Salad Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and diced
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 1 small bunch sage, chopped
  • soft goat cheese for garnish (optional)
  • kale (optional)
  • lemon juice (optional)
  • Tahini Dressing Ingredients:
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 3 - 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
  • salt and pepper (to taste)

Step 1

Preheat oven to 390 F.

Step 2

Toss the diced sweet potatoes with olive oil and distribute evenly on a baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes or until slightly caramelized.

Step 3

Pour the quinoa into a rice cooker with 1 ½ to 2 cups of water, depending on how soft you like your quinoa. If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can cook the quinoa in a pan on the stove. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed.

Step 4

Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chopped sage and sauté for several minutes on low heat. Transfer the sautéed sage into a serving bowl.

Step 5

Use the same cast iron skillet to toast the pumpkin seeds on low heat for about 5 minutes until crispy. Watch the seeds carefully and stir them to make sure they don’t burn.

Step 6

In a small jar, mix the tahini, olive oil, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir the dressing into the salad. If using a thick er tahini, you may want to reduce the amount of tahini and add more olive oil to get a thinner consistency.

Step 7

Toss in the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve with crumbled goat cheese, if using.

Step 8

This colorful fall quinoa salad is also delicious served with fresh kale. Massage your kale with olive oil and lemon juice to make the leaves nice and tender.