Fall Harvest Salad
Toss all of your favorite fall ingredients into a bowl and you’ll have this Fall Harvest Salad! It’s packed with tender kale, caramelized butternut squash, crisp apple, chewy cranberries, creamy feta cheese and crunchy pepitas, and it’s tossed in a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing. It’s a great meal prep salad!
It doesn’t get better for me than fall salads, especially when they’re packed with sweet and savory flavors.
My pear salad and persimmon salad have been family favorites for years, and this Fall Harvest Salad isn’t far behind.
It includes some of my favorite autumn produce, and it is truly fall in a bowl.
It’s guaranteed to dazzle your guests at holiday gatherings and dinner parties, or make your weeknight extra special.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This Harvest Salad recipe is packed with sweet and savory flavors and is literally fall in a bowl.
- It’s makes a healthy side dish or lunch, and the ingredients may be prepped in advance.
- It’s gluten-free, vegetarian and may be made dairy-free and vegan by omitting the cheese.
- It can be easily customized with your favorite greens, cheese, nuts and dressing.
Recipe ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Kale. Tuscan and curly kale are my favorite for this salad as they’re nice and hardy and the bitter flavor pairs well with the sweetness of the squash, apples and cranberries. It’s best to use massaged kale to soften it, or you can use baby kale or your favorite greens instead.
- Roasted butternut squash. I’ve used my cinnamon roasted butternut squash for this recipe as the cinnamon adds a nice layer of flavor. You can also season the squash simply with salt and pepper or your favorite herbs and seasoning, or sub with roasted sweet potato, kabocha or delicata squash.
- Apple. Use your favorite variety, or substitute the apple with pear.
- Feta cheese. Sub with goat cheese, manchego or omit to make this recipe vegan.
- Dried cranberries. Sub with your favorite dried fruit or pomegranate.
- Pepitas. Toasted pepitas are my favorite for this fall harvest salad, or you can sub with sunflower seeds or your favorite nuts.
- Dressing. My sweet, tangy apple cider vinegar dressing pairs perfectly with the salad ingredients. It can be substituted with balsamic vinaigrette dressing or your favorite store bought brand.
How to make this recipe
This fall harvest salad recipe is extremely easy to prepare, and most can be done completely in advance.
Pro tip: Prep the kale, roasted butternut squash, pepitas and dressing in advance to make salad assembly go very quickly.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Place the kale in a large bowl and massage it with a bit of oil if desired. Add roasted butternut squash, apple, feta cheese, and pepitas, then toss with enough apple cider vinegar dressing to coat.
FAQs
This harvest salad recipe is great for meal prep. You can prep the kale, roast the butternut squash, toast the pepitas and prepare the dressing 1-2 days in advance, then toss with the dressing just before serving.
You can also portion the salad into individual containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Serving suggestions
This fall harvest salad is extremely versatile and can be served so many ways!
- Serve it for holidays alongside dry brine roast turkey or crock pot ham.
- Prep the components in advance and serve with air fryer pork chops or air fryer chicken breast for an easy weeknight dinner.
- Serve with spatchcock chicken or oven baked pork chops for Sunday dinner.
- Omit the cheese to make this salad dairy-free and add chickpeas or white beans for a protein boost.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Prep the kale, roasted butternut squash, pepitas and dressing in advance to make salad assembly go very quickly.
- For best results, use massaged kale as it is much softer and milder in flavor. Not a fan of kale? Use your favorite greens.
- Make this recipe dairy-free and vegan by omitting the feta cheese.
- Seasonal swaps: Sub the butternut squash with roasted delicata, kabocha squash, or sweet potato, and the apple may be subbed with pear.
More salad recipes you’ll love:
- Arugula and roasted carrot salad by Ahead of Thyme
- Arugula orange pomegranate salad
- Broccoli kale salad
- Butternut squash quinoa salad
- Holiday salad
- Kale and brussels sprout salad
- Kale apple salad
- Kale salad
- Kale slaw
- Roasted beet salad
- Shaved brussels sprout salad
- Spinach apple salad
- Wild rice salad
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Fall Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch curly kale washed, torn and preferably massaged (see notes)
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash
- 1 large apple cored and chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese sub with goat cheese or omit to make dairy-free
- 1/2 cup toasted pepitas sub with sunflower seeds or your favorite nuts
- apple cider vinegar dressing
Instructions
- Place the kale in a large bowl and massage with a bit of oil to tenderize it if desired.
- Add the roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, feta cheese and pepitas, then toss with the desired amount of apple cider vinegar dressing to coat. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Prep the kale, roasted butternut squash, pepitas and dressing in advance to make salad assembly go very quickly.
- For best results, use massaged kale as it is much softer and milder in flavor. Not a fan of kale? Use your favorite greens.
- The dressing is not included in the nutrition information as it is included in a separate post.
- To toast pepitas: Place in a pan over medium heat and toast until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- Seasonal swaps: Sub the butternut squash with roasted delicata, kabocha squash, or sweet potato, and the apple may be subbed with pear.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
