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Easy Fall Harvest Salad with Apples and Pecans

fall harvest salad with apples and pecans - featured image
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A quick and easy fall salad with crisp apples, toasted pecans, tangy feta, and a sweet-tart maple vinaigrette. Perfect for weeknights or holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

  • Mixed greens (6 cups / about 180g)
  • Apples (2 medium, Honeycrisp or Fuji, cored and thinly sliced)
  • Pecans (1 cup / 100g, raw halved)
  • Dried cranberries (1/2 cup / 60g)
  • Feta cheese (1/2 cup / 75g, crumbled)
  • Red onion (1/4 small, thinly sliced)
  • Olive oil (1/4 cup / 60ml)
  • Apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoons / 30ml)
  • Pure maple syrup (1 tablespoon / 15ml)
  • Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon)
  • Salt and black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. Toast the pecans: Place pecan halves in a dry skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan every 30 seconds until fragrant and slightly darker, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  2. Make the maple vinaigrette: In a small mason jar or bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
  3. Prep the apples and onion: Core and thinly slice apples. Thinly slice red onion. If desired, soak onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the bite, then drain and pat dry.
  4. Assemble the salad: Place mixed greens in a large bowl. Drizzle about half the vinaigrette over the greens and toss gently to coat.
  5. Add the toppings: Scatter sliced apples, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, and sliced red onion over the dressed greens. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette on top.
  6. Final toss and serve: Gently toss everything together. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately.

Notes

Toast pecans carefully to avoid burning. Dress salad lightly to avoid sogginess. For make-ahead, keep dressing separate and toss just before serving. To prevent apple browning, toss slices with lemon juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: fall salad, harvest salad, apple pecan salad, maple vinaigrette, easy salad, Thanksgiving salad, vegetarian salad

Find it online: https://noshbelle.com/easy-fall-harvest-salad-with-apples-and-pecans/