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Wholesome Harvest Fall Salad with Easy Maple Vinaigrette

Wholesome Harvest Fall Salad - featured image
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A hearty fall salad featuring roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, dried cranberries, goat cheese, and toasted pecans, all tossed in a tangy-sweet maple vinaigrette. Perfect for cozy dinners or holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups mixed greens (baby spinach and arugula blend)
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
  • ½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium apple (Honeycrisp or Fuji), thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. Toss diced sweet potato with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch of salt, and optional cinnamon. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and golden-brown.
  3. While sweet potatoes roast, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add chopped pecans and pumpkin seeds. Toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Remove from pan immediately.
  4. If quinoa is not pre-cooked: rinse ⅓ cup quinoa, combine with ⅔ cup water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Cool.
  5. Make the maple vinaigrette: In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, salt, pepper, and optional cinnamon. Whisk or shake until emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  6. In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, cooled quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries, crumbled goat cheese, toasted pecans, pumpkin seeds, and apple slices. Do not add dressing yet.
  7. Drizzle about half the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently. Add more dressing as needed. Serve immediately while sweet potatoes are still slightly warm.

Notes

Let roasted sweet potatoes cool for at least 10 minutes before adding to greens to prevent wilting. For meal prep, keep dressing separate and dress individual servings. Dressing keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Keywords: fall salad, harvest salad, maple vinaigrette, sweet potato salad, quinoa salad, Thanksgiving salad, healthy salad

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/wholesome-harvest-fall-salad-with-easy-maple-vinaigrette/