Yam and Pecan Salad

November 17, 2022

This special recipe for Yam and Pecan Salad is made delicious with a spicy lime vinaigrette. It’s sure to become a fall favorite!

This isn’t your typical, ho-hum salad recipe! If you really love yams and pecans, then this is a salad you should try. Yams are roasted with red pepper, and pecans are skillet cooked with spices. All of these flavors are made more delicious with the tangy vinaigrette. It’s so yummy!

Ingredients needed:

yams
red bell pepper
vegetable or canola oil
mustard seeds
cayenne pepper, ground cinnamon and ground cumin
pecan halves
freshly squeezed lime juice
sesame oil
salt
red onion
fresh cilantro

How to make Yam and Pecan Salad:

The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray, or line with parchment.

In a large saucepan, cover yams with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain. Cut yams into rounds, about ½ inch thick.

On the prepared baking sheet, arrange the sliced yams and red pepper strips in a single layer. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the yams are easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add mustard seeds, cayenne, cinnamon and cumin; stir fry for 2 minutes, or until spices begin to pop. Add the pecans and stir fry for 2 more minutes until the nuts have browned a little on both sides (don’t burn them). Remove from heat and reserve spices in pan.

Remove the yams and red peppers from the oven.

Using a spatula, carefully transfer them onto a serving plate, making a single layer.

Drizzle lime juice and sesame oil over the yams and sprinkle with salt. Scatter slivers of red onion on top. Using a spoon and a rubber spatula, scrape contents of the frying pan (pecans, oil and spices) evenly over the yams. Let salad rest for 10 to 15 minutes, then garnish with the chopped cilantro and serve.

Are Yams and Sweet Potatoes the same thing?

What’s the difference? In markets in the U.S., the light skinned potatoes are usually labeled as sweet potatoes and the copper skin/orange flesh potatoes are usually labeled as “yams.” Both of them are actually two different varieties of fresh sweet potatoes. It’s confusing, isn’t it? You’ll want to use the orange flesh true yams for this recipe.

Serve this yam and pecan salad with a fall-themed dinner such as orange cranberry glazed pork tenderloin, smoked pork chops with maple baked apples or gouda stuffed chicken with apple pan sauce. Enjoy!

Favorite Fall Salad Recipes: