Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Dressing

Vibrant Salads
·
November 7, 2024
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(Note: this post was originally published on November 24, 2019. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)

A Celebratory Harvest Salad

Happy harvest season and happy holiday season! This time of year features such special fruits and veggies: hearty squashes, flavorful greens, tart cranberries, juicy pomegranate, and many more. Although it may not come to mind as a typical holiday dish, I'd argue that the best way to celebrate these seasonal gifts is in a colorful, fresh, and beautiful harvest salad.

This fall salad hits all the flavors: there's sweetness from squash and pomegranate, bitterness from radicchio, and tartness from cranberries. A unique apple cider dressing, which balances sweet apple cider with pungent mustard, brings the whole dish together. Whether you make this salad as a nourishing autumn meal or as a centerpiece in a holiday spread, it's truly a celebration of the season.

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Beautiful harvest salad on a platter, featuring green kale, purple radicchio, and yellow delicata squash

How to Make a Fall Salad

This colorful harvest salad is easy to make, yet it looks impressive. You'll start by making the apple cider dressing (which involves reducing apple cider on the stovetop to concentrate its flavors) and roasting the delicata squash (which is the easiest winter squash to prepare because you can leave the skin on and it cooks quickly). You'll then prepare the greens and toss it all together.

The main secret to this salad is massaging the kale. Cutting the kale into thin ribbons and then giving it a vigorous massage in the acidic dressing will yield kale that is tender, easy to chew, easy to digest, and flavorful throughout. If you have kale skeptics in your life, this fall salad is a great place for them to start enjoying this versatile, nutritious green.

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Close-up of the texture of lacinato kale leaves in a fall salad with an apple cider dressing

Harvest Salad Variations

There are a lot of ways you can customize this salad to make it work for you. If you want to make it into a main course, add your protein of choice; a scoop of this Savory Pumpkin Hummus would be perfect. I've also made this salad with some chewy farro tossed in and it's wonderful. Feel free to try it with a different type of squash (just alter the cooking time accordingly), add apple or pear slices, or top it with pecans or walnuts. Any iconic seasonal ingredients you love will be at home in this fall salad.

I personally think the apple cider dressing is the star of the show since it's so unique and flavorful. However if you don't have time to make the cider reduction or can't get apple cider where you live, you can certainly use another dressing. In that case, I'd suggest massaging the kale in a splash of apple cider vinegar, a dash of maple syrup, and salt, then topping it with your dressing of choice (for example, the creamy yogurt and mustard dressing in this vegan Waldorf salad would work great).

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Make-Ahead Tips

This harvest salad is make-ahead friendly, which is always such a relief during the holidays. You can do almost all of the work ahead of time except for the final assembly. The apple cider dressing can easily be made a few days ahead. You can cut and clean the kale, roast the squash, and clean the pomegranate the day before; just store everything in sealed containers in the refrigerator. You can even let the kale marinate in the dressing for a few hours. Just make sure to assemble everything right before serving so that all of the veggies and fruits are fresh and vibrant.

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Overhead view of a harvest salad with iconic fall fruits and vegetables

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here's what you'll need for this fall salad, as well as some thoughts, tips, and possible substitutions. If you make any substitutions, I'd love to hear about it in the comments section below.

  • Apple cider. Look for freshly-pressed apple cider, ideally from a local orchard. This apple cider dressing recipe will not work with apple juice; it will be too sweet.
  • Whole grain mustard. Learn how to create your own homemade mustard, it's easy and fun.
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Fresh thyme
  • Salt and pepper
  • Delicata squash
  • Olive oil
  • Kale. This recipe works best with lacinato (a.k.a. "dinosaur") kale because of its tender texture. You can also use green kale or red kale if you prefer.
  • Radicchio. The radicchio plays an important role because its bitterness counteracts the sweetness of the fruit. I don't suggest omitting it or the salad may feel too sweet. If you can't find radicchio, try adding a couple cups of arugula (which is peppery) or thin ribbons of another bitter green (like endive).
  • Dried figs. Feel free to use fresh figs instead if you can find them.
  • Fresh cranberries
  • Pomegranate seeds

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Close-up view of the fruits on a fall salad including fig slices, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds

Closing Thoughts

Anyone who says that salads don't belong on the holiday table has never had a good harvest salad. This autumnal show-stopper is the best way to celebrate the season's greatest gifts because the beautiful, colorful fruits and veggies can shine in all their glory.

