But not just any salad. One that has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, crispy, nutty and creamy. If you agree, then you need this harvest green salad in your life. This post was created in partnership with California Figs, but as always, all opinions are mine.
Harvest Salad Ingredients
The good news is that you will not need any fancy ingredients to make this harvest fall salad recipe. Plus, below, I will give you ingredient substitution ideas so you can make it work with what you have in your pantry now: For my go-to harvest salad dressing, you will need:
Extra virgin olive oil Balsamic vinegar: A good aged balsamic vinegar is one reason this dressing is so good, but you can also use red wine vinegar in a pinch. Shallot: I love the mellow taste of shallots in this salad, but you can also use finely chopped red onion. Maple syrup: Maple syrup is a classic in any fall salad dressing recipe, and this one is no exception. However, you can use an equal amount of honey or agave nectar in a pinch. Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed is the best here. Seasonings: Kosher salt and black pepper are all you need to make this homemade fall salad dressing.
For the harvest salad, you will need:
Kale: In terms of salad greens, I used kale because it pairs beautifully with all the fruits and vegetables in season. It also does a good job of standing up on its own when there are all kinds of flavors mixing in one big bowl, as is happening in this Thanksgiving kale salad recipe. Amongst all the kale types, I love using curly kale (the kind of kale you’d find in most supermarkets in the US), lacinato kale, or baby kale. You can use blanched kale for a milder taste (less bitter kale). However, if you are not a kale fan, you can swap it for lettuce, romaine, or any other mixed greens you like. Simply use 2-3 cups more salad greens to compensate. Apple: Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji are my favorite apples for this healthy fall salad recipe, but any type of apple would work here. You can even use a pear in a pinch. While I love fall salads with apples, a thinly sliced, slightly ripened pear would also be great in this recipe. Dried fruit: I used dried California figs to give it more sweetness. I love California figs in my holiday dishes. I love that they are naturally so sweet that using just a few them easily sweeten a dish and take it up a notch. I used a combination of Golden and Mission dried figs. That said, you can use any dried fruit you have on hand. I especially love dried cranberries as a substitute, but again, any dried fruit would work. Pomegranate seeds: This is an optional ingredient, but I love that it immediately turns this simple side dish to a gorgeous looking colorful salad. Nuts: I used pecans, but walnuts or almonds would also work. If your guests cannot tolerate nuts, you can either omit using them or swap pecans with pumpkin seeds. Cheese: I love goat cheese for its creamy texture and tangy flavor, but you can also use blue cheese, Parmesan cheese, and feta cheese. Of course, if you prefer a vegan kale salad, you can omit the cheese.
Optional Add-Ins:
While this autumn kale salad recipe is delicious as written, you can jazz it up by adding a few ingredients to make it your own. Here are a few I would recommend:
Roasted butternut squash: A cup (or two) of roasted squash would be a delicious add-in, especially if you are serving this salad for Thanksgiving. Alternatively, roasted delicata squash or acorn squash can be used as well. Crispy bacon: Small chopped crispy bacon can be added. I like chopped baked turkey bacon as it is a bit healthier, but any bacon you love can be used.
How to make ahead and store leftovers?
What I love about this recipe the most is that, thanks to the sturdy kale, it can be made ahead and it stores well. So, if you are making it for your holiday table, you can do most of the work in advance. Here’s how I do it:
Harvest Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing: For a delicious Mediterranean/Middle Eastern twist, you can use my creamy maple tahini dressing. My Go-To Maple Tahini Dressing Recipe: ¼ cup tahini (sesame paste) 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (or more to taste) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons water to thin it out (adjust to your liking) 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepperSimply whisk together the ingredients listed below. Give it a taste and add in more seasoning to your liking. Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette: If you want an alternative to continuing the fall flavors you can also try the below apple cider vinegar-based dressing that I based on my Maple Dijon Vinaigrette. My Go-To Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup 1 clove of minced garlic 1 teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepperWhisk everything in a small bowl or a jar. Give it a taste and add seasoning to your liking.
Make-Ahead Instructions: Make the harvest salad dressing two days before, place it in a mason jar with a lid, and keep it in the fridge. In the morning of that day you plan to serve the salad, drizzle the dressing over the kale and give it a good toss to ensure kale leaves are fully coated. Add the fruits and nuts on top, cover with a lid (or stretch film), and store in the fridge. Add the cheese on top and give it a gentle toss right before serving. Storing leftovers: Place the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They should be good for up to 2 days.
Other fall salads with apples you might like:
Apple Salad Recipe Waldorf Chicken Salad Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad Kale Apple Slaw
Other simple fall salad ideas you might also like:
Kale Brussel Sprout Salad Mixed Bean Salad Wild Rice Salad Recipe Roasted Acorn Squash Salad Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash Salad White Bean Arugula Salad Baby Spinach Salad
If you are like me, a big fan of figs, and enjoy their distinctive flavor that compliments all kinds of sweet and savory recipes, check out California Figs’ new cookbook with over sixty recipes ranging from snacks to sauces to pasta and meat dishes. The recipes in the book are beautifully crafted to inspire you to get your creative juices flowing and incorporate more of this delicious fruit into your daily cooking. If you make this Harvest Salad recipe, I would greatly appreciate it if you could take a minute to rate it and leave a comment below. It is a great way to support this website and help those planning to make it. Also, if you took pictures, I’d love to see them. Share your creations on Instagram using #foolproofeats so I can share them with the Foolproof Living community. This Recipe is:
