Celebrate the flavors of the season with this festive Fall Harvest Salad! Packed with Honeycrisp apples, pecans, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and tossed in a simple apple cider vinaigrette, it’s the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving or any cozy autumn meal.
You will be obsessed with this fall harvest salad. It has the best flavor combinations that will remind you of the fall season. This salad is the perfect balance between savory and sweet. I love this easy Apple Cider vinaigrette dressing, and the vegan feta sprinkled on top takes it to the next level.
The best Vegan Fall Harvest Salad
When I tell you I’m obsessed with this salad, it’s an understatement. When I first developed this recipe, my mom and I could not get enough. I literally made it 4 times in one week😂 You get a crunch from the pecans and pumpkin seeds, with pops of sweetness from the apples and dried cranberries. The dressing is so simple to make, and massaging it into the kale softens it and creates a perfect salad.
I wanted to keep this recipe simple, but add as many things as you like. You can also toss in some chickpeas, quinoa, or cooked tofu to add in some protein. That makes this salad a really healthy, easy, and balanced meal. I love this as a side with dinner, or I could eat an entire bowl for lunch.
So bring this autumn salad to your Thanksgiving and your Friendsgiving too! It’s a lighter side for the fun occasion, and it’s delicious everyone will love it. My father was a real kale hater until I introduced him to this recipe.
Feel free to use whatever nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you have on hand. This recipe is really versatile and pairs well with lots of different flavors. Walnuts and some cooked sweet potato would be a fun addition to this salad. You can make it a protein-packed salad by adding quinoa, chickpeas, or baked tofu. Get creative, and use whatever you have on hand.
Salad Ingredients
- 3 cups Kale: Wash and chop the kale, then massage the dressing into the kale to soften it. This makes kale taste so much better! Massaging your kale helps you digest it better, makes the texture way better, and gets rid of some of the bitterness in the green.
- 3 cups Spinach
- 1 Honey Crisp Apple: Diced thinly, leave the skin on for more health benefits!
- 1/3 cup Vegan Feta Cheese: I like the Follow Your Heart Brand.
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds: Definitely use any nuts and seeds you have in your pantry already.
- 1/3 cup Pecans
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 3 tablespoons Lemon juice: Basically the juice of a whole lemon.
- 1 minced clove (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black Pepper
How to make Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
In a sealable jar or small bowl, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Shake or whisk well before pouring, as the vinaigrette naturally separates.
How to make this Fall Harvest Salad:
Add the 5 cups of washed, chopped kale to a large mixing bowl and pour in half of the vinaigrette. Then, using clean hands, gently massage the dressing into the kale for 1–2 minutes. Don’t skip this step! Massaging helps break down the toughness of raw kale, making it softer, more flavorful, and much easier to digest. It’s the secret to turning kale from rough to crave-worthy.
Then add in the spinach, diced apple, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/3 cup pecans, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, the remaining vinaigrette, and 1/2 cup of vegan feta cheese. Mix together until the salad is evenly coated in dressing.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container and enjoy within 1 day for the best texture and flavor.
More Fall recipes you’ll love:
- Vegan Pumpkin Mac and Cheese: Fall is all about comfort food, and there’s no better way to celebrate the season than with a warm, cheesy bowl of baked pumpkin mac and cheese!
- Vanilla Chai Protein Shake: This vanilla chai protein shake tastes just like fall! Such an easy smoothie to make, and it has 27 grams of protein so it’s perfect after a workout.
- Vegan Green Bean Casserole: You can’t have Thanksgiving without a green bean casserole as a side. It’s creamy, crunchy, and carnivore approved! Your family and friends will go back for seconds!
- Sweet Potato Casserole: This sweet potato casserole is vegan, delicious, and covered in toasted marshmallows! It’s the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table when you’re craving something sweet. This side dish is so easy to make and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
This is the ultimate autumn salad! It’s perfectly balanced between savory and sweet, and packed with fall favorites like pecans, pumpkin seeds, Honeycrisp apples, kale, and dried cranberries.
Print
Fall Harvest Salad (Vegan)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Enjoy the autumn season with this delicious Fall Harvest Salad! Make this festive salad with honey crisp apples, pecans, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and an easy Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 5 cups Kale, chopped and stems removed
- 3 cups Spinach
- 1 Honey Crisp Apple, diced
- 1/3 cup Pecans
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Vegan Feta cheese
Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Maple Syrup (or agave/honey)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
- 3 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1 Garlic Clove, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
Utensils:
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Sealable Glass Jar or small bowl (for vinaigrette)
Instructions
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette: In a sealable jar or small bowl, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Shake or whisk well before pouring, as the vinaigrette naturally separates.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the 5 cups of chopped kale and pour half of the vinaigrette on top. With clean hands, massage the dressing into the kale for 1-2 minutes. This important step softens the kale and makes it easier to digest.
- Then add in the spinach, diced apple, 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, 1/3 cup pecans, 1/4 cup dried cranberries, the remaining vinaigrette, and 1/2 cup of vegan feta cheese. Mix together until the salad is evenly coated in dressing.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container and enjoy within 1 day for the best texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Salad
⭐️ RATE THE RECIPE ⭐️ and share any suggestions or feedback in the comments below. Have questions? I will post your question and respond quickly. Your feedback is valuable because it helps me fine-tune the recipe!
The apple and dressing🤤 so good!!
Kali, apple make salads so much better! 🥰 I’m happy you could try out this recipe. Thank you!