Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This salad combines all your favorite fall flavors into one bowl! Roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, goat cheese, pecans, dried cranberries and pepitas are tossed with salad greens and a homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette for a delicious meal or side dish.

Have leftover grilled chicken on hand? Add it to pump up the protein and turn this salad into a hearty meal.

Here’s what you need:

• Salad Greens: Baby spinach, spring mix, baby kale are all great. I recommend a softer green over something like Romaine here though.
• Butternut Squash: Roasted butternut squash is one of my favorite fall foods. Roasting it brings out a natural sweetness and makes it perfect for this salad. Other winter squashes like acorn or delicata are also great.
• Goat Cheese: My favorite and pairs so well with the other ingredients here.
• Apples: I love a sweeter apple like Honeycrisp or Gala here, but whatever apple you have on hand would work. Here’s a guide to different apple types to help you.
• Toppings: Pecans, dried cranberries and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) all pair nicely, but feel free to mix in walnuts, sunflower seeds or other items you have on hand.
• Homemade Vinaigrette: A simple mix of apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup (or honey), Dijon mustard and salt.

Fall Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

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Roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, goat cheese, pecans, dried cranberries and pepitas are tossed with salad greens and a homemade Apple Cider Vinaigrette for a delicious meal or side dish.

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Fall Harvest Salad

• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, cut into ½-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (5 oz.) package Spinach & Arugula mix
• 3 ounces goat cheese
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup pepitas

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Toss butternut squash with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
3. Add salad greens to large bowl. Top with butternut squash, goat cheese, apple, pecans, dried cranberries and pepitas.
4. Whisk apple cider vinegar, oil, maple syrup, mustard and salt in small bowl until well combine. Pour over salad and toss to combine.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 221Total Fat: 14gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 272mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 6g