sweet miscellany

Miso roasted sweet potatoes are topped with an arugula pear salad dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette. This vegan and gluten free dish is easy to make and is just as delicious on a holiday spread as it is on a regular weeknight.

This recipe was over 3 months in the making as I patiently waited to harvest the sweet potatoes in my garden! They’re an interesting vegetable to grow since all of the growth takes place below the soil and out of sight. You essentially have to trust that they’re doing what they’re supposed to while exercising a lot of patience. When it’s time to harvest them, you have to carefully sift through the soil, making sure to excavate every last one.

I’m pretty proud of this wonky little sweet potato harvest! I knew I wanted to create something special with them that I could share with you here. And since the holidays are swiftly approaching, I wanted the resulting recipe to feel worthy of a holiday spread. There’s actually two components in this vegan and gluten free dish: the miso roasted sweet potatoes and the arugula pear salad. The miso gives the sweet potatoes a bit of umami while the arugula pear salad keeps the whole dish from feeling too heavy. This recipe makes a great holiday side dish, it also makes a simple and delicious weeknight dinner served with some vegan sausage.

Why You Should Make These Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Arugula Pear Salad

• This recipe is super simple to put together and doesn’t require any special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients.
• It pairs together three different fall items that are currently in season: sweet potatoes, pears, and arugula.
• It’s an alternative way to enjoy sweet potatoes during the holidays that doesn’t involve marshmallows or brown sugar.
• If you typically aren’t a fan of sweet potatoes because they’re too sweet, this is the perfect dish for you: the miso gives them depth of flavor and the arugula pear salad lends a contrasting fresh element.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Sweet Potatoes — you can use any variety here that you like! If you’re looking for a starchier, less sweet option, look for white-fleshed Japanese sweet potatoes.
• Miso Paste — miso gives the sweet potatoes that lovely umami quality and a delicious depth of flavor. I used a rice-based miso but feel free to use your favorite one!
• Olive Oil — helps to roast the sweet potatoes and forms the basis of the dressing for the arugula pear salad.
• Tamari — seasons the sweet potatoes without the use of salt.
• Maple Syrup – lends subtle sweetness to the salad dressing and encourages the natural sugars in the sweet potatoes to caramelize.
• Arugula — forms the basis of the salad. Its peppery flavor contrasts nicely with the sweet potatoes and pears.
• Pears — lend sweetness and a juicy crunch to the salad. I went with a Bosc pear but you can use any firmer-fleshed variety that you like!
• Walnuts — adds nuttiness and a crunchy texture to the salad.
• Dijon Mustard — helps to emulsify the salad dressing and make it creamy.
• Lemon Juice — adds tang and brightness to the salad dressing.
• Dried Thyme or Sage — creates a subtle herbal note in the salad dressing that pairs well with all of the elements in the dish.
• Sea Salt — seasons and balances the flavors in the salad.

Looking for More Holiday-Worthy Dishes?

These recipes are some of my favorites for a holiday spread. All of these are vegan and gluten free, not to mention super tasty!

• Kale & Persimmon Salad – Chopped kale leaves are massaged until nice and soft before being tossed with slices of persimmon, toasted pecans, tart dried cherries, and a dijon vinaigrette.
• Cardamom Apple Pie Bars with Marshmallow Caramel – Shortbread forms the base for these bars topped with cardamom spiced apples and a marshmallow brown sugar caramel.
• Roasted Honeynut Squashes with Apple Fennel Slaw – Halves of roasted honeynut squash are topped with a creamy vegan ricotta and a crunchy and tangy apple fennel slaw. The dish is finished with a drizzle of maple syrup to lend a smoky sweetness that ties all of the elements together.
• Cranberry Marmalade – This vegan cranberry marmalade has the loveliest ruby hue and it tastes and smells like the holidays! If you aren’t planning on canning it, you can easily cut the recipe in half.

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