This Fall Harvest Salad is a true celebration of the season, bringing together all the best flavors and colors of autumn in one beautiful bowl. It’s a hearty, wholesome, and incredibly delicious dish that’s perfect for a crisp evening.
What Makes This Salad a Family Favorite
- A Perfect Seasonal Meal: A beautiful balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors that captures the essence of the fall harvest.
- Easily Customizable: Simple to adapt with your favorite autumn ingredients or what you have on hand.
- Versatile Dish: Hearty enough to be a main course for a light fall dinner, but also serves as a stunning side dish.
- Quick & Simple Vinaigrette: The homemade apple cider vinaigrette comes together in just minutes and elevates the entire salad.
The Heart of the Harvest: What You’ll Need
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups roasted sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- Salt and pepper, to taste
A Few Tools from My Kitchen
Large Baking Sheet
A good, sturdy baking sheet is a must for getting that perfect golden roast on the sweet potatoes.
Small Mason Jar
I always mix my dressings in a small mason jar. Just add the ingredients, screw on the lid, and give it a good shake, it’s so much easier than whisking!
Bringing It All Together, Step by Step
First, Give the Sweet Potatoes a Golden Glow
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). On a baking sheet, toss your cubed sweet potatoes with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast them for 20–25 minutes until they’re tender and golden brown at the edges. Don’t overcrowd the pan! Giving the sweet potatoes plenty of space is the secret to getting them beautifully caramelized instead of just steamed. This is a key step for any great roasted butternut squash or sweet potato dish.
Next, Build Your Beautiful Bowl
In your largest salad bowl, create a bed of fresh baby spinach. Now comes the fun part where it all comes together! Artfully arrange the warm roasted sweet potatoes, shredded chicken, crisp diced apples, sweet cranberries, crumbled feta, and crunchy pepitas on top. I like to layer the ingredients to make sure every bite has a little bit of everything.
Then, Shake Up That Delicious Dressing
In a small jar or bowl, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey or maple syrup. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Give it a good shake or whisk until it’s creamy and emulsified. Taste it before you pour, you might like a little more honey for sweetness or a pinch more salt. This simple vinaigrette is a staple in many harvest salad recipes.
Now for the Gentle Toss
Just before you’re ready to serve, drizzle the dressing over the salad. Toss everything together gently until all the ingredients are lightly coated. Always dress your salad right before you plan to serve it. This keeps the spinach from getting wilted and keeps everything wonderfully crisp.
Finally, It’s Ready for the Table
Serve your masterpiece right away. It’s hearty enough to be the main course or can be served as a colorful side. Serve it up and watch everyone’s faces light up. It’s truly one of the best autumn salad recipes for sharing with the people you love.
A Quick Note on Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information provided is a rough estimate and can vary based on the specific ingredients and portion sizes you use. It is calculated using an online calculator and should be used as a general guide.
To Make It Your Own (and a Little Lighter)
- For a Vegetarian Option: Simply leave out the chicken and add a cup of cooked quinoa or chickpeas for a protein-packed, plant-based meal.
- Lower the Sugar: You can reduce or completely omit the honey or maple syrup in the dressing. The natural sweetness from the apples and cranberries often provides enough flavor on its own.
- Go Dairy-Free: The feta cheese can easily be left out or substituted with a dairy-free crumbled alternative to make this one of your go-to fall salads recipes autumn gatherings can accommodate.
How We Love to Serve This Salad
- With Soup: This salad is a wonderful light lunch on its own, but for a heartier fall dinner, I love serving it alongside a warm bowl of creamy tomato or butternut squash soup.
- As a Holiday Side: It makes a stunning side dish for a Thanksgiving or holiday meal, especially next to a roasted chicken or turkey. The colors are just beautiful on a festive table.
- With Crusty Bread: For a simple and satisfying weeknight meal, pair a smaller portion of the salad with a thick slice of crusty, warm bread for dipping in any extra dressing at the bottom of the bowl.
A Few Gentle Reminders
- Overdressing the Salad: It’s easy to get carried away because the dressing is so delicious! Start with a little, toss gently, and add more only if needed. You want to coat the leaves, not drown them.
- Adding Hot Ingredients: Adding piping hot sweet potatoes directly to the spinach will cause it to wilt immediately. Let them cool for at least 10-15 minutes until they are just warm to the touch.
- Dicing Ingredients Too Large: To get the perfect combination of flavors in every forkful, try to dice the apple and sweet potatoes into similar, bite-sized pieces. This ensures a wonderful mix of textures in every bite.
For Enjoying Again Tomorrow
If you have leftovers, it’s best to store the salad components and the dressing separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When stored this way, the salad will stay fresh for up to 2 days, and the dressing will keep well for about a week. Simply assemble and toss when you’re ready to eat.
From My Kitchen to Yours
This salad is more than just a meal; it’s a celebration of the fall harvest and the memories we create around the table. I hope this recipe brings as much warmth and joy to your kitchen as it does to ours. May it become a new tradition for you and your loved ones to enjoy for many autumns to come.
A Few Things You Might Be Wondering
Can I make this harvest salad ahead of time?
Yes, you can do some prep work in advance! You can roast the sweet potatoes, cook the chicken, and mix the dressing a day or two ahead. Just store everything in separate airtight containers in the fridge and assemble right before serving for the best results.
What other nuts or seeds can I use?
This is one of those wonderfully flexible fall salads recipes! Toasted pecans, walnuts, or even sunflower seeds would be absolutely delicious in place of the pepitas. Use whatever you have in your pantry.
Can I use a different type of green?
Certainly! While I love the tenderness of baby spinach, a mix of kale (be sure to massage it with a little dressing first to soften it) or arugula would also be fantastic. Arugula would add a lovely, peppery bite that contrasts beautifully with the sweet flavors.
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Fall Harvest Salad
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Fall Harvest Salad is a true celebration of the season, bringing together all the best flavors and colors of autumn in one beautiful bowl. It’s a hearty, wholesome, and incredibly delicious dish that’s perfect for a crisp evening.
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 cups roasted sweet potatoes, cubed
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1 apple, diced
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a baking sheet for 20–25 minutes until tender and golden brown.
- Create a bed of baby spinach in a large salad bowl. Arrange roasted sweet potatoes, shredded chicken, diced apples, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, and pepitas on top.
- In a jar or bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey or maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Just before serving, drizzle dressing over salad and toss gently until everything is lightly coated.
- Serve immediately as a main course or side dish.
Notes
For a vegetarian option, replace chicken with cooked quinoa or chickpeas. To make it dairy-free, omit or substitute the feta with a dairy-free alternative. Store salad components and dressing separately for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: fall harvest salad, autumn salad, roasted sweet potato salad, apple cranberry salad