Every year, I look forward to fall so I can use all my favorite seasonal vegetables and fruits to make amazing meals. This Fall Harvest Salad is so warm and inviting.
You’ll love the contrasting textures of fresh apples, roasted squash, crisp tender kale and Brussels sprouts, and crunchy pumpkin seeds and nuts.
Savor the season with this beautiful and festive fall harvest salad! It’s a cozy holiday-worthy side salad.
It is well into fall, and we have been cooking with a lot of seasonal produce. This fall harvest salad is a great way to use all of that amazing seasonal produce.
For today’s salad recipe, I use freshly sliced honeycrisp apples, simple roasted acorn squash slices, lots of toasted pumpkin seeds and pecans. If you make my Roasted Acorn Squash recipe and have leftovers, you can use it here.
The bed of greens in this fall harvest salad is a combination of lacinato kale and brussels sprouts, which is a simplified version of my easy Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Kale Salad. However, feel free to use your favorite greens, such as mixed greens, spinach, or baby kale.
It doesn’t get any better than this! Oh wait…yes, it does! The dressing. The quick apple cider vinaigrette dressing. It’s the perfect way to bring everything together with a touch of sweetness. This dressing is so, so good!
For more amazing seasonal salads, check out our reader favorite Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Salad or Kale Apple Salad. Also, have you tried my Stuffed Acorn Squash yet?
Why we LOVE this fall harvest salad:
- A great seasonal salad! Lots of fall ingredients here, such as acorn squash, apples, kale, pumpkin seeds, and more. I love it all!
- A holiday-worthy salad, just in time for Thanksgiving!
- The apple cider vinaigrette is delicious and brings everything together. It adds the perfect touch of sweetness and acidity.
- Prep-ahead friendly: Prep all the ingredients ahead of time and assemble when ready to serve!
- Customizable: There are no rules when it comes to this salad. Use your favorite ingredients.
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Ingredient Notes
I love every single ingredient in this beautiful salad. Below are a few ingredient notes I took from when I recently re-tested the recipe. The specific quantities can be found in the recipe card down below.
- Acorn squash: I love the tender texture of roasted squash. It’s mildly sweet and the edible skin roasts up beautifully. You can also use butternut squash here.
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper: For roasting the acorn squash.
- Lacinato kale: Also known as “dinosaur kale” or “Tuscan kale”. It’s dark green with a slightly wrinkled texture. This variety is tenderer than curly kale and has a sweeter flavor.
- Brussels sprouts: Thinly sliced or shaved.
- Honeycrisp apples: Adds crunch, freshness, and sweetness to this harvest salad.
- Pecans and pumpkin seeds: For crunch and flavor.
- Goat or feta cheese: You can also use blue cheese or gorgonzola.
- For the apple cider vinaigrette: Extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, finely minced garlic, honey or maple syrup, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Making this salad is super simple and many of the ingredients can be prepared ahead. Here is a quick tutorial so you can see how easy this recipe is!
Step 1 | Roast acorn squash
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the acorn squash into ½ inch slices (see a quick tutorial on how to slice acorn squash below). Arrange on a large sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. When ready, remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Step 2 | Make the dressing
Meanwhile, make the apple cider vinaigrette. In a mason jar, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, honey or maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until evenly combined.
Step 3 | Prep the greens
Shred the kale and Brussels sprouts. Toss with some of the prepared apple cider vinaigrette, and give it a good massage for 3 minutes. Massaging kale with vinegar breaks down tough fibers and also add flavor.
Step 4 | Assemble and serve
On a large platter, start with the prepared greens, and arrange the sliced apples and roasted acorn squash. Top with pecans, pumpkin seeds, and feta cheese crumbles. Drizzle with the remaining dressing to taste, and enjoy!
How to Slice Acorn Squash
Cutting an entire acorn squash may seem intimidating, especially since the outer skin is kind of tough. But worry not! It’s actually very easy. All you need is a sharp chefs knife and a sturdy wooden cutting board.
Here is how to slice acorn squash in just a few simple steps:
- Cut acorn squash in half from side to side.
- Scoop out the seeds.
- Cut each acorn squash half in half again.
- Cut into ½ inch thick slices.
Prep Ahead Tips
This salad is best served fresh to enjoy the different textures, but you can prep some of the ingredients ahead of time to make things easier. Simply prepare all of the ingredients a few days before and assemble the salad later.
This is how I like to prep the ingredients to make this fall harvest salad for the holidays, including a few tips from recipe testing:
- Slice the acorn squash and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to cook, season and roast as directed. Roasted squash does not keep well in the refrigerator (it tends to become soggy), which is why I recommend roasting it on the same day.
