Seasonal Salad Gf & Recipe
arugula, sweet potato, asparagus, cucumber, feta, chile pumpkin seeds, tahini honey vinaigrette
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Ingredients
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Roasted vegetables
Dressing
Chile pumpkin seeds
Salad assembly
Method
Roasted vegetables
- 1
Preheat and prep
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Peel (if you prefer) and cut the sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes so they roast evenly. Trim asparagus by snapping or cutting off woody ends, then cut spears into roughly 2-inch pieces if large; leave small spears whole.
- 2
Season sweet potatoes
On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the sweet potato cubes with 1.5 tbs of the extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika until evenly coated. Spread them in a single layer with space between pieces.
- 3
Roast sweet potatoes
Roast the sweet potatoes in the preheated oven for 18–20 minutes, stirring or shaking the pan once halfway through, until edges are golden and centers are tender when pierced with a fork.
- 4
Add asparagus
While sweet potatoes roast, toss the asparagus with the remaining 0.5 tbs olive oil and a small pinch of salt and pepper. After the sweet potatoes have roasted 18–20 minutes, push them to one side of the sheet (or transfer to a plate) and add the asparagus to the sheet in a single layer. Roast together for another 8–12 minutes, until asparagus is tender-crisp and slightly charred and the sweet potatoes are fully done. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Dressing
- 5
Combine base ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 tbs tahini, 2 tbs honey, 2 tbs fresh lemon juice, and the minced garlic until smooth. The mixture will be thick at first.
- 6
Emulsify and adjust
While whisking, slowly drizzle in 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil. Add 2 tbs warm water and continue whisking until the dressing reaches a pourable, creamy consistency. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust sweetness, acidity or salt as desired (add a splash more lemon or a little more honey). Set aside.
Chile pumpkin seeds
- 7
- 8
Season seeds
Remove the skillet from heat, immediately sprinkle 0.5 tsp chili powder (or chile flakes) and 0.25 tsp fine salt over the hot seeds, and toss to coat. Spread seeds on a plate or parchment to cool fully; they will crisp as they cool.
Salad assembly
- 9
Prepare salad components
Place 6 cups arugula in a large bowl. Thinly slice the halved cucumber and add to the bowl. When the roasted sweet potatoes and asparagus are warm but not piping hot, add them to the salad bowl (this keeps the greens from wilting excessively).
- 10
Dress and toss
Drizzle about three-quarters of the tahini-honey vinaigrette over the salad (reserve the rest to serve or adjust later). Gently toss everything together so the arugula and vegetables are lightly coated; be careful not to mash the sweet potato cubes.
- 11
Finish and serve
Transfer the salad to a serving platter or divide among plates. Sprinkle 0.75 cups crumbled feta over the top, then scatter the cooled chile pumpkin seeds for crunch and a spicy note. Drizzle any remaining dressing as needed and serve immediately.
