This Fall Harvest Salad is a filling, nutritious dish full of seasonal flavors. Roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, and crunchy pecans are tossed with a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s great as a Thanksgiving side or as a lighter lunch.

Three bowls of harvest salad with roasted butternut squash, quinoa, kale, apples, and pecans—an easy autumn salad perfect as a Thanksgiving side.

This fall harvest salad is one of my go-to recipes when I want something colorful and filling. The mix of roasted squash, apples, quinoa, and kale makes it both crunchy and creamy, and it’s easy to adjust with whatever you have on hand.

I like to serve it with a bowl of pumpkin apple soup, a basket of warm cloverleaf dinner rolls, and a slice of apple cake for a complete seasonal meal.

Recipe Highlights

  • Meal-prep friendly: Stays fresh for a couple of days, so it’s easy to pack for lunch.
  • Customizable: Add chickpeas, grilled chicken, or salmon to make it more filling.
  • Great for any occasion: This quinoa salad works well as a colorful seasonal side or to bring to a fall gathering or family get-together.

Key Ingredients & Easy Swaps

Ingredients for a quinoa fall salad: roasted butternut squash, kale, apples, feta, pecans, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and apple cider vinaigrette.
  • Butternut squash: Peeled, cubed, and roasted. Pre-cut squash is fine for a shortcut. Sweet potatoes or other winter squash are good alternatives.
  • Kale: Swap with arugula, baby spinach, or other leafy greens.
  • Quinoa: Try white, multi-color, or red quinoa. Wild rice or farro is also an option.
  • Apples: Choose crisp varieties like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, or Jazz, sliced or chopped. Pears, figs, or pomegranate seeds add a similar texture and flavor.
  • Dried cranberries: Can be replaced with raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots.
  • Nuts and seeds: Pecans and roasted pumpkin seeds are delicious. Walnuts, pistachios, or candied pecans are nice too.
  • Crumbled feta cheese: Replace with goat cheese, blue cheese, or parmesan.
  • Apple cider vinaigrette: Made with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and honey.

See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Fall Harvest Salad

  1. Roast the squash: Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until tender.
  2. Cook the quinoa: Rinse well and cook until fluffy.
  3. Make the dressing: Shake all ingredients in a mason jar until combined.
  4. Massage the kale: Add some dressing and massage for about 30 seconds, until softened.
  5. Assemble: Combine the kale, quinoa, squash, and apples in a large bowl.
  6. Serve: Divide between 3 plates. Top with cranberries, nuts, seeds, feta, and remaining dressing.

Recipe Variations

  • Add protein: Chickpeas, grilled chicken, shrimp, crispy bacon, sliced steak, salmon, or tofu make it more filling.
  • Extra veggies: Roasted Brussels sprouts, sun-dried tomatoes, beets, green beans, or grilled bell peppers add texture and color.
  • Switch the dressing: Try a creamy pumpkin turmeric dressing instead.
  • Make it vegan or dairy-free: Skip the cheese and sprinkle nutritional yeast for a cheesy taste.
Close-up of butternut squash salad with kale, quinoa, crisp apples, and tangy vinaigrette—a colorful and healthy autumn salad.

Elena’s Tips

  • Chop all ingredients into bite-sized pieces for easier eating and mixing.
  • Massage the kale with half of the dressing to soften the leaves and improve the flavor.
  • Rinse the quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove any bitterness.
  • Let the quinoa and roasted squash cool completely before adding them to the salad so the greens stay crisp.

How to Make Ahead & Store

Make ahead: Combine the kale, roasted squash, and quinoa in a sealed container and refrigerate. Add the apple slices, toppings, and remaining dressing just before serving.

Storage: Leftovers stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Two bowls of kale and apple salad with quinoa and apple cider vinaigrette—a fresh, gluten-free Thanksgiving salad idea.

More Fall Recipes

If you’ve made this fall harvest salad, leave a comment and rating below. I’d love to know how it turned out for you.

Colorful fall harvest salad with kale, roasted butternut squash, quinoa, and apple cider vinaigrette.
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How To Make It: Fall Harvest Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 3
(5 stars) 9 ratings
Fall Harvest Salad is a colorful, nutritious dish with roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, kale, quinoa, pecans, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Light, filling, and versatile, it’s perfect as a seasonal side, a healthy lunch, or for meal prep.

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 small butternut squash peeled, seeded, and diced
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ⅔ cup (120 g) raw quinoa
  • 1 cup (240 ml) water
  • 2 cups (130 g) chopped kale leaves
  • 2 small apples cored and sliced or diced

Toppings

  • ¼ cup (30 g) dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup (30 g) pecans roughly chopped
  • ⅓ cup (50 g) crumbled feta cheese I used reduced-fat
  • 1½ tablespoon roasted pumpkin seeds

For the apple cider vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • salt and ground black pepper

Equipment

Instructions

Roast the butternut squash

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). 
    Toss the diced butternut squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet.
    Roast for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden and tender.
    Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.

Cook the quinoa

  1. Rinse and drain the quinoa. In a small saucepan, combine with 1 cup (240 ml) of water and bring to a boil.
    Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until it's fluffy and the water is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

Make the apple cider vinaigrette

  1. Whisk all the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl, or shake in a jar with a tight lid.
    Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Massage the kale

  1. Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl.
    Add half of the vinaigrette and massage with your hands for about 30 seconds, until the leaves soften.

Assemble the salad

  1. Add the cooled quinoa, roasted squash, and chopped apples to the kale. Toss to combine. 
    Divide between 3 plates. Top with pecans, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and feta.
    Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette just before serving.

Notes

  • Servings: About 3 portions as a main dish. Adjust as needed.
  • Butternut squash: Pre-cut squash saves time. 
  • Apples: Use crisp varieties like Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, or Jazz, chopped or sliced.
  • Vegan/dairy-free option: Skip the cheese and sprinkle with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
  • Add protein: Great with chickpeas, grilled chicken, tofu, salmon, or sliced steak.
  • Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Add apples and dressing just before serving.
  • Make ahead: Prepare the quinoa and dressing up to 3 days in advance. Shake the dressing before using and add apples and toppings right before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 portion, Calories: 568 kcal, Carbohydrates: 71.8 g, Protein: 12.5 g, Fat: 28.9 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 213 mg, Fiber: 10 g, Sugar: 11 g
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment or share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #aseasyasapplepie. We’d love to see what you come up with!
Author: Elena Tomasi
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American