Autumn Harvest Salad Recipe

This fall harvest salad recipe is made with rubbed turnip as a base and topped with roasted butternut squash, crumbled blue cheese, crunchy honey apple slices, and crunchy pecans. Maple syrup and apple juice bring it all together.

This is a fall harvest salad you’ll want to dive into!

I love fall flavors and seasonal products for fall. Heat the spices, roasted vegetables, pumpkin and turnip.

This fall harvest salad is a heartier than the summer one thanks to plenty of satisfying fiber from chopped kale and roasted squash. This salad is not only healthy and nutritious, but also filling and satisfying. The contrast in flavors between the cinnamon-covered squash, tart blue cheese and sweet, crunchy walnuts is heaven on earth.

Rub kale in simple maple syrup and apple cider vinegar salad dressing. Just a touch of garlic flavor goes a long way.

This harvest salad recipe makes a colorful addition to your holiday table, too, whether it’s the main dish at a ladies’ lunch (add some roast chicken on top) or as a side dish at the Thanksgiving table.

Ingredients

butternut squash Either a large whole squash or a bowl of pre-made zucchini from the grocery store

cabbage – Large head, 2 medium, or pre-chopped bag to save time

Apple Honey Crisp My favourite, but use what you want!

pecan mutabal You can also use plain and roast it. Or another kind of spiced hazelnut.

blue cheese – Bleu d’auvergne is my favorite variety. Buy it in a block and crumble it yourself. Before crumbling it always tastes a little flat to me.

cinnamon Just dust for roasting the squash.

Maple + apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic
salt + pepper

alternatives

Walnuts are my favorite squash for roasting! Acorn squash will also work. You can also use roasted sweet potatoes or even roasted squash (along with roasted and seasoned pumpkin seeds) if you don’t like squash.
You can use mixed vegetables if you prefer and toss them with the sauce at serving time.
Blue cheese isn’t your thing? Feta or goat cheese can also be used.
Pear sub for apples!

instructions

Step 1: Roast the squash

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. If you are using a whole nut, wash the squash, peel it, cut it in half, remove the seeds, and cut it into cubes.

Arrange squash cubes on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over cinnamon. Toss the walnuts until well covered and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the fork has softened and browned at the edges.

Step 2: Prepare the ingredients

While the squash is baking, wash and dry the turnips and remove any stems. Cut the turnip into small pieces. Cut the apple into thin slices. Blue cheese crumbs.

Step 3: Make the sauce

To prepare the sauce, grate or press a clove of garlic (use as little or as much as you like, depending on your taste) and mix all the ingredients in a jar and whisk or shake.

Step 4: Turnip Massage and Soak

Massage the kale with the bandages using clean hands until the kale is light green and softened. Let it sit and marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Step 5: Assemble the power

Add the rubbed, covered turnip to a large bowl and toss with the roasted squash, apples, walnuts, and blue cheese. Add any remaining seasoning.

Sixth Step: Apply

Recipe notes

abbreviations: Save yourself a bunch of steps if you can find cubes in advance at a good price at the grocery store.

Add-onsAdd a grain like buckwheat or bulgur for more protein and fibre. Pomegranate or dried cranberries add more sweetness.

pre-made: This is a great salad because the rubbed turnip gets better over time! If you know you’re going to make it ahead of time, reserve a bit of the sauce to add at serving time because a lot of it soaks in the kale in the fridge. Also, leave the walnuts out and add them at the last minute to keep them from getting wet.

serve: Serve as a side dish, as a light lunch, or as a base for a salad with a protein of your choice on top. Roast chicken or leftover turkey would be ideal.

a storeStore in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.