Inspired by Indian flavors, this is a zippy, flavorful sweet potato salad that’s perfect for the summer. Pop those sweet potatoes on the grill outside, and keep your house from feeling like a total inferno. It’s all about timing with the grilled sweet potato. Leave it on the grill too long, and you’ll have a mushy mess that doesn’t work well in a salad. Leave it on the grill with not enough time, and you’ll have crunchy potatoes. It may be a salad, but crunchy sweet potatoes are not where it’s at! You’ll want to make sure to keep an eye on your sweet potatoes to make sure they are the perfect balance of char from the grill with a fork tender texture.
The dressing is meant to be creamy, spicy and acidic, and somewhat mustardy. I used a madras curry blend, but you can also make your own from scratch. If your madras curry blend doesn’t taste very spicy, add some cayenne powder until it tastes right to you. Not all blends taste the same, and some are definitely not spicy. Overall, this recipe is easy, delicious and a fresh alternative to traditional potato salads.
This recipe tastes great the day that it’s served, and even better the next day.
Grilled Sweet Potato Salad with Creamy Curry Dressing
Salad:
6 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
Olive oil, to drizzle
5 celery stalks, sliced on a bias
2 green onions, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Dressing:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
1 ½ tsp peeled and chopped ginger root
2 Tbsp madras curry (see note above)
2-3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
¾ cup vegan mayonnaise (I used Follow Your Heart Vegenaise)
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp agave
Salt, to taste
1. Line a large, grill-proof shallow pan with non-stick aluminum foil. Spread the sweet potatoes over the top of the foil in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and move the sweet potatoes around until they are coated. Cover the pan with foil, and place the pan on a grill.
2. Grill at 400º F for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender enough to eat and charred to your preference. Remove from the grill, and then, allow to cool, while you work on the rest of the recipe.
3. In a small skillet, add olive oil, shallot, ginger root, and a dash of salt. Saute over medium heat until onion is soft (about 2-3 minutes). Stir in madras curry powder, and sauté another 30 seconds. Add the contents of the skillet to a high speed blender.
4. Add the apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, vegan mayonnaise, garlic powder, agave, and salt to the blender. Blend until smooth, and then, scrape the sides of the blender and blend some more. Taste, and adjust seasonings, if needed (More curry spice? More salt?).
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients—sweet potatoes, celery, green onion, cilantro and the dressing. Taste, and adjust seasonings, if needed. Serve.