Fall Harvest Salad Recipe – Kath Eats Actual Meals

This fall harvest salad recipe is made with massaged kale as the bottom and topped with roasted butternut squash, crumbled blue cheese, sliced honeycrisp apple, and crunchy spiced pecans. A maple and apple cider dressing brings all of it collectively.

This can be a fall harvest salad you’re going to wish to dive into! 

I like the autumn flavors and seasonal produce of autumn. Warming spices, roasted greens, gourds, and hearty kale.

This fall harvest salad is a bit heartier than summery ones due to a lot of satisfying fiber from chopped kale and roasted butternut squash. This salad isn’t solely healthful and nutritious however filling and satisfying as nicely. The distinction in flavors between cinnamon-dusted squash, tart blue cheese, and crunchy candy pecans is heaven on earth. 

The kale will get massaged in a easy maple syrup and apple cider vinegar salad dressing. Only a trace of garlic taste goes a great distance. 

This harvest salad recipe makes a colourful addition in your vacation desk as nicely, whether or not its the principle course at a girls lunch (add some grilled rooster on high) or as a aspect dish to a Thanksgiving desk.

Fall Harvest Salad Recipe

Components

Butternut Squash – both one giant complete squash or a bathtub of pre-cubed squash from the grocery retailer

Kale – a big head, 2 mediums, or a bag of pre-chopped to avoid wasting time

Honeycrisp Apple – my favourite however use no matter you want!

Spiced Pecans – you can too use plain and toast them. Or one other sort of spiced nut. 

Blue Cheese – Bleu d’auvergne is my favourite selection. Purchase it in a block and crumbled it your self. Pre-crumbled all the time tastes slightly flat to me. 

Cinnamon – Only a dusting for the squash to roast in. 

Maple + Apple Cider French dressing

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup additional virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• Salt + pepper

Substitutions

• Butternut is my favourite squash to roast! Acorn squash would work too. It’s also possible to use roasted candy potato and even roasted pumpkin (together with its pumpkin seeds, roasted and spiced) if you happen to don’t love butternut squash. 
• You should utilize combined greens if you happen to’d desire and toss them with the dressing at serving time.
• Blue cheese not your factor? Feta cheese or goat cheese would work too.
• Sub pear for apple! 

Directions

Step 1: Roast Squash

Preheat the oven to 400 levels. If utilizing an entire butternut, wash the squash, peel off the pores and skin, slice it in half, de-seed, and chop into cubes. 

Unfold cubes of butternut squash out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on cinnamon. Therapeutic massage butternut till nicely coated and bake for 30-35 minutes, till fork tender and browning on the edges.

Step 2: Prep Components

Whereas squash bakes, wash and dry kale and take away any stems. Chop the kale into small items. Slice the honeycrisp apple thinly. Crumble blue cheese.

Step 3: Make The Dressing

To make the dressing, grate or press garlic clove (use as little or as a lot as you want, relying in your palate) and mix all components in a jar and whisk or shake.

Step 4: Therapeutic massage Kale and Marinate

Therapeutic massage kale with dressing utilizing clear palms till kale is brilliant inexperienced and softens. Permit to take a seat and marinate a minimum of 20 minutes.

Step 5: Assemble Salad

Add massaged and dressed kale to a big bowl and toss with roasted butternut squash, apple, pecans, and blue cheese. Add any remaining dressing. 

Step 6: Serve

Recipe Notes

Shortcuts: Save your self a bunch of steps if you will discover pre-cubed for value on the grocery retailer. 

Add-ons: Add a grain like wheatberries or bulgur for additional protein and fiber. Pomegranate arils or dried cranberries would add a bit extra sweetness. 

Make-ahead: This can be a nice make-ahead salad as a result of massaged kale will get higher with time! If you realize you’ll be making it nicely upfront, reserve slightly dressing so as to add at serving time since loads of it will get soaked into the kale within the fridge. Additionally, depart pecans out and add on the final minute to maintain them from getting soggy. 

Serve: Function a aspect, a lightweight lunch or as a base for a meal salad with protein of your alternative on high. Grilled rooster or leftover vacation turkey can be very best. 

Retailer: Retailer in an air-tight container within the fridge for 2-3 days. 

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