A Salad for When You’re Feeling Cozy (or Just Hungry)

You know that moment when you’ve hit the late afternoon energy wall and the only cure is probably carbs—well, that’s exactly when I started making this maple sweet potato salad with whipped tahini. One time my friend came over, caught me eating the leftover tahini straight from the bowl (no regrets) and now she asks for this salad every time she visits. If you’ve never tried roasting sweet potatoes with a drizzle of maple…oh, mate, just wait till your kitchen starts smelling. Seriously, if you manage not to nibble half the tray before the salad's even done, you have more willpower than me. And here's the kicker: my cat once knocked over a bowl of the tahini sauce. He didn’t love it, but I still do.

Why I Keep Making This (and Maybe You Will Too)

I make this when I want something that feels a little bit fancy but honestly couldn’t be more forgiving. My family goes mad for the sweet-salty thing (especially my dad, who swears he hates salad until I make this). Also, you can eat it warm or toss it in the fridge and call it lunch tomorrow. Sometimes, when I’m feeling wild, I add a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds. Oh, and if you overcook the sweet potatoes or forget to flip them, it’s fine—they get all caramelized and gooey, which is half the fun (even if I pretend that was 100 percent on purpose).

What You’ll Need (With a Few Swaps & Secrets)

2 big sweet potatoes, peeled (or don’t—some days I’m too lazy) and chopped into bite-ish cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil (honestly, any neutral oil works; sometimes I just grab what's on hand)
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I've used honey in a pinch—my neighbor swears by agave, too)
Salt & pepper (my gran always used that flaky salt, but the cheap shaker stuff works; it’s salad, not rocket science)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (or shallots if you’re feeling posh or found them half price)
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted—or sunflower seeds, or walnuts, or whatever you like
For the whipped tahini:
⅓ cup tahini (the runny kind is easier to whip, but hey, you do you)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (one juicy lemon, if you don’t feel like measuring)
1–2 tablespoons warm water, as needed for consistency
1 small garlic clove, finely grated—sometimes I skip this when I’m feeling lazy
Pinch of cumin (optional; I love it, my sister thinks it tastes like socks)

How You Actually Make It… More or Less

Roast the sweet potatoes: Flick your oven to 425°F (220°C), or thereabouts. Toss the sweet potato cubes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and roughly half the maple syrup. Spread them out on a baking tray—crowd them and they steam, but honestly they still taste great. Roast around 25 minutes. Give them a shuffle halfway—if you remember. If not, oh well, extra crispy bits for you!
Whip that tahini: Now grab the tahini, lemon juice, a little salt, garlic, cumin if you like it. Start stirring. At first it’ll get thick and weird and lumpy—keep going! Dribble in warm water slowly while mixing, and suddenly (magic!) it goes creamy and pale. This is where I usually sneak a taste, just to “check for seasoning.”
Sauté the onion: While potatoes roast, throw your onion in a splash of olive oil on low heat. You want soft and golden, not crispy. Takes maybe 6–8 mins, or longer if you get distracted (me: very distracted). Alternatively, skip this step and use raw—nobody's judging.
Toast your seeds: If your pepitas aren’t toasted, toss them in a dry pan for a few minutes till they pop and smell nutty. Or buy toasted ones. Honestly, I've burnt a batch or two in my time (I blame the dog).
Assembly time! Dump sweet potatoes, onions, parsley, and seeds into a bowl. Give it a gentle toss. Drizzle over the whipped tahini, then finish with the rest of the maple syrup. If you like it messy, stir it all up; if you want fancy-food vibes, leave some tahini in streaks on top (hard to resist stirring, though).

Honestly Useful Notes (Scouted the Hard Way)

If you’re using really thick tahini, add more water and lemon until it relaxes. Don’t stress if it seizes up, it’ll come back together—or just smear it on thick!
Sometimes I skip the parsley and just use whatever fresh herbs are in the fridge (dill is odd but good)
If you want this to be a full meal, throw in some quinoa or chickpeas. Or not.

Salad Experiments (A Few Went Weird!)

I tried it with roasted carrots once—delicious, actually. But with beetroot? Turned the whole thing pink and my hands too. Tasted...unexpected.
A sprinkle of feta on top is pure magic, unless you're dairy-free, in which case skip it—it’s fab either way.
Chopped apple adds a fresh crunch, but I probably wouldn’t use a tart variety—it fights the maple sauce a bit.

If You Don’t Have Fancy Tools

Bowl and spoon, honestly. You can use a food processor to whip the tahini but it’s more washing up. I use a fork or a hand whisk most days. Roasting tin, skillet for onions if you’re into that step, and a knife. No need for a microplane grater for garlic; just mince it as fine as you can. Use whatever works.

Maple sweet potato salad with whipped tahini

Keeping Leftovers (If That Even Happens)

Keep it in a sealed container, fridge, up to 3 days. The flavors settle after a day, actually—so it's sometimes better tomorrow. Though in my house, it almost always disappears the same day, usually from ‘bonus tastes’ each time someone opens the fridge.

How We Serve It (and Why We Love It That Way)

I like this salad warm, with a mess of greens, maybe a soft-boiled egg perched on top. My cousin, though, likes it cold, straight from the bowl (midnight snack skills: top notch). We’ve even done it as a holiday side with roast chicken; nobody complained. Serve with sourdough bread if you want to mop up that extra tahini (and honestly, who doesn’t?).

If I Could Do It Over—Pro Tips

Don’t rush the potato roasting—once I tried cranking the oven up to save time. Ended up with burnt outsides, raw middles. Not my best move.
Not all tahini is created equal; if yours is really bitter, add more lemon and maple. Actually, sometimes a pinch of sugar smooths it out if you're desperate.
Let the salad cool a bit before adding the tahini. Hot potatoes make the sauce go runny, which is fine but not as pretty.

But Wait, What About…? (FAQ Time!)

Can I use regular potatoes? Sure, but the vibe changes. Yukon golds are okay, but you’ll lose that maple-sweet magic.
Can I prep this ahead? Yup, but maybe keep the seeds separate till serving so they stay crunchy. Learned that the slightly sticky way.
Which tahini do you use? I like Soom (not sponsored, promise). Serious Eats did a good taste test if you’re shopping around.
What if I hate parsley? Ha! Replace it with cilantro, dill, or just skip it. Spinach works in a pinch (it wilts a bit if potatoes are warm, but who cares?).
Is this gluten free? Yep—as long as you don’t go wild adding bread croutons.

And that's the whole shebang. If you try it, let me know how it goes! Or just shout into the void. Sometimes I think half the joy of home cooking is the little detours and side notes along the way—like, why did my cat hate tahini? I may never know.

Maple sweet potato salad with whipped tahini

A Salad for When You’re Feeling Cozy (or Just Hungry)

Why I Keep Making This (and Maybe You Will Too)

What You’ll Need (With a Few Swaps & Secrets)

How You Actually Make It… More or Less

Honestly Useful Notes (Scouted the Hard Way)

Salad Experiments (A Few Went Weird!)

If You Don’t Have Fancy Tools

Keeping Leftovers (If That Even Happens)

How We Serve It (and Why We Love It That Way)

If I Could Do It Over—Pro Tips

But Wait, What About…? (FAQ Time!)

Maple Sweet Potato Salad with Whipped Tahini

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

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