Hello Potluckers! Welcome to Keepin’ It Kind! If you are unaware of the Virtual Vegan Potluck, it is a large gathering of bloggers (over 60!!!), all contributing vegan dishes for different courses of the meal, organized by the amazing Annie at An Unrefined Vegan.
Are you the one who always brings the potato salad to the potluck? Yes? Can I come? Well, I have a new stand-out potato salad recipe for you!
I love a great potluck potato salad as much as the next person, but I also love sweet potato fries and citrusy salads in the summer. With spring upon us and summer quickly approaching, I decided to make what the kids these days are calling a “mash-up” of my favorite summer potluck dishes.
I roasted the sweet potatoes and the beets and let them cool. Avocado, tangerines, quinoa, and sunflower seeds made up the rest of this salad. I wanted the dressing to have more than just a citrus kick, and since it is a special occasion, I decided to use a special ingredient: Saffron! This salad is going to be awesome along side those grilled veggie burgers and corn on the cobs this summer, and everybody will think you are just the bee’s knees. Everybody in my house thought the same of me after this dish, but then again, it was just my husband and our canine roommate, Samantha. And she didn’t even try the salad… Anywho, make this salad and your tummy, as well as your guest’s tummies, will thank you!
SAFFRON CITRONETTE
makes roughly 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup + 1/8 cup olive oil
- ½ T Saffron
- ½ cup Champagne/sherry vinegar (I used Trader Joe’s Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar)
- 1 T Dijon mustard
- 1 T Agave Syrup
- juice from 1 orange
- 1 T orange zest
- salt, pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat a small pan over low heat for about 30 seconds. Add the 1/8 cup of olive oil, the shallot, and the saffron and simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the champagne vinegar, mustard, agave, orange juice, and orange zest to a blender. After the shallot/saffron/oil mixture has simmered fro about 10 mintues, add it to the blender and blend on high, slowly adding the remainder of the olive oil as it blends. Once it is completely emulsified, taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill until ready to serve.
SWEET POTATO & BEET SALAD
makes roughly 8-10 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 small-medium beets, peeled and diced
- olive oil for drizzling
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tangerines, peeled, segments removed
- ½ avocado, peeled and cut into small pieces
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- 2 T sunflower seeds
- 1/8-1/4 cup Saffron Citronette (to taste)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and if you’d like, spray with a vegan non-stick spray. Set aside another 12 inch square of aluminum foil as well.
- On the square of aluminum foil, place the diced beets and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil (about ½ tablespoon) and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine. Fold the ends over the beets, and then fold the other ends over to make an enclosed packet for the beets.
- Spread the diced sweet potato out on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a little bit of olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) and salt and pepper to taste. Toss to combine.
- Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and the beets on the rack underneath it. Bake for 20-25 minutes and remove the sweet potatoes. Move the beet packet to the center shelf and bake for another 10 minutes. Let both cool completely before using in salad.
- Once the sweet potatoes and beets have cooled, combine all of the ingredients, except the dressing in a large bowl. Add the dressing and lightly toss until fully combined. Serve immediately or let chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this salad and even more, I hope that you enjoy the rest of this potluck! To see the dishes served before mine, hit the “go back” button below. To see the dishes following mine, hit the “go forward” button below. To start from the very beginning, just click here.
Have fun and thank you for stopping by!
All Photos by Chris Miller
© Kristy Turner and Keepin’ It Kind, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (content and images) without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristy Turner and Keepin’ It Kind with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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I love that word, citronette. Sounds so fancy!
This salad looks amazing. I love that you used sweet potato and avocado. An awesome spin on a potluck classic! I’m bookmarking this one for sure. I think it will be gracing my table very soon
Thanks, Gabby- I like to drop a good fancy word here and there!
I hope you like the salad! Have a great weekend!
This salad looks amazing – can’t wait to try it. Sweet potatoes and beets are some of my favourite things.
Thank you! They’re some of my favourites as well!
This has changed the way I will approach potato salad forever!!!
Yay! What a compliment!
Oh my goodness; the Saffron Citronette sounds perfect! I love beets and this is my very next recipe to try with them.
Thank you! The combination of the beets with the citronette is super amazing- I hope you like it!
What beautiful photos! The salad looks amazing as well- those colors are incredible!
Thank you, Siri!
How beautiful! So many yummy things! Thank you, thank you!
Oh wow! The colors are all so pretty together. I too am a potato salad fanatic, so I appreciate this new funky recipe. I’m copying it down for sure.
Thanks Kristen! I hope you like it!
Yum! Love beets and sweet potatoes…and with quinoa, no less. I just got that TJs champagne orange vinegar and need to find something to do with it. It would pair perfectly with these tastes!
Thank you, Shelby! It does pair perfectly- I hope you enjoy it!
What a superbly delicious and most creative and beautiful recipe Kristy! You are one amazing woman! This is just too gorgeous! xo
You are too sweet, Shira! Thank you! I am no more amazing than my awesome friends (like you)! Have a great weekend!
Who even wants to eat a regular potato salad after looking at that?!? Not me! Beautiful and tasty, I can all ready tell how delicious it is and will be making it all summer long!!!
