Did you know that sweet potatoes are full of nutrition and health benefits? According to Natural News, sweet potatoes have superior fiber content, large amount of vitamin B6 (good for your heart), vitamin A (good for your skin), manganese (supports healthy blood sugar levels), and vitamins C & E (antioxidants).
I’ve always been a fan of sweet potato – baked whole, as fries, in sushi, and even in sandwiches. I first tried sweet potato salad at New England Soup Factory in Brookline, MA, and fell in love at first bite. NESF (a Boston Bakes participant) doesn’t always have it available, but when they do, it’s my lucky day. It’s served cold and tastes so different (in a good way!) from ordinary potato salad. I was inspired to make my own version; the recipe was no-hassle and the results turned out pretty well. This healthy and delicious starch is the perfect ingredient for fall recipes – after all, it’s in season now.
Sweet Potato & Egg Salad recipe (yields 4-5 servings)
Ingredients:
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 2 eggs
- 3 scallions, chopped
- 1/3 vidalia onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- Pinch of salt
- Cayenne pepper & black pepper to taste
Directions:
- Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook sweet potatoes covered on medium-high for 25-30 mins or until fork-tender. Drain, cool (OK to put in fridge), peel, and chop into 1.5-inch chunks.
- Boil eggs. Rinse under cold water, peel, and chop.
- Coat/brush sweet potato chunks in olive oil, cumin, and a pinch of salt. Saute until light brown/crispy on all sides. Let cool/set aside.
- For the dressing: whip mayo, paprika, cumin, pepper, and cayenne pepper until combined
- Toss sweet potatoes, scallions, onions, eggs, and dressing together
- Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve chilled. Garnish with chopped scallions.
Jamie’s tips for this recipe:
- When picking out sweet potatoes at the market, look for ones with no cracks, soft spots, or blemishes.
- Be careful not to overcook the sweet potatoes; otherwise, you’ll have to follow a mashed sweet potato recipe instead.
- For a healthy version, substitute the mayo with sour cream/plain yogurt mix.
- What I love about this salad is that you can add any ingredients you like to the mix – corn, bacon, raisins, celery, nuts, red peppers, feta cheese, capers, or even regular white potatoes. The variations are endless!
Which potato salad do you prefer: regular white, sweet potato, or a combination of the two? What’s your favorite way to eat sweet potatoes?
