Take summer grilling to new heights with a versatile veggie

The fresh flavor of favorite foods pulled hot off the grill makes summer cookouts a treasured pastime for families across the country. This year, you can make new memories at those backyard barbecues by keeping in mind that grilling isn’t only about charred burgers and steaks—delicious, grilled vegetables can be just as enjoyable.

Nutritious and full of antioxidants, sweetpotatoes are a perfect option for summer recipes as they’re easy to grill in a recipe like Sweetpotato Wedge & Purple Cabbage Salad with Poppyseed Dressing. Hearty yet light for a tasty side dish, this salad is effortlessly simple and combines crispy purple cabbage, juicy tomato, velvety feta and poppyseed dressing around sweetpotato wedges as the star of the show.

With nearly 70% of the nation’s sweetpotatoes produced in North Carolina, the state is the largest producer in the country of the year-round veggie ideal for grilling on those hot summer days. As a versatile superfood, their rich nutritional value and ease of use in a variety of dishes make them an ideal ingredient in recipes ranging from breakfasts and salads to protein bowls, tacos and more.

Find more information at ncsweetpotatoes.com.

Sweetpotato Wedge & Purple Cabbage Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission

Servings: 4

2 North Carolina sweetpotatoes

1/2 head purple cabbage

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

6 tablespoons poppyseed dressing, divided

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat grill to 400 degrees F.

Scrub and wash sweetpotatoes. Cut each into six wedges. (If sweetpotatoes are long, consider cutting wedges in half.) Parboil sweetpotatoes 5 minutes, drain and cool 5 minutes.

Shred cabbage into thin slices.

Toss sweetpotatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste.

Place sweetpotato wedges on grill perpendicular to grates over direct heat; grill about 3 minutes on each side, or until tender-crisp with grill marks on each side. Remove from grill and set aside.

In zip-top bag or large bowl, toss cabbage with 4 tablespoons poppyseed dressing until coated. Add parsley and tomatoes; toss.

To serve, place sweetpotato wedges on bed of dressed cabbage and drizzle with remaining poppyseed dressing then sprinkle with cheese.

Serve warm or cold.