Lemon-Roasted Sweet Potato & Beet Salad with Pickled Red Onions & Pecans
8
- Prep Time15 min
- Total Time55 min
- Makes4-6 servings
Photo, Janis Nicolay.
Around the same time that I was developing this recipe, we were planning the menu to cater a friend’s wedding. The beautiful combination of colourful vegetables in this recipe, coupled with the ease of their make-ahead nature, inspired us to make this the starter course for the wedding. If we can make 150 people happy with this salad, I know you’ll love to serve it to your family or friends.
Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1.3 lb/600 g), peeled and diced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for tossing
1 lemon, sliced
6 to 8 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and black pepper, plus ½ tsp salt for pickled red onions
3 to 4 medium beets (about 1 lb/ 450 g), peeled and diced
½ red onion, thinly sliced into rings
¼ cup (60 mL) white wine vinegar
¼ cup (60 mL) water
2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
8 cups (2 L) baby arugula or spinach leaves
1 cup (100 g) lightly toasted pecan halves
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a roasting dish big enough that the sweet potatoes can sit in a single layer, toss the sweet potatoes with a little olive oil, half of the lemon slices, half of the thyme and a little salt and pepper.
Repeat with the diced beets in a separate roasting dish. Roast both vegetables, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until each are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the lemon slices and thyme and set the vegetables aside to cool a little—they can be served warm or at room temperature on the salad.
While the vegetables are roasting, make the pickled onions. Place the red onion rings in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepot, bring the vinegar, water, sugar and ½ tsp salt to a boil and pour this over the red onions, making sure they are submerged. Cover and let the onions slowly cool to room temperature.
To assemble the salad, arrange the arugula (or spinach) leaves on a platter or on individual plates. Spoon the sweet potatoes and beets over the greens. Spoon the vinaigrette over the salad, top with the pickled red onions and sprinkle with pecans. Finish with a little sprinkle of salt and pepper and serve immediately.
Kitchen tip
The roasted vegetables can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days; just reheat to serve. The pickled onions will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Excerpted from Anna Cooks by Anna Olson. Copyright © 2025 Anna Olson. Photographs by Janis Nicolay. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
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Anna Olson is a professionally trained chef and the internationally known host of Food Network Canada’s Bake with Anna Olson, as well as the Oh Yum with Anna Olson channel on YouTube. She is the author of 10 bestselling and award-winning cookbooks, including Anna Olson’s Baking Wisdom, Baking Day with Anna Olson and Set for the Holidays with Anna Olson. She lives in Ontario with her husband, Michael.
