Why should white potatoes have all the fun? Sweet potatoes make for a bomber spud salad! Zest it up with a sweet-tart honey lime vinaigrette. This is the perfect side dish for whatever you’re tossing on the grill!
— PEAK SEASON ALERT — Key Limes are in their prime! This recipe is part of a three part series highlighting this awesomely zesty ingredient.
One of the earliest, if not THE first solid foods that I introduced my kids to were sweet potatoes. And I know I’m not alone.
When cooked just right, it’s hard to find a more perfect food for little ones. Sweet and starchy with a buttery consistency, they’re loaded with good-for-you vitamins, nutrients and fiber.
And they happen to be one of those veggies that you just never grow out of – I rarely come across a kid OR adult that doesn’t adore them!
Teaching my kids proper kitchen skills is incredibly important to me. At some point they’re bound to pick up a tool that can do real damage if used improperly, and I know from personal experience that veggie peelers are at the top of the list. Proper technique means the difference between a cleanly skinned apple and a trip to the emergency room.
The sooner one learns how to safely handle a tool, the more fun and less intimidating the kitchen will be. That’s one of my main impetuses for creating the Key Lime Kids cooking series… To get families in the kitchen to have fun, create delicious-tasting recipes that everyone will love, and to practice skills that will prove invaluable through our lives.
When developing a recipe to go hand in hand with teaching the proper use of a vegetable peeler, sweet potatoes came immediately to mind. Not only are they a beloved comfort food across ages, they’ve got a good skin for peeling and they are a blank slate for flavorful add-ins… like key limes, and more “adult” flavors like cilantro and spring onions.
This is the perfect family-friendly salad as you can keep it simple for the youngsters, and have optional toppings and mix-ins for everyone else!
What else can you do with a key lime other than make key lime pie?
I’m highlighting this spunky citrus this month as they are in season from June-September in Florida, but you can substitute regular limes if you can’t find them. Stay tuned for more key lime fun!
Can I make this ahead?
Yes! Cook the potatoes and make the dressing (and prep any toppings or mix-ins you want). Store in the fridge and toss together just before serving.
Are there substitutions?
Yes! A complete list of options is in the recipe. But here’s a quick recap…
- Use regular lime juice if you can’t find key limes
- Both sweet paprika and chili powder make for a tasty vinaigrette – use whichever you have or what you like.
- I LOVE feta mixed into this sweet potato salad, and the crunch of hulled and toasted pumpkin seeds is devine. They are listed in the optional toppings!
- If cilantro isn’t your thing, fresh mint would be a great substitute. Only use half as much as it can overpower.
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Who’s ready for some fun?
So as a reminder, here’s how it works. Watch this short 6 min. video where one of my kids helps me demonstrate a kitchen technique, then we use it to make a YUMMY recipe!
** Video will be enjoyed by adults and kids alike. This is part of the special Key Lime Kids series, designed to help families during these challenging times by providing entertaining and engaging activities to do at home. **
Subscribe to the full series on YouTube.
Our goal is to help as many families as possible, so please share this with a friend.
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Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Key Lime Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1 medium garlic clove grated or finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh key lime juice or use regular limes plus ½ teaspoon zest
- 1 handful fresh cilantro roughly chopped about ½ cup lightly packed
- 1 ½ tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika or substitute chili powder
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Optional for topping:
- A handful of crumbled feta
- 2 green onions chopped
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Peel the potatoes. Cut them into cubes roughly ¾ inch and place in a saucepan covering them with cold water. Add one of the teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, then drain well. Place potatoes in a serving bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the lime juice, honey, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, paprika, black pepper, and olive oil and whisk to combine. The potatoes and dressing can be made up to this point and stored in the refrigerator, separately, until ready to serve.
- To serve, toss the sweet potatoes with the dressing. Top with the chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, and any of the other optional toppings if using.
We’ve got so much more fun in store. If you are new to Key Lime Lexi and don’t yet receive my emails with new recipes and ideas for better living, scroll to the bottom of this page and SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out.
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