Thanks, Somer! It’s so tasty- I can’t wait for an actual live potluck to happen so I can make it again!
This looks so tasty and interesting!
Thank you!
I am trying this for sure. Looks delicious!
Thank you, Barbie! I hope you like it!
Wow this looks awesome!!! I love sweet potatoes and mixed with beets and tangerines, combined with a dressing with saffron, would give a “party in the mouth” experience!! Yum
Thank you, Anne- this would make for the perfect “party in your mouth!”
Love it, neighbor!
Thank you, neighbor!
Beautiful! I love the idea of a little quinoa crunch in there, and the flavors sound amazing!
Thank you, Emmy! Heading over to your dish soon- Happy Potlucking!
I love fancy words and fancy salads … this has both
i am all over the beautiful saffron citronette… so gorgeous and the salad too.. all the colors.. its like a burst of spring! i missed the deadline on the potluck this month but will surely join in the next!! i never take salad to the party.. i am known to get very healthy things so i always take an unhealthy looking( but actually decently healthy) dessert:)
Thank you! I like your plan of attack, Richa! Bringing a deceivingly unhealthy dish- I can’t wait to see what you bring to the next Virtual Vegan Potluck!
How deliciously unique!
Thank you, Barb!
i love all the flavors and textures in this salad – the taste must be incredible!
Thanks, Heather! It is incredible- so incredible that there were no leftovers!
I’ve got nothing against beets. I really should use then more, and this recipe would be a good start!
Totally- you need to get some beets in your life, Reia! I hope you like it!
What a lovely way to prepare a salad! I’ve never used saffron, mainly because I’m afraid I’d ruin an expensive ingredient. Thank you for this recipe, it’s quite informative, plus I love the re-use of the maple syrup bottle. They’re so handy those things. I’d love to feature a post of yours on VBU. Please let me know if you’d like that. Thanks! Lidia
Thank you! For some reason, it makes me so happy that you noticed the maple syrup bottle- it’s one of my favorite repurposed things. I’m so glad that you liked the salad, and I am even more flattered that you would like me to post on VBU! I’m so honored- truly. I am going to be gone until after the 21st, so I will get in touch with you then! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Wow! Two things I love beets and sweet potatoes. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Jennifer! They are a great combo, those two!
I’m planning to make this for Mother’s Day! My mom loves beets but have always been stuck with what else to do with it other than eating it by itself. Thanks for the recipe! It’s indeed perfect for a potluck.
Awww! Your mom is a lucky lady!
I hope you and your mom enjoy the dish- Happy Mother’s Day!
Oh my WOW, this sounds soooo tangy and delicious and it looks gorgeous!
WOW! What a compliment! Thank you!
Fantastic colours, that looks juicy, tasty and very healthsome. Lovely!
Thank you, Lorna!
Yum, I’m going to try this salad. I sometimes make Ethiopian Key Sir (sweet potatoes and beets), but your dressing sounds like it’ll really kick it up a notch!
Thanks, Jenne! I hope you like it! Thanks for stopping by and I’m looking forward to spending more time checking out your site as well! Take care!
Holy lord this looks good.
Thank you, Lindsay!
The whole thing looks beautiful and delicious. I love the healthful approach and the wonderful flavors. I’ll definitely be trying your citronette!
Oh, I’m so glad you like it, Julia! Let me know how it goes!
What a colorful salad! It is so much prettier than your everyday humdrum potato salad. I especially love the idea of adding saffron to the citronette. My saffron doesn’t get nearly the amount of action that it deserves!
Thank you! Saffron is one of those spices that I adore but always have to weigh the cost against the occasion. Saffron definitely deserves more playing time in our kitchen too.
finally making my way around the potluck!! This looks fantastic what a great flavour combination! I’ve never tried those together but it looks delicious!
Thank you, Becky! It turned out to be a great combination of flavors, colors, and textures- I surprised myself with how tasty it was!
Wow, wow, wow!! I LOVE potato salad but try to have sweet potatoes for general gl reasons so am very very excited to try this – thank you
Thank YOU, Melanie!
what a bright and beautiful salad containing two of my favorite ingredients- sweet potatoes and beets!
Aww, shucks! Thank you, Caitlin!
Excellent recipe, thank you so much!
Well, Thank You!
I hate to sound like a broken record . . . but WOW! The colors and flavors of this dish are GORGEOUS. I am going to a picnic this weekend . . . I will definitely wow everyone and bring this. Saffron, sweet potatoes, beets, quinoa . . . GORGEOUS!
Delicious and beautiful!
Jennifer, you are so sweet! What a terrific comment! Thank you!
Yum! This looks awesome!
Thank ya!:-)
Sweet potatoes and beets are a divine combination. Great recipe!!
Thank you, Gena! I really think they are one of nature’s greatest combos.
Im making this right now minus the avocado…since I don’t like it…
It smells wonderful
Ok one of the best salads ever!
Oh yay! What a great thing to read at the end of the day! I’m so glad you liked it, even sans avocado. Thank you for making my day, Michelle!
Yeah it didn’t last long gags the flavors were so good…great dressing too …so thank you…from” the OC ”
Michelle
Yay! Thank YOU… from the West Side!