pesto shrimp and sweet potato burrata salad
Beefing up on the greens after an indulgent holiday weekend.
Hope ya’ll had a safe long weekend and didn’t act like total morons with fireworks. It blows my mind how much people spend on that shit, but I suppose you could make that argument for anything. I like sparklers and those things you throw against the ground that go pop. Pretty sure those are the cheapest of the repertoire.
I do hope some of you cooked up an FMG specialty over the holiday! Share with me if you did. Whatever you made, I’d imagine it involved grilling, a lot of snacking, and maybe more cheese than you’re used to. So today we’re spiffing up our livers with a big, nourishing, yet filling salad with an additional serving of cheese. Cos why the hell not?
Sweet potatoes aren’t really a summer food, but most people can obtain them year-round and I love baking them up when I need a vitamin-rich carb source to accompany a meal. The caramelization of sweet potato fries is otherworldly, and these are tossed in a smoky spice blend that livens up a big bowl of chopped kale and herbs. Shrimp rubbed in pesto provides a protein hit and a simple honey mustard dressing ties the meal together. What is a salad without dressing? Sad, that’s what.
Sah-weet
The process is pretty straight and narrow for the salad. The potatoes and shrimp need cooking, but with the former you’ve a good deal of passive time to prepare the rest of the components.
While the tatoes roast up with their spice entourage, I like to make the dressing. Just shake together Greek yogurt, two kinds of mustard (I like dijon and a grainy variety like Ingelhoffer stone ground), garlic, lemon, cider vinegar, and honey. You can also toss it all in a food processor and whip or whisk vigorously in a bowl. Pretty low-maintenance.
While you wait, dice an avocado and chop the kale and whatever mixed herbs you’re using. Anything you have lying around works. I used basil, cilantro, mint, and chives in one of my versions. I expect parsley would be wonderful as well.
Nothing Shrimpy About This Salad
Shrimp takes very little time to cook so I finish the salad process with these little dudes.
Cover the shrimp in paprika (for color and a bit of a kick), pesto, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet and cook until the shrimp are firm and opaque, about 4-5 minutes total.
Now, put that baby together and get ready to feast.
Kale is rather stiff on its own, so I massage a good glob of dressing into the leaves to soften it to a more palatable texture. Even if you’re storing some of the salad for later, fret not: kale is very good at withstanding wilting. I also add the herbs in beforehand so they get a bit of honey mustard love, too.
You can really layer the salad however you want. I spread around the sweet potatoes and avocado rather evenly, then the shrimp. You can divide everything straightaway into individual bowls, too. Regardless, be sure everyone gets a nice portion of creamy burrata broken atop. Don’t forget the rest of the dressing, too. Extra dressing is dope.
This is a rad meal prep salad since, again, kale is quite stubborn to dampening from dressings. I bring an extra portion of dressing in little condiment cups. If you’ve sliced the avocado already, drizzle some lemon juice on it to prevent excessive browning.
I’ve a long workweek upcoming so quick, healthy meals are a must to keep myself and J well feed. July’s looking to be a busy little month over here, and good food keeps the brain sane. We could all use to keep our sanities, can’t we?
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Try out these sweet potato dishes next time:
30 Minute Sesame Black Pepper Noodles with Crispy Sweet Potatoes
Chili Honey Sweet Potato and Quinoa Tacos
Sausage Pesto Pizza Sweet Potato Skins
pesto shrimp and sweet potato burrata salad
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into matchsticks
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 lb large shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
- 1/3 cup pesto, homemade or store bought
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- 5-6 cups kale, roughly chopped
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (I like chives, dill, mint, basil, and cilantro)
- 1 avocado, diced
- 8 oz burrata, roughly torn
creamy honey mustard dressing
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon paprika, chipotle chili powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer and roast 20-25 minutes until tender and slightly crisped.
- Dry the shrimp well by pressing with paper towels. Toss with the remaining tablespoon of paprika, the pesto, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Working in batches as needed, cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until opaque. Remove.
- To make the dressing, combine ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously until emulsified. You can also throw into a food processor and blitz until smooth, about a minute.
- Assemble the salad! Fill a bowl with the kale and herbs and massage the greens with a few spoonfuls of dressing until the kale softens and darkens. Arrange the potatoes, avocado, and shrimp on the greens. Break the burrata over top. Drizzle with more dressing and serve the rest on the side.
