Grilled potato and vegetable salad {vegan, gluten-free}

Potatoes must be one of the least popular vegetables I know. Most people I know avoid them or eat them in really small portions. Probably because in Belgium – and a lot of other countries – potatoes used to be the main ingredient of a typical dinner. You had potatoes, meat and vegetables. Day after day after day. But I love potatoes. I guess because we didn’t have them at home so often, so for me there is still something special about it.

This salad is perfect for dinner of lunch the day after. It’s also ideal for cooks who don’t like to follow a recipe very much. You just choose the vegetables you like, in the quantities you like and you’re ready to go.

There is also a really good dressing, which you can also use for pasta’s, spread,…

Based on this recipe from The First Mess.

• 1 roasted red pepper
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• big splash of balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• pinch of chili flakes
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb of small potatoes, scrubbed
• 2 small sweet potatoes, scrubbed
• 4 cups green beans, trimmed
• 2 zucchinis, cut in slices
• 2 red peppers
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lemon, halved
• handful of green olives
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 2 chives, chopped
• Ruccola salad

How to:

• For the dressing: combine the grilled pepper, almonds, garlic, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil, chili flakes and smoked paprika in a blender and blend on high for a minute or so, until a creamy consistency is achieved.
• Check the sauce for seasoning, adjust, and scrape into a sealable container.
• Place the potatoes and sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover them with cold water. Bring the pot a boil and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes depending on the size of them.
• Place the beans into the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Drain the whole thing and return the potatoes to the pot.
• Run the green beans under cold water to avoid overcooking.
• Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces once cool enough to handle.
• Preheat a grill to high. Toss the zucchini and red pepper with a bit more of the oil and season them with salt and pepper. Place them on the grill. Place the grilled lemon, cut side down, onto the grates as well. Flip all of the vegetables once they start charring a bit, about 5-8 minutes total.
• Place the salad in a large bowl and add the potatoes and grilled vegetables.
• Add the blanched beans, cherry tomatoes, olives and chives.
• Squeeze the grilled lemon over top and season the whole mix with salt and pepper. Toss lightly to combine.
• Add the dressing.