Fall Harvest Salad
This Fall Harvest Salad is an easy to share, fresh and flavorful spin on the classic Cobb salad using seasonal fall ingredients. Layered with color, texture, and autumn flavor, it’s great for a quick and easy lunch or as a crowd-pleasing, colorful party dish.
When fall rolls around, we’re always looking for ways to add cozy autumn flavors to our regular roster of recipes, and this salad has become one of my all-time favorites. This Fall Harvest Salad is a festive, autumn-inspired twist on the classic Cobb salad, built as a shareable board packed with fresh, flavorful, and colorful fall ingredients. Quick to assemble and easy to prep ahead, this salad is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or fall entertaining with friends and family.
Made with roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, smoky bacon, creamy cheese and a maple balsamic vinaigrette, this fall salad is the ultimate combination of sweet, savory and crunchy. It hits every flavor and texture note, and it’s just as fun to build as it is to eat. Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, be sure to try some of these other delicious salad ideas. We love this Epic Cobb Salad Board for another twist on a classic and this easy Wedge Salad Bar is great for entertaining.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fresh & Colorful Fall Salad: This recipe is a great way to bring fresh ingredients, vibrant colors and fall flavors to a classic main-dish salad. It’s delicious autumnal twist on the classic.
- Served as a Board: Salad, served as a deconstructed “make your own” version on a big board makes it an easy, impressive centerpiece for gatherings.
- Balances Savory with Sweet: Every bite gets a little of of salty from the bacon and goat cheese, with a touch of sweet from the apple, cranberries, and maple. It’s the perfect flavor pairing.
- Great to Prep Ahead: This recipe has simple make-ahead components that are easy to prep in advance, meaning there’s less last-minute work before serving.
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- Mixed Greens: The fresh base, use your favorite mix. Baby spinach, a spring mix or a combination work perfectly.
- Bacon: Adds a nice smokey flavor and crunch.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: For added protein and classic flavor.
- Roasted Butternut Squash: Sweet and hearty, this adds a nice caramelized flavor when roasted.
- Apple: For sweetness and crunch, use your favorite kind — we like Honey Crisp and Pink Lady.
- Goat Cheese: Adds a creamy, tangy bite.
- Pepitas: For a nutty crunch.
- Cranberries: Adds another layer of sweetness and texture.
For The Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Balsamic Vinegar: The rich, sweet and tangy base of the dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: Hot and sharp in flavor, balances well with the vinegar and maple.
- Maple Syrup: For sweetness.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste.
How To Make Fall Harvest Salad
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Roast diced butternut squash on a foil-lined sheet pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper for about 20 minutes.
3. Whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar.
4. Arrange mixed greens on a large platter or in a bowl. Top with bacon, hard-boiled eggs, butternut squash, apple, goat cheese, pepitas, and dried cranberries.
5. Serve the vinaigrette on the side.
Expert Tips
- Roast Squash Ahead of Time: You can roast the butternut squash a day in advance, then cool and refrigerate to help save time on serving day.
- Serve the Vinaigrette on the Side: Serving the dressing in a separate dish on the side rather than tossed in will keep the board fresh-looking and tasting longer ( (no sogginess).
- Arrange Ingredients in Distinct Sections: Placing and organizing ingredients by the group on the platter is key for an eye-catching presentation.
- Use Pre-Cooked or Diced Butternut Squash: Find this in the freezer or refrigerated section at the store to cut back on prep time.
Variations
- Try a Different Protein: Swap the bacon for rotisserie or grilled chicken for a different protein swap, or keep both in for extra protein.
- Use a Different Dried Fruit: Try dried cherries in place of dried cranberries for another chewy, fruity bite.
- Add Another Type of Cheese: Swap goat cheese for crumbled feta or blue cheese.
- Add Extra Veggies: Add sliced red onion or avocado for extra flavor and texture.
Storage
This salad is best assembled and served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store roasted squash, bacon, and eggs separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Store the vinaigrette separately up to 1 week, then assemble with fresh greens and preferred ingredients just before serving.
You can prep some of the salad components in advance to save time on serving day. Make the vinaigrette, and wash and prep all the veggies the day before and store in an airtight containers in the fridge until it’s time to assemble. We do recommend waiting to prep the apples and hard-boiled eggs until close to serving time so they stay fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. Prep and cook the squash the day before, cool, then store in an airtight container until it’s time to assemble and serve.
Sure – omit the bacon and swap in extra veggies, chickpeas or plant-based bacon or tofu.
Feta and blue cheese are great, flavorful options if you don’t have goat cheese.
Sure. We like the rich tanginess of balsamic, but you could use a honey dijon, apple cider vinaigrette, or even a blue cheese dressing.
More Easy Fall Recipes
Fall Cobb Salad
Ingredients
- 5 oz mixed greens
- 6 slices cooked bacon chopped
- 3 hard-boiled eggs quartered
- 1.5 cups diced roasted butternut squash
- 1 apple cored and diced
- 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
- 3 tbsp pepitas pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt and
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Roast diced butternut squash on a foil-lined sheet pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper for about 20 minutes.
- Whisk together balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar.
- Arrange mixed greens on a large platter or in a bowl. Top with bacon, hard-boiled eggs, butternut squash, apple, goat cheese, pepitas, and dried cranberries.
- Serve the vinaigrette on the side.
Notes
- This salad is best assembled and served fresh, but if you have leftovers, store roasted squash, bacon, and eggs separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Store the vinaigrette separately up to 1 week, then assemble with fresh greens and preferred ingredients just before serving.
- Prep some of the salad components in advance to save time on serving day. Make the vinaigrette, and wash and prep all the veggies the day before and store in an airtight containers in the fridge until it’s time to assemble. We do recommend waiting to prep the apples and hard-boiled eggs until close to serving time so they stay fresh.
