Fall Harvest Salad

Filled with the flavors of fall, this Fall Harvest Salad is the perfect side dish for holidays or as a part of any dinner. Made with butternut squash, bacon, pecans, and dried cranberries, this is a salad you will want to make over and over again.

If you’ve got leftover butternut squash after making this recipe, use it to make this Butternut Squash Quiche with Kale or this Butternut Squash Chili with Beef.

I may not be a fan of the cooling temperatures, but fall flavors are my favorite.

So it’s no surprise that I love this Fall Harvest Salad.

If you are a regular here, you know that butternut squash is one of my very favorites. So adding it to the top of a salad was a no-brainer.

This Fall Harvest Salad is perfect with a mixture of roasted butternut squash, feta cheese, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and so much more. And the apple cider vinegar vinaigrette is perfection on this salad!

Ingredients

• Butternut Squash: You want the butternut squash to be cubed fairly small. If you are buying it already cubed, you may need cut them smaller. I made mine about 1/2″.
• Oil: You need oil to roast the squash and for the dressing. I used avocado oil, but you could also use olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Bacon: This adds great salty flavor. But if you are wanting to keep the salad vegetarian, you can leave the bacon out.
• Greens: I like to use mixed greens for this salad, but feel free to use greens of your choice.
• Feta Cheese: You could also use crumbled goat cheese, or even blue cheese.
• Pecans: I like to toast the pecans for extra flavor. You can leave these whole, or roughly chop them.
• Dried Cranberries: These add the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: The apple cider vinegar adds in some extra fall flavor, plus the acidity that you need.
• Honey: I like the dressing to be a little sweet, but you can always cut this in half if you don’t want as much sweetness.
• Mustard: I used dijon mustard, but you could also use a whole grain mustard, if desired.
• Lemon Juice: This adds a little bit of extra acidity and brightness.
• Garlic: Since we are using raw garlic, you want to make sure it is finely minced.
• Salt and Pepper: You’ll want to add salt and pepper to the butternut squash and to the dressing.

How to Make This Fall Harvest Salad

STEP 1: Start by roasting the squash. Place the cubed squash on a baking sheet and coat with the oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then roast it in the oven until it is tender and browned.

STEP 2: While the squash is cooking, combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small jar. Screw the lid on tight, then shake to combine. Transfer the dressing to the refrigerator until the rest of the salad is ready.

STEP 3: Dice the bacon and then fry it in a skillet. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and cool.

STEP 4: Assemble the salad by putting down your greens, then topping with the bacon, feta cheese, pecans, cranberries, and roasted squash. I like to add the squash when it is still a little warm. Now you can either drizzle the dressing over the top, or serve the salad with the dressing on the side so people can add it to their own portions.

Tips and Tricks

I like to slightly heat up the honey before adding it to the dressing so that it mixes in easier.

The roasted butternut squash and the dressing can be made in advance, making this salad easy to assemble before serving. (This makes it great for holidays!)

If the dressing has been added to the salad, it is best served fresh. If the dressing has not been added, you can store each component separately and then assemble the leftovers when needed.

Change It Up

This salad is very versatile! I think it’s pretty perfect the way it is, but here are some ways you can change it up.

• Swap in sweet potatoes for the butternut squash.
• Add in some fall fruit, like sliced apples or pears.
• Make it a main dish by adding in some grilled chicken, steak, or shrimp.
• If you can find pomegranate seeds, swap those in for the dried cranberries.

More Favorite Salad Recipes

Southwest Chicken Salad
Winter Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
Italian Chopped Salad

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Fall Harvest Salad

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Author: Deborah Harroun

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

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Filled with the flavors of fall, this Fall Harvest Salad is the perfect side dish for holidays or as a part of any dinner. Made with butternut squash, bacon, pecans, and dried cranberries, this is a salad you will want to make over and over again.

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Ingredients

Salad

• ▢ 3 cups cubed butternut squash
• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 1/2 lb. Bacon
• ▢ 8 oz mixed greens
• ▢ 1/3 cup feta cheese
• ▢ 1/3 cup toasted pecans
• ▢ 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Dressing

• ▢ 1/4 cup avocado oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ▢ 1 clove garlic finely minced
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Place the butternut squash on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with the 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, then season with salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Place in the hot oven and roast until the squash is tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes, stirring several times during baking time.
• While the squash is roasting, make the dressing by combining the 1/4 cup of avocado oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice, mustard, and garlic in a small jar. Screw the lid on tight, then shake to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Refrigerate until the dressing is needed.
• Cut the bacon into pieces, and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove to a paper towel lined plate.
• To assemble the salad, place the greens in a large bowl. Top with the bacon, feta cheese, pecans, cranberries, and roasted butternut squash.
• Drizzle the dressing over the top of the salad, or serve at the table so each person can add dressing to their portion.

Recipe Notes:

You can substitute another oil for the avocado oil, such as olive oil, vegetable oil, etc.

Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guide.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 322kcal (16%), Carbohydrates: 19g (6%), Protein: 6g (12%), Fat: 25g (38%), Saturated Fat: 6g (38%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 24mg (8%), Sodium: 378mg (16%), Potassium: 397mg (11%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 11g (12%)

Keywords: fall salad, harvest salad, holiday side dish