This non-traditional potato salad just became your go-to summer side

Summer has arrived and that means it’s the perfect time of year for copious amounts of salads. As much as I love a leafy-based salad that can be anything from spinach, kale, arugula, to the nearly-forgotten lettuce, leafy greens have their time and place. There are many other ingredients that need some love too. Potato, pasta, and fruit salad variations mix up a weekly menu so that you can have salad every night without feeling like you’re becoming a rabbit.

I love roasted veggies on a salad. They give a different texture to the typical fresh, crunchy taste of raw vegetables, and can add a depth of flavour. Some might not like the cold and hot combo they bring to a salad, but I do. I was looking for some potato salad variations that weren’t filled with mayo and eggs, and I stumbled upon this very non-traditional potato salad. Sure, it can’t really even be considered a potato salad, but because it has yams in it, and they’re part of the potato family, I’m going to say that it is. Lightly coated in a delicious tahini-based dressing, this salad also contains chickpeas to add a little protein punch. It’s a great option either as a side or the main meal. I have a feeling I’ll be making this a lot this summer.

RELATED: Try these sesame rice balls as a chewy, flavourful alternative to gels

Warm sweet potato & chickpea salad

INGREDIENTS

Salad base
2 lbs yams (about 3), washed and cut into 1″ cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
¼ medium red onion, finely chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Dressing
¼ cup lime juice
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp lemon olive oil (or regular olive oil)
pinch of garlic salt
¼ tsp each of chili powder, cumin and ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Place the cubed sweet potato onto one or two baking sheets and spread into one layer. Toss with olive oil, season with chili powder, salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
3. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, finely chop the onion and parsley. Place into a separate bowl, leaving a little bit of parsley to garnish at the end.
4. To create the dressing, put all of the ingredients into a jar, then place a tight fitting lid and shake until thoroughly combine. Taste and season with spices or salt and pepper according to your preference.
5. Once the potatoes are done roasting, put them into a big bowl along with the onion, parsley and drained chickpeas. Toss to combine.
6. Drizzle your desired amount of dressing onto the salad, there may be some extra which can be refrigerated for later use. Toss until lightly coasted, then garnish with leftover parsley.