Zesty Za’atar Sweet Potato Salad
A power lunch, if you will
A power lunch, if you will
If you make this, tag @forliving.co on Instagram— would love to see!
If you haven’t tried Za’atar, it’s a spice mixture that consists of the herb, za’atar (which is in the mint family) along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, salt, and sometimes other spices like oregano. You can make this yourself or find it on the shelves at most grocery stores.
One of the most helpful meal-prep tips I’ve adopted is boiling a pot of potatoes once or twice a week (until fork tender, 20 mins or so) and keeping them in the fridge: this shortens their roasting time significantly and doesn’t leave you waiting 45+ minutes when you just want a quick lunch or dinner. If you’ve already boiled your sweet potatoes, you’ll only need to roast them for about 20 minutes, and if you haven’t boiled them, you’ll need to roast them for closer to 45 minutes. Also, the plates and bowls I’ve been using lately are from Our Place.
Ingredients:
2 large Japanese sweet potatoes
1 Tbsp Za'atar
2 Scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
Juice and zest of 1 lemon, divided
3-4 Tbsp of good olive oil
Splash of white wine vinegar
A little drizzle of honey
1 clamshell of butter lettuce or little gems, or 2 small heads of either (washed and dried)
Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
2-4 eggs, poached
Chili crunch or chili oil, for drizzling
Preheat your oven to 400ºF and slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Line a baking sheet with a baking mat or foil and place the potatoes spaced out by a few inches, drizzling each with olive oil, all the za’atar, and a pinch of kosher salt. Rub the seasoning and oil in to coat evenly.
If boiled: roast for 20 minutes, flipping them over once. If not boiled: roast for 45 minutes, also flipping once.
Next, make the dressing: add half of the lemon zest and juice to a large mixing bowl, followed by a generous glug of olive oil, a splash of white wine vinegar, drizzle of honey, a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. This is a super simple dressing and you should taste as you go! Does it need to be a little sweeter? Add more honey. Does it need more acid? Add more lemon juice.
As you reach the final 10 minutes of roasting those sweet potatoes, poach your eggs: place a strainer over a small bowl and crack your egg into it. Let the whites strain for a minute or two— this will help avoid those flyaway pieces and result in a beautifully poached egg.
Fill a large pot with a few inches of water. Add a splash of vinegar and heat over medium-high. Once it’s barely bubbling just before it reaches boiling, turn the temp. down to medium, stir with a spoon to create a whirlpool, then drop the egg from the strainer into the center of the pot. Let it poach for 3 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and add to a plate, seasoning with flaky salt immediately. Repeat until all eggs are poached.
Once you’ve removed your sweet potatoes from the oven, let them rest to cool for a few. Add your butter lettuce or little gems to the large mixing bowl with the dressing, and toss to coat. Add the remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, and the scallions. Add to two serving bowls or plates, topping with the poached eggs, a sweet potato, and more flaky salt and black pepper, scallions, and lemon zest. Top with a drizzle of chili crunch or chili oil if you’d like— enjoy!
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