Harvest Salad

Harvest Salad is the perfect fall salad recipe with fresh greens, candied pecans, crisp apples, dried cranberries, and tangy blue cheese all tossed together in a deliciously easy maple vinaigrette dressing.

Harvest Salad can be served year-round with its versatile ingredients

Autumn Harvest Salad recipe has been served countless times in our family. The ingredients are always readily available and this easy, gourmet salad fits the bill for healthy weeknight dinners, holiday entertaining, or potlucks.

The explosion of flavors and textures with fresh greens, crisp apples, toasted candied pecans, creamy blue cheese, and chewy dried cranberries always yields rave reviews.

When guests come back for second and third helpings, you know it’s no ordinary salad.

5 Minute Candied Pecans for Fall Salad

Easy Candied Pecans come together in only five minutes on your stovetop and and use four simple ingredients – pecans, brown sugar, maple syrup, and salt.

They take this salad from delicious to extraordinary, but candied nuts can also be used on yogurt, oatmeal, desserts, and for snacking.

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a skillet add brown sugar, maple syrup, water, and salt. Heat until bubbly and sugar dissolves.
3. Add nuts. Cook and stir until syrup thickens, about 2 minutes.
4. Immediately transfer candied pecans to baking sheet and spread out. They will harden as they cool.

How To Make Easy Maple Vinaigrette

Measure the ingredients into a lidded mason jar or a secure container, shake to mix, and voilà – homemade dressing in minutes!

Maple cider vinaigrette combines a simple list of pantry staple ingredients, such as pure maple syrup, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, whole grain mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt and pepper.

This is my go-to salad dressing for practically everything! I always have the ingredients on hand and the combination of tangy and sweet compliments pretty much any green salad.

Can the Maple Dressing Be Made Ahead of Time?

Yes, and this makes entertaining so much easier.

For parties, assemble salad without the apples and dressing, then cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Prepare the maple dressing and store in refrigerator up to 3 days.

When ready to serve, add sliced apples, give the vinaigrette a quick shake, and toss all together with the salad.

Alternately, serve the vinaigrette on the side and allow guests to dress their own salad. This will prevent the salad from becoming wilted while sitting.

How to Make Harvest Salad 

1. Prepare the dressing and and candied pecans. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl combine salad greens, sliced apples, cranberries, blue cheese, and nuts.
3. When ready to serve toss salad with dressing or serve vinaigrette on the side.

Additional Toppings for Fall Harvest Salad 

• Sliced pears
• Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or Sunflower Seeds
• Sliced chicken breast or chopped rotisserie chicken
• Leftover turkey or ham
• Goat cheese, Brie, or Feta cheese
• Grains – quinoa (gluten free), farro, or couscous
• Pomegranate seeds
• Roasted vegetables, such as Roasted Butternut Squash or Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• crumbled bacon
• red onion

Tips for Making Autumn Salad

• Feel free to substitute olive oil for the vegetable oil.
• If you are preparing the salad ahead of time, cut the apples right before serving.
• Prepare the dressing up to 3 days ahead of time. Dress the greens right before serving.
• Store bought candied nuts or toasted nuts may be substituted for the candied pecans.
• Make this fall salad a meal by adding roasted vegetables, chicken, ham, or turkey breast.
• To prevent apples from turning brown, toss them in a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice or check out any of these other hacks!

More Fall recipes

• Sweet Potato Salad has roasted sweet potatoes, pecans, apples, and dried cranberries tossed in an easy maple mustard vinaigrette dressing.
• Cranberry Baked Brie has an easy, tangy roasted cranberry orange sauce over warmed baked brie.
• Copycat Panera Squash Soup slightly sweetened with apples, creamy, savory, and has a deliciously concentrated taste from the roasted squash
• Pumpkin Delight is an almost no-bake pumpkin dessert with layers of chocolate crust, cream cheese, pumpkin lush, and cool whip.

SAVE THIS HARVEST SALAD RECIPE TO YOUR PINTEREST BOARD!

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This recipe first appeared on Easy Good Ideas, where I’m a contributor.

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