Master the Basics and Make it YOUR Own
Watch our base recipe video to learn the basic skills, and discover how you can customize a green salad to your taste!
This is a variation of our green salad base recipe as seen in our Whole Life Meal Plan. We wanted to create the perfect fall salad, so we took a bunch of our favorite fall ingredients and tossed them together! This salad is easy, quick, healthy, and can be made in advance, dressing and all. The kale won’t wilt like other leafy greens. Give this fall harvest salad a try!
Must-Know Cooking Skills to Level Up your Kitchen Game
To make this recipe even easier, check out these videos to master the basics:
Plus, we’ve got an awesome Knife Skills 101 course to help you slice and dice like a pro!
Culinary Tips for the Best Fall Harvest Salad Recipe
Dry those greens like a pro! Not only will they stay fresh longer, but they’ll make your salad extra crisp and refreshing. If you don’t already have a salad spinner, this is your sign to get one. It’s like a mini carnival ride for your lettuce—fun for them, essential for you!
Say goodbye to giant leaves! No one wants to wrestle with a floppy spinach stem mid-bite. Chop, shred, or slice those greens into bite sized pieces. Feeling rebellious? Shred them right in the bowl with a knife and fork Chef Lindsey style—so satisfying!
Get nutty with it. Toasting seeds and nuts is the ultimate level up for your salad. A few minutes in a hot pan, and suddenly, they’re crunchy little flavor bombs. Your taste buds will thank you.
Ditch the bottled dressings. Sure, they’re convenient, but homemade vinaigrettes are so much better. Try whipping up a quick apple cider vinaigrette—it’s fresh, zesty, and way more exciting than anything you’ll find on a shelf.
Fall Harvest Salad Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions
- Kale: Go for any dark leafy green you love, or mix and match for variety! Options like arugula, butterhead, baby kale, red or green leaf lettuce, mizuna, romaine, spinach, or watercress all work beautifully. Iceberg? If you must, but it’s not winning any awards for nutrients or flavor. If you’re skipping regular kale, feel free to skip the massaging step, too.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Canola or avocado oil makes a great swap with similar health benefits; flexible and delicious!
- Chicken: Leftover chicken or turkey is perfect here, but for a vegetarian twist, beans make an excellent stand-in.
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes: Choose your sweet potato adventure: orange, purple, or white! Each one brings its own unique texture to the mix.
- Brussels Sprouts: No sprouts? No problem. Swap in any veggie that’s hanging out in your fridge.
- Apple: Pick your favorite! Green, red, or yellow all work. Feeling adventurous? Pears are equally delightful in this salad.
- Dried Cherries: Any dried fruit will do! Apricots, cranberries, dates, figs, prunes, or raisins add that chewy sweetness your salad deserves.
- Pomegranate: Pomegranate’s crunchy, tangy sweetness is hard to beat, but if you don’t have it, fresh berries or nothing at all work just fine.
- Feta Cheese: Bold cheeses bring big flavor. A little feta goes a long way, but feel free to swap in asiago, blue, goat, gorgonzola, or parmesan for a similar impact.
- Pecans: Nuts are your salad’s best friend! Use any type you like, but if they’re raw, toast them first – it’s a game changer for flavor.
- Dressing: Your vinaigrette is the final touch. Whether homemade or store-bought, look for one made with ingredients you recognize (and can pronounce) for the best results.
Fall Harvest Salad Recipe Variations: Make it Your Own!
Add or remove ingredients based on what you have on hand and what your body craves.
To make a vegan autumn salad, sub beans for the chicken and leave off the feta cheese. Consider subbing some nutritional yeast or a homemade cashew cheese for a similar cheesy flavor.
Want some salad inspiration?
Use our simple green salad base recipe as a guide, and create your own signature variation!
Equipment Recommendations: The Essentials
Make sure your kitchen is stocked with these tools for easy preparation!
- Whisk – perfect for ensuring your dressings are well-combined.
- Cutting board & Chef’s knife – to cook like a chef, of course!
- Salad Spinner – the secret to crisp, dry greens.
- Bench Scraper – A tidy multitasker! Scoop ingredients or clean your board.
