This Fall Harvest Salad is full of seasonal flavors from hearty veggies, greens, and fruit, then tossed in a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing. It’s as beautiful as it is delicious and makes an excellent weeknight dinner or dish for your holiday spread.
Why You’ll Love This Fall Harvest Salad Recipe
Delicious, healthy, and protein-packed Fall Salad Recipe made with seasonal produce – all tossed in a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing.
It’s one of my favorite salads to make when I have leftover cooked chicken (or use leftover turkey like I do in this Instant Pot Leftover Turkey Soup!). It’s full of all the best Fall flavors and can be customized to incorporate whatever you have on hand.
It comes together in under 30 minutes. You can serve it as a main course for a weeknight dinner this Fall season or make it for a delicious side dish on your Thanksgiving holiday table.
Here’s a Short Video of This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Fall Harvest Salad
- sweet potatoes: This starchy veggie adds a pop of color and extra heartiness. Swap for butternut squash if you want.
- extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- sea salt
- lacinato kale: You can swap this for arugula or another favorite leafy green.
- cooked chicken breast: Chopped or shredded chicken will work. If you’re in a rush, use Rotisserie chicken. See notes below for a vegetarian option.
- Honeycrisp apple: I love Honeycrisp for a crunchy, sweet apple, but you can use Pink Lady, Fuji, or another sweet red apple of choice.
- feta cheese: Creamy, dreamy, and tangy– the perfect addition to this delicious Fall harvest salad. Swap for goat cheese or blue cheese if preferred.
- pecans: For extra crunch and protein. You can try this candied pecan recipe if you want to make them a little sweeter.
- pomegranate seeds: A fruity burst for extra texture and flavor.
Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- extra virgin olive oil
- apple cider vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- honey: Feel free to swap for maple syrup if desired.
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
For exact ingredient amounts please see the recipe card below.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Air fryer method: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil and salt and cook in an even layer in the air fryer for 12 minutes, shaking the pan or basket halfway through.
Oven method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the sweet potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt. Spread in an even layer and roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Step 1: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, place sliced kale in a large bowl.
Step 2: Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then add 2 tbsp of the dressing to the kale. Use your hands to massage the kale until the leaves are softer and reduced to half the size.
Step 3: Use your hands to massage the kale until the leaves are softer and reduced to half the size.
Step 4: Once the sweet potatoes are done, add them over the massaged kale – along with chicken, apple, feta, pecans, and pomegranate seeds.
Step 5: Add the rest of the dressing to the salad bowl.
Step 6: Toss to combine. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- To make this vegetarian, you can roast cooked chickpeas with the sweet potatoes to crisp them up before adding them to the salad.
- There are so many ways to customize this harvest salad to your specific taste preferences. Here are some fun substitutions to make this salad your own:
- Swap the Honeycrisp apples for another sweet apple: Pink Lady, Fuji, Ambrosia, or your favorite variety.
- Instead of tangy feta cheese, use creamy goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles.
- Add crispy bacon to the top for extra protein, crunch, and a savory addition.
- Swap the honey for maple syrup in the dressing.
- Garnish your salad with roasted pumpkin seeds.
- Swap the sweet potato for cubes of butternut squash.
- Add additional veggies as you desire: red onion, carrots, and beets would be great additions.
- In addition to or instead of chopped kale, use arugula or your favorite spring mix.
Serving Tips
If serving for an elevated Holiday meal, use a large serving bowl and add any extra dressing to a small bowl with a spoon. You can serve this dish without the chicken for a simple side or with chicken for more of a main course salad– you can’t go wrong!
Storage Tips
Leftovers can be enjoyed within 4 days. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
I recommend mixing just what you’ll enjoy right away, and storing the kale and pecans separately to keep them from wilting and softening. However, if you already mixed everything, it’s fine to store everything together as well.
Store leftover vinaigrette in a mason jar or a small container with a lid in the fridge for up to a week. Shake and serve.
If you make this recipe, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potatoes cubed – about 1 lb (1 large or 2 small)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 4 cups lacinato kale thinly sliced, or arugula
- 3 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded *See notes for vegetarian option
- 1/2 honeycrisp apple cut into 1/2 inch cubes or thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 1/2 pomegranate seeds
Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Air fryer method: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil and salt and cook in an even layer in the air fryer for 12 minutes, shaking the pan or basket halfway through.Oven method: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the sweet potatoes to the prepared baking sheet and toss with olive oil and salt. Spread in an even layer and roast for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While the sweet potatoes are roasting, place sliced kale in a large bowl.
- Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then add 2 tbsp of the dressing to the kale. Use your hands to massage the kale until the leaves are softer and reduced to half the size.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, add over the kale – along with chicken, apple, feta, pecans, and pomegranate seeds.
- Add the rest of the dressing and toss to combine. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- To make this vegetarian, you can roast cooked chickpeas with the sweet potatoes to crisp them up before adding them to the salad.
- There are so many ways to customize this harvest salad to your specific taste preferences. Here are some fun substitutions to make this salad your own:
- Swap the Honeycrisp apples for another sweet apple: Pink Lady, Fuji, Ambrosia, or your favorite variety.
- Instead of tangy feta cheese, use creamy goat cheese or blue cheese crumbles.
- Add crispy bacon to the top for extra protein, crunch, and a savory addition.
- Swap the honey for maple syrup in the dressing.
- Garnish your salad with roasted pumpkin seeds.
- Swap the sweet potato for cubes of butternut squash.
- Add additional veggies as you desire: red onion, carrots, and beets would be great additions.
- In addition to or instead of chopped kale, use arugula or your favorite spring mix.
- Leftovers can be enjoyed within 4 days. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- I recommend mixing just what you’ll enjoy right away, and storing the kale and pecans separately to keep them from wilting and softening. However, if you already mixed everything, it’s fine to store everything together as well.
- Store leftover vinaigrette in a mason jar or a small container with a lid in the fridge for up to a week. Shake and serve.
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Thank you so much for sharing this 😊🙏
I live in England, home of terrible salads. My partner spent 6 months in the US for work, and we often get dreamy over the quality of good salads and food from the US.
Saw your YouTube short just before going food shopping yesterday, and have had this for lunch 2 days in a row since.
I would never use kale or pecans in a salad, but this is SO good. It is sweet, salty, crunchy and still somehow really comforting – absolutely perfect September/ October time meal.
Will be adding this into our regular meal list!!
Oh wow, I love having an international audience!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I appreciate you leaving a review!