Ultimate Fall Harvest Salad you Can Make Ahead
There’s something about a fall harvest salad that captures the spirit of the season—earthy, vibrant, and bursting with flavors that celebrate the bounty of fall. Today, I’m sharing one of my go-to recipes for an ultimate fall harvest salad that’s as beautiful as it is delicious, and the best part? You can make it ahead and it is easy to transport, so it’s perfect for Thanksgiving or any other fall gathering. I am joining some of my content creator pals, and we are sharing our favorite Thanksgiving recipes. Let’s make my Ultimate Fall Harvest Salad you Can Make Ahead shall we?
Table Setting-Ultimate Fall Harvest Salad
You know any party at my home would have to start with a pretty fall tablescape that “incorporates natural elements, collected tableware, layered fall colors and woven chargers and antique-inspired candlesticks” . Google said that. I will admit he/she is pretty accurate.
The bar is ready
The bar is ready for guests.
With a little help from Scouty, I am attempting to set the table.
Center stage on my fall table is my vintage dough bowl filled with a mixture of pumpkins, gourds, leaves and faux wheat.
The chargers I have owned for years, as well as the dinnerware, flatware and napkins. All that is available and similar linked below.
Shop my Table
Ultimate Fall Harvest Salad you Can Make Ahead
If you have been reading this blog long you know I am a big fan of a good salad (heartier green salads in particular). This autumn salad is packed with tons of your favorite fall flavors. It is kale-based and is combined with honeycrisp apples (you could substitute any tart apples), persimmons, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pomegranate seeds (or pomegranate arils), feta cheese , and more. It is dressed with a delicious maple vinaigrette and crunchy toppings.The best thing about this salad is you don’t have to toss the leftovers!
Professional food bloggers would now show you multiple pictures before you get to the recipe. Here are the ingredients that. compose the salad.
Ingredients
* Greens-kale for the best results (lacinto kale, curly kale, baby kale or tuscan)
You could also substitute any leafy greens if you aren’t worried about making it ahead and will eat it right away
*Fruits-persimmons & honey crisp apples
You could also add butternut squash or dried cranberries
*Nuts & Seeds (for crunchy toppings)-sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate seeds
(or pomegranate aerils depending on where you live)
*Cheese-Feta ( you could also use goat but feta holds up best)
*Salad Dressing-Maple Syrup Vinaigrette ( or any homemade vinaigrette of your choice)
made with olive oil, cider vinegar, dijon mustard
Harvest Salad
Ingredients
- Salad Ingredients
- ▢1/4 cup toasted sunflower seeds
- ▢2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- ▢3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ▢1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ▢1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- ▢pinch red pepper flakes
- ▢3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- ▢6 cups chopped kale tough ribs removed
- ▢2 honeycrisp apples thinly sliced
- ▢2 persimmons sliced
- ▢seeds from 1 pomegranate
- ▢1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Maple Syrup Vinaigrette
- ▢1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- ▢1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ▢1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
- ▢2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- ▢1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ▢2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- ▢kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, toss together the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, maple, cayenne, and cinnamon. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Lay the prosciutto flat around the nuts. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the nuts are toasted and the prosciutto is crisp. Watch both closely. Sprinkle the nuts with sea salt .
- On a largeplatter place the kale, sliced apples & persimmons.
- To make the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad. Top the salad with the pomegranate seeds, toasted nuts, prosciutto, and feta. Bon Appetit!
To Transport the Salad:
If you are transporting the salad. The night before or day of:Place the chopped kale in a bowl. Place the salad dressing in a jar.In separate small covered containers; place the nut mixture , the pom seeds the apples sprinkled with lemon juice and persimmons, the feta, and the prosciutto.If you would like a composed salad place on a platter as stated above, or toss all ingredients together and enjoy.
For more salad ideas you might enjoy Real Simple Twelve Salads that You can Make Ahead, or my post, The Best Summer Salads from Cindy Hattersley. or Let’s Make A Delicious Salad with Pantry Ingredients here.
I hope this ultimate fall harvest salad brings as much joy to your table as it does to mine.It’s a great way to celebrate the season’s bounty with a salad that is fresh, colorful, and full of flavor. With its make-ahead ease, this salad is the perfect addition to any autumn gathering. You could easily add chicken for a one dish cozy meal at home. I love that it captures the warmth and heartiness of fall without a lot of fuss, so you can focus on enjoying the company of family and friends. Give it a try, and let me know if it becomes one of your fall favorites too!
