I love a good salad. Healthy, crunchy, easy to make. What’s not to love? My only salad stipulation is that it must have a super tasty dressing and lot’s of fun flavorful add-ins. Don’t give me a plate full of plain lettuce, there has to be a yummy dressing paired with extras that give texture and crunch.
Now most people automatically equate salad with summer, but I’m here to let you know that fall salad is where it’s actually at! Crisp apples, warm toasted nuts, crunchy seeds, and roasted vegetables are all perfect autumn salad pairings.
These 3 different salad recipes have been on repeat lately in my house. They’re easy to make and you can prepare everything ahead of time to throw together on a busy weekday. I batch roast the veggies, nuts, and seeds on the weekend and am always thankful for my extra effort come Thursday/Friday and I’m exhausted.
Looking forward to hear what one is your personal favorite fall salad.
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed, and roasted
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (or a milder cheese like mozzarella)
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
Christie’s Zinfandel Vinaigrette
Instructions
In a large salad bowl, combine the baby kale or mixed greens, roasted sweet potato cubes, feta cheese, pomegranate arils, pumpkin seeds, and red onion. Drizzle the salad dressing on top.
***Roasted sweet potatoes are super simple. Here’s how I make mine. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and prepare a baking tray with foil and non-stick baking spray. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into ½ inch cubes and toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them out evenly on the tray and bake for approximately 30 minutes, flipping them every 10 minutes.
4 cups mixed greens (such as arugula, baby spinach, or kale)
2 apples, thinly sliced (Honeycrisp or Gala)
1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup mild cheese, cubed (I used Havarti)
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
Christie’s White Balsamic dressing
Instructions
In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, apple slices, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, cubed cheese, and red onion. Add pomegranate arils and then drizzle on the dressing.
***If you can’t find toasted nuts, it’s super easy to do at home. Preheat the oven to 325ºF and prepare a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the nuts out on the tray and bake for approximately 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes. Keep your eyes and nose on the nuts as they can go from toasted to burnt quickly. You’ll know they’re done when you can smell them.
4 cups mixed greens (baby spinach, arugula, and kale)
1 cup roasted butternut squash, cubed
1/2 cup cooked quinoa *optional
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 small apple, thinly sliced (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
A handful of dried cranberries
Christie’s Greek dressing
Instructions
In a large salad bowl, layer the mixed greens, roasted butternut squash, and cooked quinoa if using. Add the pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta, and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Top the salad with thin slices of apple, red onion, and dried cranberries. Drizzle on the Greek dressing.
***Roasted butternut squash is honestly one of my favorite salad toppers and incredibly easy to make. Preheat the oven to 400ºF and prepare a baking tray with foil and non-stick baking spray. Peel, scoop the seeds, and cut the squash into ½ inch cubes. Toss it with a bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread it on the prepared baking tray. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until fork tender and slightly caramelized.