The Best Fall Harvest Salad

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I love a good salad, and this one doesn’t disappoint!! I have been making this wonderful salad for years and you can change it up a bit with the seasons, so let me share the best fall harvest salad with you, because I think you’re going to love it too!!

This week my dinner club group shared our fall harvest tablescapes. Just in case you missed them, you can see mine here, and follow the links at the bottom of the post to see all the others. So much fall inspiration there!!

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If you are popping over from Jen at Midwest Life and Style, welcome! I’m so glad you are here, and didn’t her Turkey Apple Cheddar Panini look delicious? I can’t wait to try all the recipes from this month!

the menu

Pumpkin Spice Fall Cocktail

Roasted Corn Dip

Turkey Apple Cheddar Panini

Fall Harvest Salad

Cranberry Apple Pasta Salad

Persimmon Pudding

salad dressing

The dressing for this salad is an Apple Cider Vinaigrette. I not only use this dressing on this particular salad, but on lots of other salads I make.


large white bowl with mixed greens pear slices apple slices pecan halves and goat cheese
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Apple Cider Vinaigrette

So easy and delicious, this recipe is wonderful on most any salad!@
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword salad dressing
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Cost 2

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a container with lid and shake well.

Notes

I like to add the seasonings to the apple cider vinegar and mix well before I add the oil.  This seems to keep the dry ingredients from clumping and not mixing together well.  


sugared pecans

I typically make my own sugared pecans and use this method. However, they are readily available at the grocery store if you want to make this salad even easier.



I use pecan halves and soak them in water for about 5 minutes.

Then drain and lay out on a baking sheet.

Sprinkle with sugar and mix around to coat them well. I used about 1/4 cup sugar for an 8 ounce bag of pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 7 minutes, then stir them around and bake about 3 minutes more.

creating your fall harvest salad

Here’s where you can get really creative!

For my fall harvest salad I decided to use apples, pears and goat cheese along with the sugared pecans.

I started with a mixture of salad greens, layed my apple and pear slices on the top, then sprinkled with the pecans and goat cheese.

I let each guest dress there own salad instead of putting dressing on the entire salad, so it won’t get soggy.

large white bowl with mixed greens pear slices apple slices pecan halves and goat cheese

variations of the fall harvest salad

I change up the fruit and toppings on this salad depending on the season. Also, I will sometimes change up the greens. Fresh spinach is a great option.

Some of the different ones I use are:

apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese

peaches and goat cheese – sometimes I just slice fresh peaches and sometimes I grill the peach halves. The grilled peaches are delicious with fresh goat cheese and sugared nuts.

strawberries, feta cheese and rosemary cashews or sugared pecans.

strawberries, fresh basil, and feta cheese


Really, the sky is the limit. Just experiment and add combinations of things you love.

large white bowl with mixed greens pear slices apple slices pecan halves and goat cheese


I hope you have enjoyed the recipe for the Best Fall Harvest Salad and give this beautiful and delicious salad a try!

Next up on our menu tour today is Robyn at Robyn’s French Nest. She is our guest host this month and we are so happy to have her! She made a delicious Cranberry Apple Pasta Salad. I can’t wait to try it!

Be sure and visit each account to see all of the amazing recipes!



blessings and happy fall!!


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pinterest graphic for the best fall harvest salad


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21 Comments

  1. Oh I love candied pecans and this is a beautiful salad. I have to try it. Your presentation is beautiful!

    1. Thanks so much Rachel! I hope you love it!

  2. What a gorgeous salad! It sounds so good Michele! I can’t wait to try this one!

    1. Thanks so much Stacy! It’s really good and so easy to make!

  3. Michele, this looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to try it!

    1. It’s super yummy Jen! I think you will love it!

  4. Oh my gosh! This sounds so good! Love all the variations you shared too. Definitely making this one!!

    1. Oh, good! I think you will love it!

  5. This salad sounds amazing and it looks so pretty on your table.

    1. Thank you Renae! It is so yummy!

  6. Michele M. says:

    I have made variations of this salad for years, as well as making my own candied pecan halves……but your hint about soaking in water a few minutes first is brilliant. Thank you for that. And a hint in kind? I buy special extremely finely ground sugar. Takes them to a a better level. Not sure if you do that.

    I think I will make that salad soon, because my mouth cannot stop watering now. Truly Fall salads are the BEST of the year! Enjoy yourself a wonderful Autumn season!

    PS – yay a French spelling of our name! C’est magnifique! : – )

    1. Oh, so glad you like it! And such a great idea about the fine sugar. I haven’t thought of that but definitely will try it!

  7. This salad looks so amazing! We bought some roasted pecans in Georgia on our way home from Haven and I fell in love with them! Your sugared pecans sound very similar! I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks, Donna

    1. Thanks Donna! I hope you enjoy it, and those pecans sound wonderful!

  8. Your presentation of this salad is so beautiful! I am adding it to our Thanksgiving dinner menu although I don’t think I can wait that long before I make it! Thanks for a great post! ~Missy

    1. Oh, I’m so glad you liked it and hope you enjoy the salad!

  9. Michele, your salad looks and sounds wonderful! I’ve been craving a delicious fall salad all week long, and this one looks like it will hit the spot! I’d love to share it this weekend in my Saturday roundup post. Thanks so much for sharing it!

    1. Thanks so much Kim, I really appreciate the share and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

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