Additionally, even at a holiday, it's good to have some healthier and plant-based options available. Whether you're hosting vegetarians or vegans at your event, or just want a dish that's on the lighter side to complement the heavier classics, this autumnal salad is one that everyone can enjoy.

Happy harvest season! Let's celebrate all these beautiful gifts from nature.

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Side view of a colorful fall salad with seasonal ingredients and an apple cider dressing

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Share It!

It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.

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Suggested Pairings

Thanksgiving Eve Dark & Stormy

Spicy Ginger Sweet Potato Dip‍

Wild Rice, Macadamia, and Fall Fruit Stuffing

Wild Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash

Apple Cider Donut Oat Flour Cake

Print it

Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Dressing

This fall salad celebrates the harvest season in all its bounty. A flavorful apple cider dressing unites hearty kale, cozy squash, and iconic fall fruits to yield the perfect holiday salad.

Author:
Lee

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 1 c apple cider
  • 1 tbsp whole grain mustard
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • Leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme
  • Generous salt and pepper

For the Salad

  • Large delicata squash
  • Olive oil for roasting
  • Generous salt and pepper
  • Large bunch of lacinato kale
  • Small head of radicchio
  • 6-8 dried figs
  • 0.25 c fresh cranberries
  • 0.25 c pomegranate seeds

Instructions

  1. To make the dressing, add the apple cider to a saucepan and simmer it until it has reduced significantly, to about a quarter cup. It should be thick and very flavorful.
  2. Remove the cider reduction from the heat and cool it to room temperature. Stir in the mustard, cider vinegar, the leaves from a few sprigs of thyme, and generous salt and pepper.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425.
  4. Cut the delicata squash in half and scoop out the seeds, then cut into half-inch thick slices. Place them on an oiled baking sheet, add salt and pepper, and roast ~20-25 minutes at 425 until tender and just barely starting to brown.
  5. Meanwhile, strip the ribs out of the kale leaves, then cut the kale into thin ribbons perpendicular to where the stems used to be. Wash and drain well.
  6. Put the kale in a large mixing bowl with about half of the dressing. Give it a very vigorous massage with your hands until the leaves are tender; it may take several minutes.
  7. Cut the radicchio into ribbons and add it to the kale. Let the kale and radicchio sit for a few minutes to continue tenderizing in the dressing.
  8. Cut the dried figs into slices and cut the cranberries into halves.
  9. Add about half of the squash and half of the fruit into the salad and toss gently.
  10. Transfer the salad to a serving platter and add the remaining squash and fruit on top.

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Leave a Comment

Please Share Your Thoughts!

Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.

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Lee
November 12, 2024
Coco- Thanks so much for asking this. Apologies if this was confusing. In an older version of this recipe, I suggested the option of adding a splash of bourbon to the cider reduction. I removed it from the recipe when I edited it a few weeks ago for simplicity. If you want to give it a try, add an ounce or two of bourbon to the apple cider before cooking it down; as the cider reduces, the alcohol will cook off and the flavors will concentrate.
Coco
November 11, 2024
Bourbon? I don't see bourbon in the ingredients.
Katelyn
November 15, 2023
Bookmarked for my Thansgiving menu this year. I think we'll add pecans and orange slices. We're not plantbased, but I always like to have some dishes that are on the healthier side for balance.
Triss D
October 26, 2022
I’ve never tried cooking with cider!! What a great idea thx.
Mariela
April 22, 2022
This salad is everything!! Looks so pretty and the ingredients are amazing. Love apple cider and bourbon combination!
Catrina
November 14, 2021
Lee is so right about the radicchio balancing this salad! So delicious with that slight bitterness from the radicchio and the cranberries with the sweetness from the fruit! I did not use bourbon but still so flavorful and delicious. And I used butternut squash instead of delicata.

Aloha, I'm Lee

I love to create colorful, veggie-filled, seasonal dishes that celebrate the beauty and diversity of plants. Take a look around at all my favorite recipes, there's so much to explore here!

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