Description
A vibrant winter salad featuring roasted sweet potatoes, crisp pears and apples, creamy whipped feta dollops, and a tangy-sweet cranberry maple vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 large firm pear, thinly sliced
- 1 large crisp apple, thinly sliced
- 6 cups mixed winter greens (such as kale, spinach, or arugula)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- For the Whipped Feta Clouds: 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled, 4 oz cream cheese, softened, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- For the Cranberry Maple Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup cranberry sauce or whole berry cranberry sauce, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Instructions
1. Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Let cool.
- Prepare the whipped feta: In a food processor, combine feta, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and fluffy. Transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to serve.
- Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, roasted sweet potatoes, sliced pear, sliced apple, dried cranberries, and toasted pecans. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss gently.
- To serve, divide salad among plates. Dollop generous spoonfuls of whipped feta over each portion. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste.