There’s nothing better than a nice bowl of comfort food. I believe we all love comfort food, no matter what we choose. My list of comfort food is quite long and this sweet potato leek salad is definitely on it. This simple salad recipe, with its colours, creaminess and a little hint of sour and sweet, will bring some sunshine to your table.
On one hand it’s simple, on the other hand, it’s flavourful and very satisfying. With only a couple of ingredients, you can have the sweet potato leek salad at your table in just 30 minutes time. There are two things that make this salad recipe amazing.
First, there is the potato seasoning. A lovely mixture of oil, paprika, oregano and chili give the potatoes an awesome aroma. Second, the salad dressing is combined with mayonnaise, fresh cilantro, chili and lime. The creaminess and the refreshing flavour are perfect for any salad dressing, especially for the upcoming summer days.
Doesn’t this sound delicious? I am not sure what got me first, the dressing or the seasoning, but I am glad that something got me. Wink. Anyway, I love both. I love the whole dish. And you are going to love it too. Guaranteed! In addition, I baked the whole garlic bulb, in order to get these sweet as candy garlic cloves. And, let’s not forget the crispy bacon as a topping. I think this salad recipe is now complete.
In case you are one of the unlucky ones, to whom cilantro tastes like soap, simply replace it with fresh parsley, oregano or chives. However, if you love cilantro (like me), you should definitely use that.
By the way, when you make the mayonnaise yourself it tastes always better. It is easy and quick to make. I also love aioli and I make it quite often. And I think it would be a great dressing combo as well and delicious with this sweet potato leek salad.
Ingredients for 2 portions of sweet potato leek salad:
- 3 sweet potatoes (medium, cubed)
- 2 tsp paprika powder
- 1 tsp chili powder or flakes
- 2 Tbsp of oregano
- salt
- 3 Tbsp of olive oil
- 1 garlic bulb
- ½ leek
- 4 bacon slices
For the salad dressing:
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 lime (juice)
- a handful of cilantro (fresh, chopped)
Preheat the oven to 200º C. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Cut them into bite-size cubes. Put them in a bowl together with olive oil, paprika and chili powder, oregano and salt. Gently toss to cover all the potato cubes. Then spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper).
Cut the top of the garlic bulb off, place it (cut side up) between the potatoes and drizzle with some olive oil. Put to bake for around 30 minutes or until tender. At half time, flip the potatoes using a spatula in order to get an even browning.
In the meantime, wash and slice the leek. I left the whole rings, but you can cut it into smaller slices too. Use the white and the pale green part for the salad and use the dark green part for a soup or for making stock.
Cilantro-lime-mayonnaise salad dressing
Furthermore, prepare the dressing. In a smaller bowl, mix olive oil, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, lime juice and a pinch of salt. I love cilantro. It gives such a fresh aroma to the dressing. Using fresh herbs is always the best choice, after all.
Now it’s bacon time! In a small frying pan, lay the bacon slices and cook until crispy. You don’t need to add any fat to it. When the bacon gets wrinkled and crispy, place it on a cutting board and chop it roughly. The crunch is guaranteed.
Once the potatoes are tender, put them in a salad bowl. Then, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the bulb and together with leek, add them to the potatoes. Drizzle the lovely cilantro-lime dressing over the salad and gently toss.
Sweet potato leek salad is not complete without crispy bacon. Sprinkle the bacon on top of it and serve. We loved it so much that we had to make it again and again. In addition, this salad recipe can be made also with carrots instead of potatoes. Here you have not one, but two recipes. Both are paleo recipes, easy and quick to prepare, healthy and delicious.
Enjoy!
PS
If you like the recipe, if you make the recipe or if you have any new ideas how to improve or change it, let me know in the comments section below or alternatively share your photos and reactions with me on Instagram (@Passionspoon), Facebook or Twitter (@PassionSpoon1). Simply use the hashtag #passionspoonrecipes in your posts. I would love to see them! (wink)
