When you need a winter pick-me-up that doesn’t involve tequila, this salad is your answer.
Not that tequila wouldn’t do the trick, but on a Monday at noon it might not be the most practical choice.
Or maybe it would — but it isn’t always an option. Either way, we’ll fix the problem another way.
I needed serious color in my life.
I’ve been living on chocolate chip cookies, smoothies, pizza and the occasional sad handful of spinach. Add in gummy bears, coconut water, apples with peanut butter — then chocolate chip cookies again — and I realized: if I’m going to actually eat a salad, it has to be stunning and fun.
Yes — fun.
I adore this salad. The color alone is enough to sell me — it’s almost neon, and in the best way. Beyond the looks, there are a few elements that make this my go-to winter chopped salad.
First: chopped. I love chopped salads; everything is bite-sized and perfectly balanced. Second: roasted sweet potato. It adds heft and makes the salad feel like a full meal. Third: blood oranges — they’re gorgeous and bright, even if they’re a little pricier than you’d expect. Pomegranate arils bring crunch and bursts of flavor.
And my essential chopped salad ingredient: crumbly cheese. Feta’s tang works perfectly here, though goat cheese or gorgonzola would also be great. Because it’s crumbled, you get cheesy bites in nearly every forkful — like a little snowfall over the salad.
Don’t skip the blood orange vinaigrette — it’s bright, balanced and a beautiful pink hue. It’s sweet and savory, and it brings the whole salad together.
If only all vegetables were this pretty — imagine pink broccoli. Life would be simpler.
Winter Chopped Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato and Blood Orange Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
roasted sweet potato
- 1 large sweet potato, cubed (size is up to you)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 6 cups baby romaine leaves or spring greens, chopped
- 2 blood oranges, segmented and chopped
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
blood orange vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup blood orange juice
- 1/4 cup golden balsamic vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, freshly grated or pressed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Instructions
roasted sweet potato
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Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the sweet potato cubes with the olive oil and maple syrup. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika, then toss the sweet potatoes to coat. Roast for 15 minutes, flip, then roast another 10–15 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Use warm or cold.
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Add the chopped greens to a large bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss the greens with roasted sweet potato, blood orange segments, pomegranate arils and crumbled feta. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.
blood orange vinaigrette
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Whisk together blood orange juice, golden balsamic vinegar, grated garlic, salt and pepper. While whisking, stream in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Refrigerate for up to one week.
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P.S. This salad pairs beautifully with a blood orange margarita if you’re in the mood. P.P.S. I also secretly hate when people shorten words like that. #monday