- Nested mixing bowls – great for mixing, great for storing!
- Storage Containers – for leftover prepped ingredients
Check out our essential equipment guide to stock your kitchen with ALL the tools you need to prepare anything and everything!
Health Benefits of this Salad
This salad is a great example of a recipe that reflects the Mediterranean diet. Filled with lots of colorful vegetables, fruit, nuts, and healthy fats, there is no doubt this is a healthy choice.
Kale and Brussel Sprouts
Kale and Brussel sprouts are members of the cruciferous vegetable family. They are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that promote health and help fight diseases, especially cancer and heart disease.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a great source of important nutrients, such as beta carotene and anthocyanins, which are naturally occurring phytonutrients. These phytonutrients help prevent diseases.
Fruit
Fruits provide fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The phytonutrients in fruits vary based on type, so eating a variety of colors is a helpful tip to ensure you are getting the best nutrition. The pomegranates, cherries, and apples featured in this salad all provide different, but powerful benefits.
Pecans
Pecans contain plant-based protein, healthy fats, and disease fighting phytonutrients. Nuts of all varieties contain plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats. These nutrients help you feel satisfied until your next meal.
Vinaigrette
A healthy vinaigrette dressing made from extra virgin olive oil and vinegar adds flavor and nutrition to salads. The fats and oils in vinaigrette help your body absorb certain nutrients in the salad. For optimal nutrition, make the vinaigrette yourself using pantry staple ingredients.
Looking for some delicious quality oils and vinegars? We love Enzo’s Table and it’s not just because Enzo is the name of Chef V’s oldest son!
Dive into our ingredient guide to discover the freshest, tastiest picks for all your recipes—because great ingredients make all the difference! 🌟🍎
Serving Suggestions
If you use all or most of the toppings, this salad is a filling plant-forward meal on its own! You can also split the salad between 2-3 people for a delicious side to a main course, such as pasta marinara or homemade pizza.
Learn how to build a healthy balanced meal with our Whole Life Plate, meal plan, and book!
Salad Storage Tips
The kale and Brussel sprouts hold up well with the dressing unlike softer leafy greens, so this salad can be stored easily for a day or two, dressed and all!
Want Some Non-Leafy Salad Recipes?
Try out these favorites!
Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Arugula Salad with Beets
Share the Love – Leave us a Review!
Unlike many other recipe blogs, we actually encourage you to tweak our recipes. Not because they’re in need of change, haha, but because we believe one of the secrets to success in the kitchen is cooking to YOUR taste. Make the recipe, leave us a review, and tell us if you made any changes! We love hearing how you’ve made it your own.
Fall Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups loosely packed kale
- ½ cup shredded brussel sprouts
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 ounces shredded or diced chicken or leftover turkey
- ½ cup roasted sweet potatoes*
- 1 small apple, diced ½” (~½ cup)
- 2 Tablespoons dried cherries
- 2 Tablespoons pomegranate seeds
- 2-3 Tablespoons crumbled feta
- 2 Tablespoons toasted chopped pecans
- 3 Tablespoons dressing or vinaigrette
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place kale and Brussel sprouts in a large salad bowl, and massage with a teaspoon extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt until the leaves darken and soften.
- Top kale with all other ingredients. Have fun composing artistically or toss to combine. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
FAQ Questions:
Can I make fall harvest salad ahead of time?
Yes. This salad is ideal for meal prep because kale and shredded Brussels sprouts hold up much better than delicate greens. Store the dressing separately for maximum freshness or toss everything together up to a day in advance.
How do you keep apples from turning brown in a salad?
Toss diced or sliced apples with a little lemon juice before adding them to the salad. This helps slow oxidation and keeps the apples looking fresh and crisp.
Do I need to massage kale for salad?
Yes. Massaging kale with a small amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt softens the leaves, reduces bitterness, and improves the overall texture of the salad.
What protein can I add to a harvest salad?
Chicken, turkey, grilled salmon, shrimp, chickpeas, lentils, or quinoa are all excellent additions. This recipe works particularly well with leftover roasted chicken or turkey.
