Salads don’t stop at Labor Day ~ they just get cozier. These fall-ready bowls keep things fresh while leaning into crunch, color, and comfort.
What do we mean by Fall Salads?
A fall salad leans into what’s in season ~ hearty greens, richer fruit, tangier cheeses, and a handful of nuts and seeds for crunch. Think warm colors and lots of texture. With a little extra oomph in the dressing, a fall salad is every bit as inviting as its spring or summer cousins.
tips for crafting fall salads
Lean into seasonal salad ingredients ~ here’s a great cheat sheet to choose from:
FALL FRUITS ~ apples · pears · grapes · pomegranate arils · persimmons · figs · cranberries
FALL VEG ~ roasted squash · shaved brussels · sweet potato · beets · cauliflower · carrots · cabbage
FALL GREENS ~ kale · arugula · spinach · frisée · endive · romaine · mizuna · watercress · radicchio
NUTS & SEEDS ~ pecans · walnuts · hazelnuts · pepitas · sunflower
CHEESE ~ goat · blue (gorgonzola) · brie · feta · parm shards
GRAINS/CRUNCH ~ farro · quinoa · barley · wild rice · rye
DRESSINGS/FLAVORS ~ balsamic · maple · apple cider vinegar · honey · tahini · Dijon · pomegranate molasses
Build-it formula ~ sweet (fruit) + bitter (greens) + crunch (nuts) + creamy (cheese) + grain + tangy/umami (dressing)
Fall Apple Slaw
Apple slaw takes us from Labor Day right through Thanksgiving ~ all your favorites are in there: crunchy veggies, pepitas, dried cranberries, spiced pecans, and of course juicy apples!
Kale and Fall Fruit Salad
Generous chunks of creamy camembert cheese keep this fruit and vegetable salad from feeling too lightweight. Kale leaves take the place of lettuce, and a beautiful array of late summer and fall fruits like apples, figs, and currants take center stage. But I think it’s the cider and poppy seed dressing that really takes it over the top!
Pear Salad with Creamy Walnut Vinaigrette
This show stopping salad can be made on individual plates or as one stunning platter! The creamy walnut dressing is unique and amazing.
Apple Salad with Celery and Walnuts
The quintessential fall salad featuring everybody’s favorite fall fruit and tons of crunch! Walnuts and celery add a hint of bitterness for a sophisticated flavor profile.
Charcuterie Salad
My charcuterie salad is the dictionary definition of a hearty salad! And this one can totally be a meal in itself.
Fig and Fried Goat Cheese Salad
Tomatoes, figs, walnuts, and irresistible little rounds of fried goat cheese make an unlikely but AMAZING combination in this salad.
Caesar Kale Slaw
Garlicky Caesar kale slaw combines healthy kale with a luxurious homemade Caesar dressing, buttery Parmesan cheese, and crunchy mini croutons. Who needs a main course when you’ve got a side dish like this??
Broccoli Honeycrisp Slaw
This hybrid slaw is a fabulous way to transition from summer to fall, and Honeycrisp apples add the perfect sweet crunch.
Wild Rice Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette
A classic wild rice salad with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, and Granny Smith apples!
Roasted Apple and Radicchio Salad with Bacon
I just love the mix of flavors here. Sweet, roasted apples and bitter, crisp radicchio work beautifully with the salty, savory bacon making this salad main-course-worthy.
Apple, Fennel, and Salami Salad
This unusual fall salad comes together in a flash ~ it’s perfect for those first chilly lunches of the season.
Black Rice Salad with Roasted Vegetables
If leafy green salads just aren’t your thing, this rice salad combines the best of late summer (cherry tomatoes, zesty fresh mint), with the best of early fall (roasted Brussels sprouts, beets, toasted hazelnuts and potatoes) for a super-satisfying meal.
Beet and Wild Rice Salad with Spiced Pecans
Delicious! You need to make this ultimate fall salad, if only for those pecans!
Kale and Butternut Salad with Maple Spiced Pecans
A fall salad that’s healthy and colorful ( with, yes, more pecans!) Shredding the kale makes it extra tender and butternut squash adds a touch of sweetness.
Roasted Beet and Burrata Salad
The last of the summer basil meets the first fall root crops and magic happens!
Rye and Carrot Salad
I love this simple earthy fall salad ~ the chewy rye berries go so well with the sweet tender carrots.
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Wheat Berry Salad with Beets and Feta
This hearty grain based salad just seems to get better the longer it hangs out in the fridge!
Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries
This classic wild rice salad goes from working lunch to the Thanksgiving table and back again all season long.
Winter Slaw with Citrus Vinaigrette
Fresh citrus and lots of cruciferous crunch makes this colorful slaw perfect for fall and winter meals.
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Loaded Farro Salad
One of my favorites, this healthy grain salad is packed with protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and lots of flavor and crunch, aka everything you need to deliciously power through your day.
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Shaved Vegetable Salad
This show stopping shaved veggie salad is surprisingly simple to make with a mandoline slicer.
Spicy Citrus Salad with Black Olives
This vibrant citrus salad practically glows on the dinner table!
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