Fall Harvest Salad

Fall Harvest Salad - a gorgeous, fresh salad with a seasonal twist. Fresh apple, creamy blue cheese, candied walnuts brought together with dried cherries and peppery arugula. Top it with a beautiful maple balsamic glaze to tie the whole thing together! This fall harvest salad is perfect for a fall dinner party, Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving dinner party. 

Hey guys! How's your week going? I'm still kicking back in Australia and I must say, I am enjoying every minute of it! The weather has been gorgeous, a far cry from the gloomy Portland weather we've been having!

I made this fall harvest salad a few weeks ago when I was in back in Portland. I made it for a girls dinner in, and it was a total hit! They loved the flavour combination and the textures of it. Even the blue cheese haters gave it a go and approved! I know blue cheese is not everyone's cup of tea, but trust me, with these flavours combinations, you'll love it!

This salad was inspired by some of my favourite ingredients out at the moment, and my new love for fall! This salad is super fresh, yet hearty and cozy at the same time! You've got everything that reminds me of the holiday season - candied walnuts, fresh apple, arugula, dried cherries, blue cheese and a gorgeous maple balsamic dressing!

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Fall Harvest Salad Recipe Notes

This fall harvest salad is super simple to put together! While it requires a touch more preparation than the average salad, I promise it's worth the extra effort!

Candied Walnuts

The extra effort for this recipe comes with the candied walnuts. These walnuts are candied in maple syrup and add an extra element of crunch, and a touch of sweetness to the salad. To candy walnuts, you simply combine the walnut pieces and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to heat over medium heat until the maple syrup starts to dissolve.

Once the maple syrup is starting to thicken and dissolve, you remove the walnuts from pan and place them on a silicone baking mat spread apart. The walnuts harden up as the maple syrup cools, leaving them lovely and crispy.

Blue Cheese

You either love it or hate it, and I am somewhere in between! I love blue cheese in this particular salad because it pairs so well with the other earthy flavours. I buy blue cheese from Trader Joes, it's often quite cheap. You only need about 24oz/60g of blue cheese and I always prefer to buy it in blocks, rather than crumbled in containers. Add more to flavour, but if you're not a huge fan of blue cheese, start off with smaller quantities. You could also sub out the blue cheese for goat cheese or feta.

Dried Cherries

Dried cherries are also found at Trader Joes or large supermarkets. For my Australian friends, I haven't found dried cherries in supermarkets, so I'd recommend using dried cranberries instead. Dried cherries are different to glace cherries which are sweeter as they're candied. I find glace cherries pretty horrendous anyway and I can guarantee they would not go well in this salad!

If in doubt, use dried cranberries instead!

The Maple Balsamic Dressing

OMG this dressing!!! This is my new favourite dressing! The combination of the balsamic vinegar and the maple syrup go so well together! Add in some dijon mustard, olive oil and you've got a super smooth dressing!

The Rest of the Salad

The rest of the salad is super simple to put together! Throw in the arugula, the blue cheese, candied walnuts, sliced apples, the dried cherries and top with the maple balsamic dressing!

This salad is perfect for a Thanksgiving dinner, Friendsgiving gathering, or just if you're in the mood for a beautiful, seasonal and fresh salad!

So happy November, and happy Holidays!!!

Georgie x 

Fall Harvest Salad

The Home Cook's Kitchen

This fall harvest salad is the mother of all fall salads! Made with apple slices, blue cheese, dried cherries and a gorgeous maple balsamic glaze! Perfect for fall entertaining. 

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 390 kcal

Ingredients

 

Candied Walnuts

• ¾ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Salad

• 5 cups arugula
• 2 oz blue cheese add more for taste if desired
• ½ apple cut into slices
• ¼ cup dried cherries

Maple Balsamic Dressing

• 3 tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove crushed

Instructions

 

Candied Walnuts

• Place walnuts, maple syrup and salt in a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat until the maple syrup starts to melt and walnuts are covered.
• Remove from heat, and spread out onto a silicone baking mat to cool.

Maple Balsamic Dressing

• Place all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Taste and adjust according to preferences. 

Salad

• Place arugula and half the apple slices in a salad bowl. 
• Top with half the dressing and mix well.
• Add the blue cheese, cherries, and candied walnuts, and finish with more apple slices for presentation. 
• Drizzle over the remaining dressing and toss before serving. 

Keyword Fall Harvest Salad, Fall Salad, Fall Salad Recipe

**Want to PIN this recipe for later? Click HERE to save the recipe to your favourite Salad Board on Pinterest. ***

For more Fall inspired salads, try my Panzanella Salad or Beetroot Goat Cheese Salad. You can also check out these 20 fall salad recipes too for more inspiration!

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