Roasted Sweet Potato & Avocado Salad with Fried Egg
Golden sweet potato cubes roasted with olive oil and paprika until the edges crisp. A bed of fresh spinach underneath, with halved cherry tomatoes and ripe avocado. A fried egg on top with a runny yolk, finished with a Sriracha drizzle.
That olive oil on the sweet potato is doing more than adding flavor. Research found that cooking sweet potato with fat increases the amount of beta-carotene your body can actually absorb by 10-20×. The avocado adds a second fat source for the raw tomatoes' lycopene. And the egg yolk brings a third pathway: its lipids help pull carotenoids from the spinach.
Three ingredients, three separate ways this bowl moves more nutrients into your body. Thirty minutes, one baking sheet, no leftovers.
Golden sweet potato cubes roasted with olive oil and paprika until the edges crisp. A bed of fresh spinach underneath, with halved cherry tomatoes and ripe avocado. A fried egg on top with a runny yolk, finished with a Sriracha drizzle.
That olive oil on the sweet potato is doing more than adding flavor. Research found that cooking sweet potato with fat increases the amount of beta-carotene your body can actually absorb by 10-20×. The avocado adds a second fat source for the raw tomatoes' lycopene. And the egg yolk brings a third pathway: its lipids help pull carotenoids from the spinach.
Three ingredients, three separate ways this bowl moves more nutrients into your body. Thirty minutes, one baking sheet, no leftovers.
Ingredients
- sweet potato 0.5 pound
- olive oil 1.5 tbsp
- paprika 1 tsp
- avocado 0.5
- cherry tomatoes 8
- egg 1
- spinach 4 handfuls
- Sriracha sauce 1 tbsp
Method
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
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Peel and cut the sweet potato into cubes (about 1 inch). Place on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and tender.
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While the sweet potatoes roast, prepare the salad base. Wash and dry the spinach, halve the cherry tomatoes, and slice the avocado.
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In a small pan, heat the remaining ½ tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Fry the egg until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny.
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Assemble the salad: spinach first, then roasted sweet potato, cherry tomatoes, and avocado. Top with the fried egg and drizzle with Sriracha sauce.
Make sure every sweet potato cube gets coated in olive oil before roasting. Research found that cooking sweet potato with fat increases beta-carotene absorption by 10-20× compared to cooking without it. That tablespoon of olive oil is the hardest-working ingredient on the tray.
This combination puts three separate nutrient-absorption pathways on one plate. The olive oil handles the roasted sweet potato. The avocado handles the raw cherry tomatoes. The egg yolk handles the spinach. Researchers documented each pathway independently. This bowl runs all three.
Bengtsson et al. (2009) · DOIWhy This Works
Behind this recipe
Can I use a different oil instead of olive oil?
Any liquid cooking fat works. Research on sweet potato and fat found that the presence of fat during cooking, not the specific type, drove the 10-20× increase in beta-carotene absorption. Avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or melted coconut oil would all do the same job. Olive oil just happens to have the cleanest flavor at 400°F.
Why does this recipe have three separate fat sources?
Each fat source works on a different vegetable. The olive oil captures beta-carotene from the sweet potato during roasting. The avocado boosts lycopene absorption from the raw cherry tomatoes. The egg yolk helps absorb carotenoids from the spinach. Three separate mechanisms, each documented by a different research team.
Is 674 kcal a lot for a salad?
This is a complete meal, not a side salad. 674 kcal with 16g protein, 58g carbs, 42g fat, and 16g fiber makes it a standalone lunch or light dinner. The sweet potato and avocado provide most of the energy. If you want fewer calories, halving the avocado drops roughly 120 kcal and 10g fat.
Can I roast the sweet potato ahead of time?
Yes. Roast the cubes and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot pan or eat them at room temperature. The beta-carotene absorption benefit from the oil happens during roasting, so prepping ahead does not lose the nutrient advantage.
