Harvest Apple Chopped Salad

  • By KJ

Harvest Apple Chopped Salad is everything that you could want in a simple salad recipe.

Fresh, chopped kale is tossed with Honeycrisp apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese crumbles, pumpkin seeds, and a homemade honey mustard dressing. 

Each bite is bursting with flavors of autumn! It’s a healthy salad recipe that makes the perfect meal or side dish. 

Harvest Apple chopped salad.

Harvest Apple Chopped Salad is everything that you could want in a simple salad recipe.

Fresh, chopped kale is tossed with Honeycrisp apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese crumbles, pumpkin seeds, and a homemade honey mustard dressing. 

Each bite is bursting with flavors of autumn! It’s a healthy salad recipe that makes the perfect meal or side dish. 

Harvest Apple chopped salad.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Chopped Salad

Easy + Healthy

Recipes like this apple chopped salad are what we all need in life. It only requires a handful of ingredients and minimal prep time — with a delicious outcome! The fact that it is healthy is a bonus. (Did you know pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids?) 

Whatever You Need It To Be

Need a main dish? Make your meal complete by adding grilled or roasted chicken. This harvest salad is also a great side dish for all types of occasions, from holiday parties to weeknight dinners. 

Gets Better With Time

Normally, salads don’t keep long (because who wants wilted lettuce leaves?!). But this harvest salad holds up for a while. In fact, when you allow the salad to sit for a bit before serving it, the dressing works on the kale, so it’s not as tough or rigid. That means this dish can be made in advance and whipped out when you need it!  

Makes Salad Taste Good

This is a kale salad that I actually got my husband to eat. And love. That’s a BIG deal! Which also vouches for the fact that this is a GOOD salad. Making a homemade dressing plays a big part in making this fall salad a home run.

All of the ingredients for the harvest apple chopped salad in a large serving bowl.

Apple Chopped Salad Ingredients

Chopped kale

Insider tip on kale: make sure you remove the tough ribbing and stalks from the kale as the recipe calls for. That way, you won’t have to do a bunch of unnecessary crunching! Shop here!

Dried cranberries

These add a delicious sweet, tart flavor and a splash of color. You could also use dried tart cherries. Shop here!

Pumpkin seeds

Buy these packaged and ready-to-go from the grocery store to save time. You could also toast your own pumpkin seeds. Shop here!

Crumbled goat cheese

A tangy and creamy touch to the salad. If you can’t find crumbled goat cheese, use crumbled feta cheese instead. Shop here!

Honeycrisp apples

The key here is to use a crisp apple with a sweet/tart flavor. If you can’t find Honeycrisps, try Pink Lady apples, Fuji apples, or Jazz apples. Chop them into ½ inch pieces. Shop here!

A close-up photo of the harvest apple chopped salad ingredients.

Honey Mustard Salad Dressing Ingredients

Shallot (finely diced)

This adds a nice bite without being quite as sharp as a regular onion.

Dijon mustard

I’d go for the Dijon mustard first. But stone ground mustard would also be a good option. 

Honey

Extra virgin olive oil

Lemon juice

Salt

Harvest apple chopped salad tossed together in a bowl.

How To Serve This Autumn Salad

As a Main Dish

This vegetarian salad is packed with delicious ingredients and could be served as is with a side of crusty garlic bread or a baked sweet potato. Or, if you want more protein, top it with grilled chicken. Finish the meal with Apple Butter Coffee Cake for a fall treat!

As a Side Dish

Serve this simple fall salad alongside a comforting pan of Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese or Slow Cooker Beef Ragu. Finish things off with some Caramel Apple Sangria!

Soup + Salad Combo

You can’t go wrong with soup and salad. Go for a rich, Creamy Tortellini Soup, a veggie-packed Fall Minestrone Soup, or a simple Roasted Tomato Soup. And don’t forget a side of crusty bread. 🥖

Harvest Apple Chopped Salad FAQs

Can I make harvest apple chopped salad ahead of time?

Yes! This salad has the advantage of staying fresh for an extended period. Letting it rest before serving helps soften the kale, thanks to the dressing. This makes it an ideal make-ahead option that you can conveniently serve whenever you need to! Make the salad up to 24 hours in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

What type of apples are best for a salad?

The trick is to pick an apple that’s both sweet, tart, and crunchy. If you can’t get your hands on Honeycrisps, go for Pink Lady, Fuji, or Jazz apples.

What’s the point of a chopped salad?

A chopped salad makes it easy to get a mix of flavors and ingredients in every bite. The small, uniform pieces also make it convenient to eat and allow for better distribution of dressing.

What other ingredients can I use in this apple chopped salad?

If you don’t have creamy goat cheese readily available, you can use feta cheese instead. This salad would also taste delicious with some crispy pan-cooked, diced sweet potatoes (they just won’t keep for as long, as they’ll get soft!). If you don’t have time to make homemade salad dressing, you could buy a balsamic dressing from the store. Finally, add some cut-up slices of bacon for a salty, savory final touch.

A close-up photo of harvest apple chopped salad.
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Harvest Apple chopped salad.

Harvest Apple Chopped Salad


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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5 from 5 reviews

  • Author: KJ & Company - Kate Poskochil
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

Harvest Apple Chopped Salad is everything that you could want in a simple salad recipe and more. Fresh, chopped kale is tossed with honeycrisp apples, dried cranberries, goat cheese crumbles, pumpkin seeds and a homemade honey mustard dressing. Each bite is bursting with flavor! A healthy salad recipe that makes the perfect meal or side dish.


Ingredients

Scale

For the salad:

  • 10 oz chopped kale, tough stalks and ribs removed
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
  • 2 large honeycrisp apple (or 3 smaller ones), chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

For the dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon shallot, finely minced
  • 1/4 cup dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the salad:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.

For the dressing:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, lemon juice and salt until smooth and combined.
  2. Pour the dressing over the prepared salad and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately or make a day in advance and store in the refrigerator until service. Enjoy!

 

Notes

  • This salad is very versatile – it can be made and served right away or made a day in advance, refrigerated and served when needed. This feature makes it great for large parties, holidays, or meal prep!
  • Easily make it a complete meal by adding a protein – grilled or roasted chicken would be great!
  • Goat or feta cheese can be used for this recipe.
  • Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 269
  • Sugar: 19.9g
  • Sodium: 356mg
  • Fat: 15.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Fiber: 3.9g
  • Protein: 5.6g
  • Cholesterol: 3mg

Keywords: Harvest Apple Chopped Salad

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