Spiced Vegetable Salad

  • 2 small sweet potatoes or 1 large, peeled, cubed
  • ¼ celery root/celeriac peeled, cubed
  • ¼ butternut squash approx. 2x1inch-thick slices, peeled, cubed
  • ⅓ acorn squash as above
  • 1 med/large red onion peeled, cut into thick wedges
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil plus ½ tbsp
  • 1⅓ teaspoons Simba Mbili paprika
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon sumac
  • 1 teaspoon Simba Mbili ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon Simba Mbili black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro/fresh coriander finely chopped
  • *orange salad dressing prepare 4 hours before serving, see instructions
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice and lettuce leaves for serving, both optional

  • Preheat the oven to 400f/ 200c/ gas mark 6. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

  • Cut vegetables: peel, then cut the vegetables (except the onion) into similar size chunks.

  • Season vegetables: place in a large mixing bowl, add the spices, seasoning and oil. Stir until thoroughly coated.

  • Prepare for roasting: arrange on top of your baking sheet in a single layer ideally without touching one another (so they cook evenly). Add the onion wedges and brush the tops with a little oil (you can combine ½ tablespoon of oil with the leftover spice mixture in your bowl and use that).

  • Roast vegetables: roast the vegetables in the centre of the oven for about 40 minutes or until tender. After half an hour check if the onions are ready to come out, remove from the oven if necessary and roast the remaining vegetables for another 10 minutes or so.

  • Rest vegetables: remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes (or cool completely if you prefer).

  • Assemble roasted vegetable salad: line the bottom of your serving dish with a handful of salad leaves (optional) and add the roasted vegetables. Drizzle over 3-4 tablespoons of the *orange dressing and (optionally) a little lemon juice. Scatter the cilantro and pomegranate seeds over the top and serve!

Notes

  • You can use any vegetables of your choice
  • Make sure your vegetable pieces are not too small (they will shrink a little as they roast), but not too large either – aim for bite size pieces.
  • Do not overcrowd your baking sheet or the vegetables won’t cook evenly.
  • Do not coat the onion in the spice mixture along with the other vegetables as the wedges will fall apart as you stir (if the wedges hold their shape they will retain moisture and won’t dry out in the oven). It’s better to prepare the onions separately.
  • Best served warm. You can serve this salad once the vegetables have cooled, though make sure they are at least room temperature (i do not recommend refrigerating them before serving). Add the dressing (which should be made in advance) just before serving.
  • Leftover roasted vegetable salad can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1-2 days (you may need to discard the salad leaves if present). For best results, bring up to room temperature or microwave briefly to help the veggies release more flavour before serving.
  • Not suitable for freezing.
  • Nutritional information was calculated for the salad alone (without the dressing). Preparation time does not include the time needed to make the dressing.