Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

roasted sweet potatoes with wheat berries, endive, scallions, carrots, cranberries, walnuts, and soy ginger dressing on blue plate

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Wheat Berry Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Wheat berry salad with roasted sweet potatoes, cranberries, walnuts, veggies, and ginger soy dressing is an Asian-inspired vegan recipe with no added oil.

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Total Time55

Course: Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan

Servings:

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Denise Perrault

Ingredients

1 cup wheat berries rinsed, see notes
2 cups sweet potatoes peeled and cubes, 1-2 sweet potatoes
4 cups romaine lettuce shredded or chopped, see notes
1 large carrot diced small or grated
3 medium green onions sliced thin
⅓ cup dried cranberries
⅓ cup walnuts chopped
2 tablespoons almond butter can also use peanut butter
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 clove clove minced or pressed
1 tablespoon ginger grated
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a medium pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the rinsed wheat berries and toast them, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
Add 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt to the pot and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover, and simmer the wheat berries for 30-35 minutes. Taste and continue cooking, adding more water as needed until the kernels are tender and chewy. Drain any excess liquid after cooking.
While the wheat berries cook, preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until they are fork-tender.
To make the dressing, whisk together the almond butter, rice vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, and maple syrup in a small bowl. If the dressing is too thick, add a bit of water.
Prep the lettuce, carrot, scallions, walnuts, and cranberries and place them in a large salad bowl.
Add the cooked wheat berries and sweet potatoes. Mix well.
Toss with the dressing or serve it on the side.

Notes

Wheat berries come in several colors (red and white) and varieties. Check the package instructions for the recommended wheat berry-to-water ratio and cooking times. Cooking time also depends on the age of the wheat berries, accurate temperature, and type of pan.
Stick to more hearty greens like Romaine lettuce, endive, or kale. They tend to hold up better once the salad is mixed and dressed.
To cook wheat berries in the Instant Pot, cook on High Pressure for 30 minutes using a quick release. Or cook in the slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours. Use the same ratio of 1 cup wheat berries to 3 cups water.
If you can’t find wheat berries, farro or bulgur are good substitutes. Quinoa is the best gluten-free substitute for this salad.
Add other veggies, such as diced cucumbers or red pepper, and make this salad your own.
If made with lettuce and mixed with dressing, leftovers should be eaten the next day (a day longer for kale). Without added dressing, the salad lasts in the refrigerator for 2 days.

Nutrition