Autumn Turkey, Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin-Date Vinaigrette

by | Nov 20, 2023 | Dinner/Entrees, Healthy Salads, Recipes

AUTUMN TURKEY, SWEET POTATO & WILD RICE SALAD WITH MANDARIN-DATE VINAIGRETTE

This beautiful, crisp, and comforting Autumn salad has everything you need for the perfect afternoon/evening at home with family and friends. The colors are so stunning and remind me of fall. The flavors are superb and all blend together so well; the crisp spring mix, moist turkey, cinnamon spiced sweet potatoes, nutty wild rice, toasty nuts, creamy feta and sweet-tangy mandarin-date vinaigrette. This salad is sure to please a crowd and definitely the one you will not want to put down.

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Autumn Turkey, Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Salad with Mandarin-Date Vinaigrette

  • Author: Azizah
  • Total Time: 1hr 30min
Print Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

Salad

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 turkey breast, cooked/chopped
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled/chopped into 1 in cubes
  • 1 cup wild rice, rinsed/cooked
  • 3 cups spring mix, chopped
  • 3 cups romaine, chopped
  • ½ cup green onion, chopped
  • ½ cup cilantro, chopped
  • ½ cup pepitas, toasted
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped/toasted
  • ½ cup crumbled feta
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • sea salt black pepper

Mandarin-Date Dressing

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp fresh mandarin or orange juice
  • 2–3 large dates, softened in hot water
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ knob ginger
  • sea salt black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook Ahead– Turkey breast – Cook per instructions or purchase a pre-made turkey breast. If cooking, season 1 stick of butter with sea salt, black pepper and garlic powder. Add extra seasonings if you like. I added some lemon pepper and oregano too. Mix the seasonings with the butter in a small bowl and rub on the turkey breast. After cooking, let the turkey breast rest. Remove skin and all bones. Slice and chop breast into 1in cuts. Sweet Potatoes – Wash, peel, and chop into circles, chop circles into fours. Add to a bowl with 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and cinnamon. Add to a baking pan with parchment paper. Bake at 350 for 30-45 min until potatoes are fork tender. Wild Rice – Cook 1 cup of wild rice according to package.
  2. Toast – Season pecans and pepitas with sea salt and black pepper. Toast on a baking sheet with parchment paper at 350 for about 2-3 min or until lightly browned.
  3. Wash – The spring mix lettuce, drain, and dry. Add to a platter with the chopped green onions and chopped cilantro. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss together.
  4. Build Your Salad – Add chopped turkey breast, chopped sweet potatoes, wild rice, toasted pecans and pepitas, and feta cheese to the top of your spring mix. Toss gently to bring the spring mix up from the bottom.
  5. Vinaigrette – Add all ingredients into a food processor, EXCEPT extra virgin olive oil, add this in a stream at the top, as you mix the vinaigrette. Blend for about 30-60 seconds until vinaigrette thickens slightly and becomes a creamy yellow color.
  6. Dress – The salad with the vinaigrette and Enjoy!
  • Prep Time: 30min
  • Cook Time: 1hr
  • Category: Healthy Salads