Grilled Sweet Potato Salad

If someone asked me “Kylee, what food could you not live without for the rest of your life?” I’m pretty sure my answer would be “Sweet potatoes!” It’s not my favorite food in the entire world, but fairly frequently I get very serious sweet potato cravings that I just can’t shake. I suppose it’s not the worst craving in the world considering they’re chock-full of beat-carotene and other nutrients.

And that’s exactly why they make the perfect addition to a healthy barbecue. 

First of all, if you haven’t ever grilled sweet potatoes, you’re missing out. Something about them being on the grill brings out a sweet, smoky flavor. I also added a few other vegetables, beans and cilantro to the salad and I tossed it with lime juice. That’s it, lime juice. So for more than one reason it’s significantly healthier than a mayonnaise-based, starchy white potato salad.

Sweet Potato Salad

Servings: Makes about 6 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch slices
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ear sweet corn, husked
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 tablespoons lime juice, or the juice of 2 limes
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato slices with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 
2. Place the sweet potatoes on a grill over medium heat. Cook until tender, about 5-6 minutes on each side. (If you don’t have a grill, you can roast the sweet potatoes in your oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes.
3. When the sweet potatoes are close to being done, place the ear of corn on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, rotating so the kernels get slightly charred. 
4. Let the sweet potatoes and corn cool to room temperature.
5. Cut the sweet potatoes into cubes and place in a large bowl. With a sharp knife, remove the corn kernels from the cob. Add the corn to the bowl. 
6. Stir in black beans, red pepper, green onions, and cilantro. 
7. Squeeze the lime juice over the salad and stir until combined. 
8. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve.

Note: The salad will keep in the refrigerator for 2 days.