The goodness of fall in each bite! Savory roasted squash, crunchy apple, rich cheddar cheese, crisp greens, and a just-a-touch sweet dressing that pairs perfectly. Fall Harvest Salad has so many tasty and healthy ingredients it's fall comfort food we can feel great about.
Fall salads are sooooo good! Your girl here lives for a salad that has sweet, savory, and crunchy things going on.
If you didn't think a salad could classify as comfort food I am here to tell you to reconsider. You will love the goodness this autumnal salad has going on:
- crunchy greens - I like baby kale for just a little bitter kick!
- crisp, sweet honeycrisp apple
- savory roasted delicata squash
- rich and tangy cheddar cheese bites
- salty roasted sunflower seeds
- my favorite dressing - apple cider vinaigrette - or whatever your favorite dressing is!
What is harvest salad?
A salad that embraces all the goodness of fall produce! Really, it can adapt to ingredients that fit your palate and preferences, but for me that means apples and squash - my favorite fall ingredients!
Other classic fall produce to consider are beets, carrots, radishes, pumpkins, pears, and sweet potatoes just to name a few!
Kabocha squash has been one of my absolute favorite squashes - I've been using it in soup! However, delicata holds a special place in my heart.
You do not need to peel a delicata squash, the skin roasts nice and tender, and the taste is subtly sweet. Not quite as sweet as butternut.
Ingredients and substitutions
As mentioned above, the ingredients are customizable to include your favorite or what's available to you.
For greens, seriously any salad greens will work great. If you're planning on making this in advance of when you're serving it (like for Thanksgiving), I'd recommend using thinly sliced Dino kale.
I like a mix of baby kale and other small mixed greens - but use what you like!
You can also use any apple variety. Honeycrisps are my go to for taste and texture, but gala, courtland, pink lady, or even granny smith of a tart bite would work well.
Any form of sharp white cheddar cheese is a great cheese for this, the bites are great because there's no prep work involved. Blue cheese or goat cheese would also be a deliciously tangy option.
For the dressing, I would highly highly recommend the apple cider vinaigrette. Its the perfect balance of acid, sweet, and fat. However, use what you love! Balsamic vinaigrette would also be a good fit here.
How to make a fall harvest salad
Get ready to have fall goodness on a platter! Super fast to put together with easy ingredients, this harvest salad is a huge crowdpleaser - and I'm speaking from experience on that!
- Roast the squash. I always roast my veggies at 400°F with a little oil, salt and pepper. Let the squash cool before adding it to the salad so the greens don't wilt. If you can, try roasting the squash in advance just to make it that much faster when you want to make the salad.
- Toss the greens with dressing and a pinch of salt and pepper. The seasoning of the greens really makes the flavor pop!
- Top with thinly sliced apple, cheddar bites, roasted sunflower seeds, and the cooled roasted squash.
- Gobble it up!
I made this salad for my family when they visited from Colorado and it disappeared in minutes! Pair it with a protein like crispy chicken milanese, walnut dijon pork chops, or pan seared halibut.
More fall veggie goodness...
In the mood for more greens? I've gotchu! Fall veggies are the best!
If you made this recipe, I'd love it if you'd leave a star rating below in the recipe card! Thank you so much for being here!
Fall Harvest Salad with Honeycrisp and Squash
Ingredients
- 5 ounces baby kale or mixed greens
- 1 delicata squash thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds roasted or raw
- 5 ounces cheddar cheese bites
- ¼ cup apple cider vinaigrette or your favorite vinaigrette dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the delicata squash in half the long way. Scoop out the seeds and cut into thin slices. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden brown. Let cool.
- In a large serving platter or bowl, season the greens and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss the greens with the salad dressing. Use more or less dressing based on your preferences.
- Top the greens with slices of apple, roasted squash, cheddar cheese, and sunflower seeds. Serve right away. If serving later on wait to dress the salad so the greens stay fresh.
Notes
- You whichever greens you like best! Whether that's traditional kale, baby kale, spinach, romaine, truly any lettuce will be delicious.
- Butternut or honeynut squash make a great substitution for delicata if it's not available.
- I love the cheddar cheese bites! So tasty and you can just sprinkle them on. If you can't find the bites, sliced, cubed, or grated sharp cheddar will work great!
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