I slipped a surprising pantry ingredient into my fall salad with apples that made me rethink everything I thought a seasonal salad could be.
I made this Chopped Autumn Salad With Apple Cider Dressing because I wanted something that felt sharp not sweet all the way through. Imagine chopped romaine as a crisp base, roasted butternut squash cubes warming up pockets of sweetness and a crisp apple that snaps with every bite.
The dressing says apple cider but it surprises you, tangy and sticky and somehow simple. Is it a Fall Chopped Salad Recipes riff or my own take on a Fall Apple Salad?
Maybe both, maybe neither. I kept it messy and imperfect on purpose, so you’ll wonder what to try next.
Ingredients
- Romaine lettuce: crisp, low calorie, adds fiber and vitamin A, nice crunchy base.
- Roasted butternut squash: sweet, starchy, gives beta carotene, complex carbs and warm fall flavor.
- Apple: crisp, tart or sweet, adds fiber and vitamin C, bright juicy bite.
- Dried cranberries: sweet tart chew, antioxidants present but often higher in added sugar.
- Toasted pecans: buttery crunch, heart healthy fats, a little protein, rich mouthfeel.
- Goat cheese: tangy creamy bite, adds protein and salty tang to balance sweet.
- Apple cider dressing: tangy sweet, vinegar sharpness plus maple, ties salad flavors together.
Ingredient Quantities
- 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 2 cups roasted butternut squash, 1″ cubes (about 1 small squash)
- 1 large crisp apple, cored and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for roasting
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet. Toss the 2 cups roasted butternut squash 1 inch cubes with the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, spread in one layer and roast until tender and edges are caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once. Let cool a bit so it wont wilt the lettuce.
2. While the squash roasts, toast the 1/2 cup pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and slightly darker, about 3 to 5 minutes. Roughly chop and set aside, reserve a few for garnish.
3. Make the dressing: in a jar or bowl combine 1/4 cup apple cider, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, the minced small shallot, the minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously, taste and adjust salt or sweetness if needed.
4. Core and dice the large apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), thinly slice the 1/4 cup red onion, chop the 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, and crumble the 1/3 cup goat cheese or feta.
5. Chop the 6 cups romaine lettuce and put it in a large salad bowl.
6. Add the cooled roasted squash, diced apple, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, toasted pecans (reserve a few), crumbled cheese, sliced red onion and chopped parsley to the bowl with the romaine.
7. Drizzle most of the apple cider dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat, add more dressing if you like it wetter but dont overdo it. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra salt or pepper if needed.
8. Serve right away topped with the reserved pecans and a little extra crumbled cheese, this salad is best fresh so the apples stay crisp.
Equipment Needed
1. Baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Large mixing bowl for the salad
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board
4. Dry skillet for toasting pecans and a spatula or tongs for flipping the squash
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Small jar with lid or a small bowl plus a whisk for the dressing
7. Salad servers or tongs for tossing and serving
8. Oven mitts and a plate or cooling rack so the squash can cool a bit, wont wilt the lettuce
FAQ
Chopped Autumn Salad With Apple Cider Dressing Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Roasted butternut squash: swap with roasted sweet potato cubes, pumpkin chunks, or acorn squash, they all give similar sweet, tender bites
- Apple, cored and diced: swap with pear, Asian pear, or crisp jicama for crunch and a mild sweet-tart note
- Toasted pecans, roughly chopped: swap with toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, or pepitas (pumpkin seeds) if you want nut-free option
- Crumbled goat cheese or feta: swap with ricotta salata, shaved Parmesan, or crumbled blue cheese for a sharper flavor
Pro Tips
1) Let the squash cool completely on the tray so it stops steaming. If it’s even a little hot it’ll wilt the lettuce and make the salad soggy, so spread it out and give it time.
2) When you toast the pecans, toss them with a tiny pinch of salt and a drizzle of maple while they’re still warm to get a light glaze and deeper flavor. Save a few whole toasted pecans for the top so you keep some crunch.
3) Soak the sliced red onion in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes to take the sharp edge off, or mix the shallot into the dressing and let it sit for 10 minutes before dressing the salad so the bite mellows. Either trick keeps the raw onion from overpowering the other flavors.
4) Don’t overdress. Put most of the dressing on the side and add a little at a time while tossing. Also let the cheese come to room temp for a few minutes before adding so it feels creamier and melds with the warm squash better.
Chopped Autumn Salad With Apple Cider Dressing Recipe
I slipped a surprising pantry ingredient into my fall salad with apples that made me rethink everything I thought a seasonal salad could be.
4
servings
489
kcal
Equipment: 1. Baking sheet, lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat
2. Large mixing bowl for the salad
3. Chef’s knife and cutting board
4. Dry skillet for toasting pecans and a spatula or tongs for flipping the squash
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
6. Small jar with lid or a small bowl plus a whisk for the dressing
7. Salad servers or tongs for tossing and serving
8. Oven mitts and a plate or cooling rack so the squash can cool a bit, wont wilt the lettuce
Ingredients
6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups roasted butternut squash, 1" cubes (about 1 small squash)
1 large crisp apple, cored and diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for roasting
1/4 cup apple cider
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 small shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet. Toss the 2 cups roasted butternut squash 1 inch cubes with the 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper, spread in one layer and roast until tender and edges are caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once. Let cool a bit so it wont wilt the lettuce.
- While the squash roasts, toast the 1/2 cup pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant and slightly darker, about 3 to 5 minutes. Roughly chop and set aside, reserve a few for garnish.
- Make the dressing: in a jar or bowl combine 1/4 cup apple cider, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, the minced small shallot, the minced garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously, taste and adjust salt or sweetness if needed.
- Core and dice the large apple (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), thinly slice the 1/4 cup red onion, chop the 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, and crumble the 1/3 cup goat cheese or feta.
- Chop the 6 cups romaine lettuce and put it in a large salad bowl.
- Add the cooled roasted squash, diced apple, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, toasted pecans (reserve a few), crumbled cheese, sliced red onion and chopped parsley to the bowl with the romaine.
- Drizzle most of the apple cider dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat, add more dressing if you like it wetter but dont overdo it. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve right away topped with the reserved pecans and a little extra crumbled cheese, this salad is best fresh so the apples stay crisp.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 315g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 489kcal
- Fat: 34.5g
- Saturated Fat: 5.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.5g
- Monounsaturated: 21.4g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
- Sodium: 375mg
- Potassium: 601mg
- Carbohydrates: 41.5g
- Fiber: 5.5g
- Sugar: 27.5g
- Protein: 4.6g
- Vitamin A: 7500IU
- Vitamin C: 19mg
- Calcium: 58mg
- Iron: 0.9mg
