This is a substantial salad. Dinner-worthy, even. And yeah, it’s been done before on this here interweb, but have you made it yet? Because you should. You really should.

The flavors of this salad are so well-anchored in sweetness with the roasted root vegetables and balsamic dressing that it’s almost too much, but the bacon and goat cheese lend brightness and smoky-salty complexity that manage to keep it all very nicely balanced. It’s really a winning combination – one that you need to try if you haven’t already.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Goat Cheese and Bacon
serves 3-4

Ingredients:
-1 lb uncooked bacon strips
-2-3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into cubes or slices
-3-4 shallots, peeled and cut in half (or one medium onion cut into wedges)
-a small roll of goat cheese (they are 3 oz, you’ll use about half a roll)
-1 small box or bag salad greens (spring mix, arugula, baby kale, spinach, whatever)
-1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
-1 tsp honey
-1 tsp dijon mustard
-1 clove garlic, grated or minced
-2-3 Tbsp olive oil
-salt and pepper

Method:
1. Start by cooking your bacon on a baking sheet in a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes or until browned and crispy, stopping at least once to turn the pan.

2. Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Drain most of the fat from the baking pan, add sweet potatoes to the pan with salt and pepper, toss to coat the potatoes in bacon fat, and return the pan to the oven.

3. Roast sweet potatoes for 15 minutes, add your shallots or onions to the pan and return it to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes and onions are cooked through and nicely caramelized.

4. Combine balsamic vinegar, mustard, honey, and garlic in a small bowl with a whisk. Slowly drizzle olive oil into the vinegar while whisking to emulsify the dressing. Taste the dressing and add salt and pepper to your liking.

5. Assemble the salad with greens on the bottom, roasted veggies and bacon on top, followed by goat cheese, balsamic dressing, and a final sprinkle of salt and pepper (if you like).

The warm vegetables will wilt the tender greens, so assemble just before eating.