Fall Harvest Salad

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’s extremely versatile and can be customized with your favorite greens, cheese, nuts and dressing.

Recipe ingredients

• Kale. Tuscan and curly kale are my favorite for this salad. They’re both nice and hardy and the bitter flavor pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the butternut 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 potatoes or roasted 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.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make this harvest fall salad

This harvest fall salad recipe is extremely easy to make, and most of the prep 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.

1. Place the kale in a large bowl and massage it with a bit of oil if desired.
2. Add the roasted butternut squash, apple, feta cheese, and pepitas, then toss with enough apple cider vinegar dressing to coat.

Recipe FAQs

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 roasted chicken or pork loin roast for Sunday dinner.
• Portion the salads into containers for meal prep lunch or 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.