This healthy (vegan!) dish is the "anti-potato salad" potato salad. Say goodbye to heavy mayo and say hello to bright citrus, spicy ginger and zesty cilantro! The added crunch of apples, celery and radishes makes this special sweet potato salad a sensory and healthy delight.
1 largetart apple, like Pink Lady(Granny Smith also works)
4radishes
4stalkscelery
1tbspfresh grated ginger
2 tsplemon zest(Zest of 1 lemon)
4tbspfresh lemon juice(Juice of 2 lemons)
3-4 tbspolive oil, plus more for finishing
1/4 cupcilantro leaves
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Instructions
Fill a medium saucepan with water. Salt water with 1 tsp salt. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, wash and peel sweet potatoes. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Once water comes to a boil, add sweet potatoes and cook until just fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Strain and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and chill down cooked potatoes.
In a small bowl, combine ginger, zest, and lemon juice. Using a fork, quickly whisk in olive oil to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Rinse and chop celery into 1/4 inch moons.
Rinse and trim ends from radishes. Cut into 1/4 inch coins.
Core and chop apple into 1/4-1/2 inch cubes. (I like to leave the skin on as it adds a lovely color, but you can peel the apple first if you dislike the skin.)
Strain sweet potatoes from ice bath.
In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, celery, radishes, and apple. Drizzle with lemon-ginger dressing and toss to combine.
Wash cilantro thoroughly. I recommend plunging cilantro into a small bowl of water and swishing it around a few times to loosen any dirt. Drain and repeat the process a few times until water remains clean. Dry. Tear or chop leaves if you like and add to salad. Toss to distribute. Taste salad to check seasoning. Add additional salt and pepper, or even lemon juice if you'd like a more tart taste. Finish with a glug of nice olive oil.
Can be served at room temperature or chilled for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
What I love most about this recipe is its versatility - there are several ways you can change it up to accommodate different taste buds or add extra flavor. A few suggestions:
Add one minced green onion (scallion) to the salad mix. I'd recommend soaking the onion in an ice bath for 20 minutes first to cut some of the pungency of the onion.
Omit the cilantro if the flavor offends you. Add extra lemon zest and grated fresh ginger to brighten the flavor. A little lime juice could be fun as well!
Top with some toasted sesame seeds or roasted sunflower seeds for extra protein and crunch.
Top with fresh, chopped avocado for additional healthy fats and creaminess.