Grilled Sweet Potato Salad has creamy Feta Cheese and basil, and this is fun when you want something different to cook on the grill! And if you check the nutritional information, you might be surprised that it’s not too much of a splurge on carbs.
PIN the Grilled Sweet Potato Salad to try it later!
I’m not sure where I got the idea for this Grilled Sweet Potato Salad but grilling thick slices of sweet potatoes and using them in a potato salad with vinaigrette dressing, green onions, Feta, basil and thyme, created a salad that was so good. And the leftovers from this salad were tasty, even after a few days in the fridge.
It took me two tries to come up with a combination that seemed just right but we loved the final version of this salad! And since I first created this recipe, I’ve made the sweet potato salad quite a few times, so I am recommending it for my Friday Favorites pick this week!
One more note about the recipe that some people might find interesting! If you live in the U.S., the red sweet potatoes I use in this recipe may well be called “yams” or “sweet yams” in your grocery store. But I promise they are really orange-flesh sweet potatoes! Read more below if you are confused about that!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
- orange-fleshed sweet potatoes
- Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing (affiliate link) or purchased vinaigrette dressing of your choice
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- green onions
- fresh basil, cut into strips
- chopped fresh thyme or Ground Thyme (affiliate link)
- crumbled Feta
What’s the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?
Many people are confused about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams, but you can refer your store’s produce guy to Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams at The Library of Congress if they don’t believe you! You can also make this sweet potato salad with white-fleshed sweet potatoes if you prefer that type.
Can you make the sweet potato salad if you don’t have an outdoor grill?
If you don’t have an outdoor grill, the sweet potatoes for this salad could also be cooked in a stove-top grill pan with ridges (affiliate link) or a George Foreman Grill (affiliate link) with good results.
How to make thin basil strips for this salad:
You can easily make strips of basil by stacking up some basil leaves and cutting them crosswise into strips, discarding the stem. But if you love cooking with fresh herbs, you might enjoy using Herb Scissors (affiliate link) for this, which makes is extra easy. I love my herb scissors so much, I’ve made them one of my picks on the blog.
What if you’re not a fan of Feta cheese?
Feta cheese fans like me will love the creamy tangy flavor of Feta with the sweet potatoes. But if you’re not a fan of that you could use another cheese like coarsely-grated Parmesan, Queso Fresco, or Cotija for this salad.
Can’t get enough sweet potatoes?
If you’re a big fan of sweet potatoes you might want to check out my Favorite Healthy Sweet Potato Recipes for more tasty ideas!
How to make Grilled Sweet Potato Salad:
(Scroll down for full recipe with nutritional information.
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into slices about 3/4 inch thick.
- I used a purchased vinaigrette to brush the sweet potatoes before grilling and to toss with the salad. Newman’s Own Olive Oil and Vinegar Dressing (affiliate link) is my favorite low-sugar dressings for grilling vegetables; use any low-sugar vinaigrette you prefer.
- Put the sweet potato slices on a baking sheet, then brush both sides with dressing and season with sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Grill the sweet potatoes about 4-5 minutes on first side, then rotate and cook 3-4 minutes longer on this side. (You can skip the rotating if you don’t care about grill marks.)
- Then flip sweet potato slices over and grill 7-8 minutes more on the second side, for a total of 15-20 minutes grilling time.
- Actual grilling time will depend on the temperature of your grill, and I started checking with a fork after about 12 minutes, and moved the sweet potatoes from the grill as they got tender.
- Let sweet potato slices cool for a few minutes, then cut them into cubes and put in salad bowl.
- Add the sliced green onions, thin basil strips, and chopped fresh thyme and gently combine with sweet potatoes. Then use as much of the second 1/4 cup of dressing as you need to moisten the salad (you may not need all the dressing.)
- Gently stir in the crumbled feta, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve salad at room temperature.
Make it a Meal:
This sweet potato salad would be delicious with low-carb entrees like Grilled Fusion Chicken, Grilled Salmon Burgers, Chicken Cutlets with Mustard Sauce, Maple Glazed Salmon, or Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks for a dinner that’s not too much of a splurge on carbs!
More Tasty Sweet Potatoes:
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Red Onion with Feta
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet Potato Gratin
Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Sausage, and Broccoli Sheet Pan Meal
Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
- 2 large orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (see notes)
- 1/2 C purchased vinaigrette dressing, divided
- salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 3 T thin chiffonade strips of basil
- 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (see notes)
- 1/2 C crumbled Feta (or more)
Instructions
- Preheat gas or charcoal barbecue grill to medium-high heat. (You can hold your hand there about 3 seconds at that heat.)
- Peel sweet potatoes and cut into slices about 3/4 inch thick.
- Lay slices on a cookie sheet, then measure 1/4 cup vinaigrette and brush each side of sweet potatoes with dressing, seasoning each side with salt and freshly ground black pepper after you brush on the dressing.
- Grill the sweet potato slices, cooking about 4-5 minutes on first side, then rotating to cook 3-4 minutes on that side.
- When you have nice grill marks on the first side (or when sweet potatoes are getting dark on that side) flip the sweet potatoes over and cook about 7-8 minutes more on the second side, or until sweet potatoes feel tender when pierced with a fork.
- Total grilling time will be about 15-20 minutes, but I started taking them off the grill as they felt done, and the larger pieces took more time.
- Let grilled sweet potato slices cool for 10-15 minutes, then cut into cubes and place in salad bowl.
- Add sliced green onions, chiffonade basil strips, and chopped thyme and gently combine with sweet potatoes.
- Stir in the other 1/4 cup of vinaigrette, using as much as you need to moisten the salad (you may not need all the dressing, depending on how wet you like your salads.)
- Gently stir in the crumbled feta, season salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve salad at room temperature.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 131Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 415mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Grilled Sweet Potato Salad would be a great side dish for phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet, and it’s also low-glycemic and gluten-free. If you want fewer carbs, use some grilled zucchini to replace some of the sweet potatoes, although this recipe might be lower in net carbs than you think.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use the Grilling Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2010 and I’ve made it many times since then for a side dish that’s not too much of a splurge on carbs! It was last updated with more information in 2022.
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