This Fall Harvest Salad is loaded with kale, butternut squash, and apples. It’s refreshing, hearty, and filling, and it’s also a great meal-prep lunch.
Today is the official first day of fall, and I have the perfect way for us to celebrate! This Fall Harvest Salad is packed with kale, roasted butternut squash, and crisp apples. It’s topped off with a delicious creamy apple cider vinegar dressing and is great for meal prep.
What’s your favorite season? I’ve always gravitated to the seasons that bring less extreme weather: spring and fall. Although my husband and I got married in spring, and I love the newness it brings, something about fall makes it number one for me.
Why Your Body Will Love This Fall Salad
- Digestive Health – Butternut squash’s high fiber content helps blood sugar levels, digestive flow, and weight management. Fiber also helps carry out the not-so-good cholesterol in the blood.
- Eye Health – Butternut squash contains antioxidants like Vitamins A, C, and E, which promote eye health, from cataract prevention to night blindness to macular degeneration.
- Digestive Health – Chickpeas are high in insoluble fiber, which helps bulk up the digestive system and prevent constipation. The fiber in beans also acts as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the large intestine and carries out toxins in the system.
What You’ll Need For This Fall Harvest Salad Recipe
- Butternut Squash – I see butternut squash in the grocery store year-round these days, but it’s really a fall/winter squash and perfect for roasting. I roast it with a little olive oil and salt, and it has such a nice, sweet flavor. If you can’t find butternut squash, you can also use sweet potatoes or another kind of winter squash.
- Kale – I chose kale as my green for this Fall Harvest Salad because it’s hearty, has a great raw texture, and stands up well to the other flavors. You can also use spinach or your favorite lettuce mix.
- Apples – Apples add the perfect texture and sweetness to this salad. You can use any variety you like here, but a Honeycrisp would be perfect.
- Chickpeas – I added chickpeas for protein. They’re usually my go-to legume in a salad (that’s not Mexican) because they have a mild flavor and go well with many other ingredients.
- Walnuts – I like to add toasted nuts to my salads because they have such great flavor and a nice crunchy texture. I usually choose nuts over croutons in my salads, and walnuts are perfect for this time of year.
- Red Onion – I just love a little bite of red onion in my salads. It helps cut the richness of butternut squash and walnuts and adds great color.
Creamy Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
I love experimenting with making my own salad dressings and this Fall Harvest Salad definitely calls for a special dressing! It made sense to use apple cider vinegar for this autumn salad, and I love adding tahini to my dressings to make them creamy. Tahini also adds a nice nuttiness and helps tame down the acid from the vinegar.
How To Make This Hearty Autumn Salad
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel the butternut squash, cut it in half, scoop out all the seeds, and dice it into bite-size pieces. On a large sheet pan, toss together the squash, olive oil, and salt. Roast the squash until fork-tender, 30-40 minutes.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl or jar and mix until combined. Depending on the consistency of your tahini, you may need to add extra water/oil. The brand I buy is pretty liquidy. Add chopped kale to a large bowl and drizzle on about 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale for about 30 seconds.
- Next, add the roasted butternut squash and remaining ingredients and mix until combined. If desired, top with fresh parsley and drizzle on the desired amount of salad dressing for each individual serving.
Fall Harvest Salad For Meal Prep
This salad is perfect for meal prep! The kale is really hearty, so it will hold up in the refrigerator for a few days. This salad is also packed with protein from the chickpeas and walnuts, so it’s filling and light at the same time. I always look forward to lunch when I know I have a loaded salad like this waiting for me 🙂
Have a question about this recipe? Ask me in the comments, and I’ll get back to you ASAP.
Looking For More Hearty and Delicious Salad Recipes?
Fall-Inspired Mason Jar Salads
Protein Packed Three Bean Quinoa Salad
Loaded Quinoa and Sweet Potato Salad
Roasted Delicata Squash Salad with Kale and Chickpeas
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Fall Harvest Salad
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Fall Harvest Salad is packed with so many delicious seasonal ingredients! It’s great for lunch and keeps well in the refrigerator for a few days.
Ingredients
- 1 medium sized butternut squash
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large bunch curly kale, ribs removed and chopped up
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 large apple, or two medium apples, cored and diced
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- Chopped parsley for garnish, if desired
Creamy Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing:
- 1/3 cup water or olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (use 3 tablespoons if you don’t want it too acidic)
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. Peel butternut squash, but it in half, scoop out all the seeds and dice into bite size pieces. On a large sheet pan, toss together butternut squash, olive oil and salt. Roast squash until fork tender, 30-40 minutes.
- Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl, or jar, and mix until combined. You may need to add extra water/oil depending on the consistency of your tahini. The brand I buy is pretty liquidy. Add chopped kale to a large bowl and drizzle on about 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Use your hands to massage the dressing into the kale for about 30 seconds.
- Next, add the roasted butternut squash and remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Top with fresh parsley, if desired and drizzle on desired amount of salad dressing for your individual serving.
Notes
To make salad for meal prep: divide all ingredients into four glass containers. Dress the salad just before eating to keep it from getting soggy. Store salad in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Category: Lunch, Salad, Vegan, Gluten Free
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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