Harvest Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
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Take a big bite of Harvest Salad that's loaded with honeycrisp apples, pears, sweet potatoes, cranberries, bacon, crunchy pecans and feta cheese. It's tossed in a sweet and tangy Poppy Seed Vinaigrette that's crisp and savory, which makes it an ideal salad for autumn!
Great Fall Salad Recipe!
- Seasonal Flavors: some of the best produce is available in the fall featuring many different flavors.
- Fresh Ingredients: include all of your favorite autumn fruits and veggies in a single bowl.
- Better with Bacon: just a handful of crispy bacon makes everything better!
There's nothing like a fall harvest salad recipe straight from the farmer's market. It's made with everything you love about autumn in one big bite!
You'll have a hard time finding another hearty salad that's as vibrant and delicious as this one. It's packed with fruits, nuts, cheese and veggies that will keep you satisfied all day long.
This autumn recipe is the perfect side dish for your holiday table at Thanksgiving! Need more ideas? Try my Strawberry Pecan Salad which also tastes great with homemade poppy seed vinaigrette.
Ingredient List
Find your favorite fall ingredients at your local grocery store, roadside stand or farmer's market. See recipe card at the end of this page for quantities.
- Mixed Greens: spinach and arugula
- Salad Toppings: sweet potato, apple, pear, bacon, feta cheese, pecans, dried cranberries
- Vinaigrette: extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, shallot (or red onion), poppy seeds, ground mustard, salt and black pepper
How to Make Harvest Salad
- Pierce sweet potato with a fork in several places. Cook the sweet potato in the microwave for 3 minutes on a plate, then flip it and cook for an additional 3 minutes until soft. Set it aside and let it cool for a few minutes. Alternatively, bake it in a 425º F oven for 45 minutes.
- Microwave the bacon as directed on the package, then tear into rustic pieces.
- Chop the apple, pear and cooked sweet potato into cubes.
- On a large platter, mix spinach and arugula together in a single layer.
- Group ingredients together and add them in strips on top of the greens, starting in the middle with bacon and working out towards the edges of the platter, ending with feta cheese on both sides.
How to Make Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
- Gather all ingredients together. Add them to a small bowl or mason jar.
- Shake the jar or whisk ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Drizzle dressing over the top of the entire dish just before serving.
Customize It!
- Add protein such as grilled chicken breast, roasted turkey or marinated steak kabobs.
- Top it with pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds, shelled pistachios, walnuts, or sunflower seeds.
- Include veggies like brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash or chopped kale.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey to sweeten the dressing, or substitute balsamic vinaigrette.
- Choose creamy goat cheese, blue cheese, or white cheddar cheese as an optional garnish.
Serving Suggestions
Fall is my favorite time of year, and this colorful salad is the best part! You can serve it with just about anything, but here are a few suggestions...
- White Chicken Chili - this entree pairs well since it's so warm and cozy.
- Dutch Oven Turkey Breast - serve turkey breast with a harvest salad and you have a complete meal!
- Oven Baked Bone-In Pork Chops - easy to make and ready in 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Mixed greens, baby spinach, kale, or arugula are all great options. Kale is especially sturdy, but it tastes better if you massage it first.
Grilled chicken, roasted turkey, quinoa, or chickpeas are excellent protein options. For even greater flavor, consider roasting the nuts before adding them to the top.
Yes, but it's best to store the greens, toppings, and dressing separately to prevent them from becoming soggy. Assemble just before serving for the freshest taste.
Tips for Success
- Cook the bacon and sweet potato ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Be sure to pierce the potato before cooking.
- If you don't have red wine vinegar, use any other type like apple cider vinegar or white distilled.
Storing Leftovers
Refrigerate the mixed greens (without dressing) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Keep toppings in separate containers and add them on top of the mixed greens when ready to serve.
The poppy seed vinaigrette should be refrigerated in a separate airtight container for up to a week.
More Salad Recipes
Looking for more great fall recipes? Here are a few of my favorites...
Recipe Card
Harvest Salad with Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
*See notes in blog post for detailed tips, photos and instructions.
Equipment
- platter (or large shallow bowl)
Ingredients
Harvest Salad
- 6 cups spinach and arugula (mixed together)
- 4 slices pre-cooked microwaveable bacon (chopped)
- 1 medium sweet potato, cooked (cubed)
- 1 large honeycrisp apple (cubed)
- 1 large pear (cubed)
- 1 cup feta cheese (crumbed)
- ½ cup pecan halves (halved or chopped)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (or other vinegar of your choice)
- ⅛ cup honey
- 1 Tablespoon onion or shallot (finely chopped)
- 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 Tablespoon stone ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper (cracked if desired)
Instructions
Harvest Salad
- Pierce a large sweet potato with a fork in several places. Cook the sweet potato in the microwave for 3 minutes, then flip it and cook for an additional 3 minutes until soft. Set it aside and let it cool for a few minutes before cutting into cubes.
- Microwave the bacon as directed on the package, then tear into rustic pieces.
- Chop the apple, pear and cooked sweet potato into cubes on a cutting board with a sharp knife.
- On a large platter, mix spinach and arugula together in a single layer.
- Group ingredients together and add them in strips on top of the greens, starting in the middle and working out towards the edges of the platter, ending with feta cheese on both sides.
Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
- Mix all of the vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl or mason jar.
- Shake the jar or whisk ingredients until thoroughly combined.
- Drizzle dressing over fall harvest salad just before serving.
Notes
- You can alternately bake the sweet potato in a 425ºF oven for 45 minutes and cook regular bacon on the stovetop until crispy if desired.
- Refrigerate the mixed greens (without dressing) in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Keep toppings in separate containers and add them on top of the mixed greens when ready to serve.
- The poppy seed vinaigrette should be refrigerated in a separate airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is an auto generated estimate.
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I've made this and it's really good. The poppy seed dressing is my favorite. I also like that it has sweet potatoes on it. Tastes good with the feta.