Fall Salad Recipes

FAQS

Best Greens for a Fall Salad?

• The base of a salad is most often a mixture of leafy greens such as iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, cabbage, spinach, arugula, or kale. You can also use pasta as a base for salad. Generally, I use smaller noodles that you can spear with a fork such as shells, bow tie, penne, wagon wheel, and rigatoni.

What Produce and Protein Can Be Put in a Fall Harvest Salad? 

• Favorite produce includes cabbage, carrots, broccoli, figs, grapes, pears, pomegranate, brussels sprouts, red onion, cauliflower, beets, roast butternut squash, cranberry, apples, citrus, delicata squash, or roasted sweet potatoes. Use whatever you think tastes great whether it’s in season or not. Take advantage of all the different colors and textures and give your eyes a feast before your mouth.
• Favorite proteins and more. I love adding grilled steak or chicken breasts, cubed ham, boiled eggs, or bacon. Grains like farro or wild rice are also great additions. This is an easy way to increase a salad’s nutritional value and make it more hearty and filling.

What Toppings Go Well on a Fall Salad?

• Cheese. Cheese is an easy ingredient to add an extra layer of flavor to pasta salads or veggie salads. It can be cubed, shredded, or crumbled. Some favorite cheeses include feta cheese, creamy goat cheese, parmesan cheese, blue cheese, gorgonzola cheese, and cheddar cheese.
• Nuts and seeds. Almonds, walnuts, and pecans are the most used nuts, but any type can be used. Try them candied: Candied Pecans, Candied Walnuts, and Easy Candied Almonds all make a salad extra special. You can also toss in some poppy seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds for a nice crunch.
• Fresh herbs. When adding herbs use a very light touch. You don’t want their flavor to overwhelm the rest of the dish. Some favorite autumn herbs include parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme, chives, lavender, cilantro, and mint. You can also use salt and black pepper to season your salad. 

Best Dressing For Fall Salads?

• Most recipes will give you dressing suggestions, but here are some individual dressing recipes you may like to have: Homemade Ranch Dressing, Pesto Salad Dressing, Caesar Salad Dressing Recipe, Café Rio Dressing, or Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette.

How Much Salad Should I Plan to Make?

• When serving as a side dish plan to serve ½-1 cup (4-6 ounces) pasta salad per guest. For green/vegetable salads plan to serve 1-2 cups (2½ -5 ounces) per person.

Make Salad Ahead of Time?

• Most salads can be assembled 24 hours in advance and kept covered in the fridge. However, do not add the dressing until right before serving.
• Prepare the different elements and keep them in separate containers until you’re ready to toss them together and serve. Make dressing up to a week ahead of time and store it in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge. Give it a good shake before pouring.

How to Store Leftover Salad?

• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Note that green salads that already have dressing will only last 1-2 days. Pasta salads tend to get a bit dry when stored, so add extra dressing before eating the leftovers.