Thank you for being here and reading the Ultimate Fall Harvest Salad you Can Make Ahead. Do you have a fall salad that is your go to? Please share in the comments if so. Now let’s pop over and visit my friends.
The salad looks scrumptious! I like your menu for Thanksgiving. I’m so happy this time of year…cooler temperatures, good friends and family and tasty food.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Karen B.
I feel exactly the same Karen! Love soup season!
Great salad—is there a quantity on the pecans?
Hi Annelise
I emailed you. That was a typo. It should have said sunflower seeds. I corrected!
Your table setting looks so good and so does your menu and am tempted to give one of the salads a go. However, last year my sister hosted Thanksgiving (here in Australia, but she (is naturalised American, the hubby and daughter are American). There were 30 family members, each bringing a salad – but were hardly touched, whilst the turkey, potato bake, sweet potato mash were gobbled up (excuse the pun). The pumpkin pie, alas, was not a hit. She is doing the same again this year, but told people to bring drinks instead. Although Thanksgiving is an American tradition, our Aussie family, especially the young children are firmly embracing it – with their own Turkey Revolution concert. It will be a fun night, especially with the mozzie bug zapper on full pelt
Hi Susan
Our family does love salads but we do two stuffings, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry salad, and everything else as well!
Hi Cindy. Am looking for different salads to do Christmas Day (as I think it will be very hot this year). Not sure if it is a family recipe, but the Cranberry salad sounds perfect to have with cold turkey and ham. Only hope fresh cranberries aren’t needed as they are not available in Australia – only frozen and dried. Thank you
Meant to add, are you happy to publish the recipe on your blog?
Cindy, you had me at make ahead. The fact that the ingredients are yummy and the presentation is gorgeous is just a bonus. I will be bringing this on Thanksgiving.
Hi Debra
I always feel like salads are tough to travel. It is a great fall salad that you can take to someone’s home and enjoy the leftovers if there are any?
I enjoyed a similar salad at The Black Sheep Restaurant downtown Minneapolis. Instead of persimmons it had cooked and cubes butternut squash, walnuts instead of pecans..delicious!!
I have an unrelated question …I started using (at your recommendation )and love the Davines Alchemist Silver shampoo and conditioner. Now they no longer supply the conditioner…do you know why ?
.
.
Hi Peggy
I don’t see it on the Amazon site currently but it is still available on their website
https://rstyle.me/+LDdwLU85S7pXHgVCRunG4g
It is the best isn’t it?
Cindy this is California in a Thanksgiving dish! Your salad is absolutely stunning, but most of all it looks delicious. I love all those things and right now I have persimmons, pomegranates, pumpkin seeds, and all those things.
I also appreciate your instructions on how to take it to someone else’s house.
I love your table too Cindy
So fun.
Thanks Kim I am going to make your green beans this year for a change!!
This is beautiful. I hope I can find persimmons! Howard will if I put it on the list 🙂
Pinned this!
You and Howard are the ultimate hosts. I can’t imagine anyone would feel more welcome anywhere than they do at your home
Your table is fabulous! I am hosting this year in Arizona. The Harvest Salad is one I will put in my rotation of salads for the week of Thanksgiving. Thank you so much for sharing with everyone.
Kathleen Esposito
Hi Kathleen!
Thank you for weighing in. Thanksgiving in Arizona I know will be beautiful!!
This salad is GORGEOUS Cindy! And you had me at “make ahead” – I do everything myself on Thanksgiving so do-ahead dishes are a must! Thanks as always for including me! xoxo
Hi Sheri
We do Thanksgiving for between 20-25 people every year, fortunately everyone brings something!
So delicious and pretty.
Cindy,
Your salad looks perfect and delicious too! I cannot wait to make this, not just for Thanksgiving but all winter long!
Love your Fall/Thanksgiving table, you always make everything look effortless!
Cindy! Your Autumn Harvest Salad is a work of art! And make ahead…too good to be true. Your table looks gorgeous.
xx
Cindy! First of all your table is gorgeous. Love those animal print napkins. Of course, your salad is just as stunning and I can’t wait to make it. I always say this, but you’re the queen of a pretty platter. xo