This roasted sweet potato and beet quinoa salad with lemon ginger yogurt dressing is serious deliciousness on a plate. The vegan lemon-ginger yogurt dressing adds creaminess, flavor, and probiotics in every bite.

Pin

Disclosure: I received free samples from Forager Project in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

Looking to liven up your usual salad? This salad is perfect as a side or main event. Make a batch at the beginning of the week and then enjoy it for lunch over the next few days. Or serve it fresh, with hot quinoa and roasted vegetables as a satisfying, plant-forward dinner.

I was inspired to make this salad after my friend Jenni ordered a delicious looking quinoa, beet, and brie salad last week. (Delicious except for the fact that I don’t love brie!) And, of course, if you have been following my blog for a while you know that I adore beets! Here are some of my favorite beet recipes: Roasted Beet, Tomato and Avocado Wrap, Salted Beet Chips, Simple Roasted Root Vegetables, and Hasselback Beets.

Pin

Dairy-Free Lemon-Ginger Yogurt Dressing

The tangy lemon-ginger yogurt dressing really sets this salad apart from others. It provides that flavor that keeps you digging back in for more. (Not to mention, the smell of minced ginger and freshly squeezed lemon will delight your senses when preparing this salad!)

It will also give your salad a boost of probiotics, those gut-friendly bacteria that help promote health and wellbeing. Combining these probiotics with a salad is terrific because the fiber from the veggies provides “food” to sustain the bacteria. The bacteria feed off the undigestible fiber (known as prebiotics) to help promote a thriving microbiome in your gut.

Pin

Benefits of Eating More Plant-Based Meals

While I’m a fan of dairy yogurt as well, I love that Forager Product provides a dairy-free option for those who choose to eat a plant-based diet or have an allergy to dairy.

As an intuitive-eating omnivore, I make an effort to eat a diet that is rich in plant-based foods and meals. Why? Because not only do plant-based meals taste great, they may also:

• Reduce the risk of developing heart disease (the leading cause of death in the US)
• Lower the chance of developing certain types of cancer
• Reduce the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes
• Improve blood sugar for people with diabetes
• Reduce the risk of cognitive decline

In addition, eating more plant-based meals is good for the planet because it uses less land and water and produces fewer greenhouse emissions.

So whether you start with Meatless Monday, or aim to go plant-based for one meal a day, it’s a win.

Hälsa Kids

Wondering if your kids will like this salad? My best advice is to try! This dressing also offers the perfect opportunity to introduce your child to different tastes and flavors of ginger, lemon, and garlic. Remember that even if they choose not to taste the salad or dressing, just by exposing them to these different foods and flavors you are enhancing their palate! Keep it up and in time even your most selective eater will be piling salad onto their plate.

TIPS:

• This recipe makes about 2-4 servings depending on appetite and whether you serve it as a side or main.
• The salad holds up well when tossed with the dressing for a day or so, but if you want to serve the veggies and quinoa hot, wait to pour the dressing on right before serving.
• Store dressing in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• You may have some extra quinoa–refrigerate to have on hand for other meals that week.
• Sweet potatoes cook a little bit faster than beets. To promote even cooking, cut the sweet potato into slightly bigger chunks than the beets. (Say about 1/2 – 3/4 inch pieces for the beets and 1-inch pieces for the sweet potatoes).

Pin

Roasted Sweet Potato and Beet Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Ginger Yogurt Dressing (vegan)

Maria Adams

This roasted sweet potato and beet quinoa salad with a lemon-ginger cashew dressing is sure to liven up your mealtime. The dressing is made with dairy-free cashew yogurt, making this meal a perfect addition to plant-based meals. Complete with fiber, protein, antioxidants, probiotics, and flavor, this colorful plate will nourish your body and soul.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Course dinner, lunch, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Gluten-free, Plant-Based, vegan, Vegetarian

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Roasted Sweet Potato and Beet Quinoa Salad

• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium beets, peeled and chopped (slightly smaller than the potato)
• 1.5 tablepoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 6-8 cups baby spinach (about 2 cups per person)
• 1 medium avocado
• 1/4 cup parsley for garnish

Lemon-Ginger Yogurt Dressing

• 1 cup plain cashew yogurt e.g., Forager brand
• 1/2 medium lemon (about 2 tablespoons, may need 1 whole lemon)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic about 1-2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons peeled and grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons reduced-sodium Tamari soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Instructions

 

Roasted Sweet Potato and Beet Quinoa Salad

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Add the chopped sweet potatoes and beets to the baking sheet. Keep them separate in order to prevent the beets from staining the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and toss gently. Transfer to the oven. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the beets are tender, tossing after about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit when done.
• Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions. Generally, this means rinsing 1 cup of quinoa with water, combining the drained quinoa in a saucepan with 1.5 cups of water, bringing to a boil and then reducing heat and simmering with a lid on for about 25 minutes.
• Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sunflower seeds and toast for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant.
• To assemble the salad: top baby spinach with the quinoa. Next add the roasted sweet potatoes and beets, avocado, and toasted sunflower seeds. Garnish with chopped or whole leaf parsley.

Lemon-Ginger Yogurt Dressing

• In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and maple syrup with a whisk. Transfer to a jar with a lid and refrigerate until ready to use.
• When ready to serve salad drizzle with the dressing and enjoy. (Note, recipe will keep with the dressing on it for up to a day or two).

Keyword avocado, beets, cashew yogurt, lemon-ginger, plant-based, plant-forward, quinoa, spinach, sweet potatoes

Pin