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Fresh Fall Harvest Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

fresh fall harvest chopped salad with apple cider vinaigrette - featured image
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A crisp, crunchy fall salad with sweet apples, tart cranberries, toasted pecans, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday gatherings, this simple yet impressive salad comes together in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups mixed greens (baby spinach and arugula recommended)
  • 2 medium Honeycrisp apples, diced
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted
  • ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup pomegranate arils (optional)
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion, soaked in cold water
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Toast the pecans: Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer to a plate to cool completely.
  2. Make the vinaigrette: In a mason jar, combine apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, minced shallot, salt, and pepper. Screw on lid and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  3. Prepare the apples: Wash apples, cut into quarters, remove cores, and dice into ½-inch cubes. If not serving immediately, toss with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning.
  4. Soak the red onion: Place thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl of cold water for 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
  5. Assemble the salad base: In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, diced apples, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, pomegranate arils (if using), and drained red onion. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese on top.
  6. Dress and toss: Shake vinaigrette again, then drizzle about half over the salad. Gently toss to coat evenly. Add more dressing as needed until glossy but not soggy.
  7. Check seasoning: Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or vinegar as needed.
  8. Serve immediately: Transfer to serving bowl or plates. Garnish with extra pomegranate arils or flaky sea salt if desired.

Notes

Toast pecans carefully as they burn quickly. Don’t overdress the salad—start with half the vinaigrette and add more as needed. For best results, serve immediately after dressing. The vinaigrette can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. To keep apples from browning, toss with lemon juice. For a dairy-free version, omit feta or use plant-based alternative.

Nutrition

Keywords: fall salad, harvest salad, chopped salad, apple cider vinaigrette, autumn salad, Thanksgiving salad, healthy salad, vegetarian salad

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/fresh-fall-harvest-chopped-salad-with-apple-cider-vinaigrette/