them cool to a comfortable temperature so they don’t wilt the spinach.
The bacon vinaigrette should be warm but not scorching; this keeps the greens crisp while allowing the dressing to coat the potatoes and spinach evenly.
A small cookie scoop makes forming the goat cheese balls easy. Scoop the goat cheese onto a plate, roll gently, and press into the chopped chives and crumbled bacon to coat. You can leave candied maple pecans whole for texture, or coarsely chop them if you prefer.
Dress the salad right before serving. The recipe quantities serve two as an entree or four as a generous side; scale as needed. As a guideline, plan on about 2 tablespoons of dressing for every 2 cups of packed greens.
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Melting Sweet Potato Salad
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 1 bunch chives minced
- 6 slices bacon cooked ’til crispy and crumbled or chopped
- 4 ounces chevre goat cheese portioned into approximately 1-teaspoon sized balls
- 8 cups baby spinach
- 8 pieces melting sweet potatoes
- 1/4 cup bacon vinaigrette dressing
- 1/4 cup candied maple pecans
Instructions
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Toss the crumbled bacon and minced chives together on a small plate. Roll the goat cheese balls in the mixture, pressing the chives and bacon into the cheese. Set aside the coated goat cheese balls and any leftover bacon and chives.
Arrange baby spinach on a serving platter and top with the warmed melting sweet potatoes. Drizzle the warm bacon vinaigrette over the potatoes and greens. Add the herbed goat cheese balls and scatter the candied maple pecans. Finish with any remaining crumbled bacon and chives and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use for the most accurate results.
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Do you love Melting Sweet Potato Salad? Try these other roasted vegetable dishes!
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Grapes and Walnuts
- Roasted Fall Vegetables with Italian Sausage Sheet Pan Meal
- Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bacon and Bleu Cheese
- Smoky Roasted Salsa
- Roasted Vegetable Rosemary Chicken Soup
- Easy Roasted Vegetables
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Apple and Bacon