- Slice the kale and brussels sprouts. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make the dressing up to 3 to 5 days in advance and refrigerate. It may solidify in the fridge, so leave it on the counter for 30 minutes before using.
- When ready to serve, assemble the salad as directed. The dressing should be added right before serving.
Harvest Salad Variations
This salad is completely customizable. You can use whatever ingredients you like. I usually use whatever I have on hand in my fridge or whatever I pick up at the farmer’s market. Here are some salad add-in and substitutions ideas:
Squash: Delicata squash and butternut squash are great substitutes for acorn squash.
Greens: For this harvest salad, feel free to also use a simple bed of mixed greens, arugula, or my shaved brussels sprouts salad.
Fruits: Pears are a great substitute for apples. Other fruits I love are pomegranate seeds, persimmons, and figs. Dried fruits also work great here.
Cheese: We like crumbled feta or goat cheese in this fall harvest salad recipe, but there are so many other amazing cheeses to choose from. Try blue or gorgonzola cheese.
Nuts: We use pumpkin seeds and pecans. You can also use toasted sunflower seeds, walnuts, or pistachios. If you want to level up the pecans, try a batch of these easy candied pecans.
Add grains: Try quinoa, farro, couscous, or wild rice pilaf.
Make it a full meal with your favorite protein, such as lemon marinated grilled chicken or simple pan seared chicken breast. If you have leftover turkey breast, it would go great here as well.
More Fall Salads
We are in the heart of fall, and I am completely enamored with everything about it. Cooking with seasonal produce is a fantastic way to savor the season.
Pair this salad with a cozy bowl of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup or Butternut Squash Risotto for dinner!
Here are some of our favorite fall salads, which are great options for Thanksgiving and the holidays:
Recipe FAQs
I would recommend prepping the ingredients ahead instead of making the entire salad ahead. This way, the salad won’t get soggy. Detailed instructions in recipe card notes below.
Butternut squash and delicata squash are great substitutes. You can also use pumpkin or even sweet potatoes.
Softening kale involves massaging it with vinegar and oil, which help to break down the tough fibers. Do this for about 3 minutes or until softened.
We like to use goat or feta cheese. Gorgonzola and blue cheese work great too for stronger flavor. If you don’t like any of those, try freshly shredded or cubed cheddar, mozzarella pearls, or shaved parmesan cheese.
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and updated in October 2023 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- How to pick acorn squash: Look for one with a smooth and dull rind that is not too shiny. It should feel heavy for its size and have no soft spots. The colors should be green and yellow. If the rind is too yellow, the squash is overripe.
- Massaging kale with some of the prepared dressing will help break down the tough fibers in the vegetables, making them more tender. The vinegar in the dressing will help to do this.
- Add the dressing right before serving so it doesn’t get soggy.
- This salad is highly customizable! Use your favorite seasonal ingredients.
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Fall Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 1 small acorn squash - see notes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1 large bunch lacinato kale, ribs removed and thinly sliced - about 3 cups sliced
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly sliced - about 3 cups sliced
- 2 medium honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped pecans - plus more to taste
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds - toasted, plus more to taste
- ¼ cup crumbled goat cheese - or feta cheese
Apple cider vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Slice squash: Cut squash in half lengthwise. Scrape off the seeds with a spoon. Then, cut each half into halves again. Slice into even ½ inch thick slices.
- Roast squash: Arrange the sliced squash on a very large sheet pan in a single layer without overcrowding (or use 2 sheet pans). Drizzle generously with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper evenly and toss to combine. Roast for 25 minutes or until almost tender, flipping halfway through. Tip: Overcrowding leads to steaming rather than roasting, so use multiple pans if needed.
- Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Add all the vinaigrette ingredients into a mason jar. Seal and shake well until combined. Adjust to taste if needed. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, massage the sliced kale and Brussels sprouts with some of the prepared vinaigrette until tender, about 3 minutes. This will help soften the greens
- On a platter, arrange the prepared kale and brussels sprouts along with the sliced apples, roasted acorn squash slices, cheese, pecans, and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with the remaining apple cider vinaigrette. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- How to pick acorn squash: Look for one with a smooth and dull rind that is not too shiny. It should feel heavy for its size and have no soft spots. The colors should be green and yellow. If the rind is too yellow, the squash is overripe.
- Lacinato kale: Also known as “dinosaur kale” or “Tuscan kale.”
- Leftovers can be stored for up to 2 days in the fridge.
- Prep ahead:
- Slice the acorn squash up to 3 days ahead.
- Slice the kale and brussels sprouts. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make the dressing up to 3 or 5 days ahead.
- When ready to serve, assemble. Add dressing right before serving.
- Kale: Mixed greens, spinach, baby kale.
- Acorn squash: Butternut squash, delicata squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes.
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