The Ultimate Harvest Salad with Maple Dressing

Create the ultimate Harvest Salad with this easy-to-follow recipe. Featuring roasted sweet potatoes, crisp apples, and a dreamy maple vinaigrette, this dish is a perfect balance of fall flavors and textures for any home cook.

There’s a certain feeling that arrives with the first crisp autumn air. The days get a little shorter, the light gets a little softer, and I find myself craving foods that are both cozy and nourishing. That’s where this incredible Harvest Salad comes in. It’s more than just a bowl of greens; it’s a celebration of fall’s best flavors and textures, all brought together by a dreamy, homemade maple dressing.

For years, I’ve been perfecting this recipe, and it’s become a staple in my home from September through the holidays. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet, savory, tangy, and crunchy. The warm, caramelized sweet potatoes, the crisp, juicy apple, the earthy pecans, and the creamy goat cheese are a match made in heaven. This isn’t just a salad; it’s a meal you’ll be proud to share. Let’s get started, and I’ll Walk you through every simple step to create a dish that will have everyone asking for the recipe.

Quick Recipe

Why This Recipe Just Works

Key TakeawayWhy It’s Great
Perfectly Balanced FlavorsSweet, savory, tangy, and earthy notes come together in every single bite.
Amazing TexturesFrom the creamy roasted sweet potatoes to the crunchy pecans and crisp apples, it’s a party for your palate.
Foolproof DressingMy “shake-in-a-jar” maple vinaigrette dressing is incredibly easy and tastes a million times better than store-bought.
Versatile & CustomizableThis is a fantastic fall salad recipe that works as a light lunch, a satisfying dinner, or a stunning holiday side dish.

What Makes This the Best Harvest Salad?

The secret to a truly memorable salad is using a variety of ingredients that complement each other. A great salad shouldn’t be boring! For this Harvest Salad, we focus on a few key components that define the season. We’re not just tossing things in a bowl; we’re building layers of flavor and texture that make each bite interesting.

The foundation is a bed of sturdy greens that can hold up to the hearty toppings. Then, we add the star of the show: roasted sweet potatoes. Roasting them does something magical, bringing out their natural sweetness and making them wonderfully creamy. This is the key to making it feel like a substantial, comforting meal. It’s the heart of what makes this a great roasted sweet potato salad.

Ingredients for Harvest Salad with Maple Dressing
Ingredients for Harvest Salad with Maple Dressing

The Key Ingredients

I’ve found this combination to be the absolute winner, but don’t be afraid to make swaps based on what you have. I’ll give you some ideas for that in a bit!

For the Salad Base:

For the Dreamy Maple Vinaigrette Dressing:

This dressing is liquid gold, and it’s so simple. The secret is using good-quality ingredients.

Essential Kitchen Tools

You don’t need anything fancy to make this salad. Here are the basics:

Step-by-Step: Let’s Make Your Harvest Salad

I’ll break this down into four easy stages. Following these steps ensures everything is perfectly prepped and ready for assembly.

Step 1: Roast the Sweet Potatoes

First things first, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). A hot oven is key to getting that beautiful caramelization on the outside of the potatoes while keeping the inside tender.

  1. Toss your cubed sweet potatoes with a tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a crack of black pepper.
  2. Spread them in a single layer on your baking sheet. Giving them space is important! If they are too crowded, they will steam instead of roast, and you’ll miss out on those delicious crispy edges.
  3. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are tender and golden brown. Let them cool slightly before adding them to the salad.
roasted sweet potato cubes
roasted sweet potato cubes

Step 2: Prepare the Maple Vinaigrette

While the potatoes are roasting, you can whip up the dressing. This is my favorite part because it’s so easy.

  1. Combine all the dressing ingredients—olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper—in a small jar.
  2. Screw the lid on tightly and shake it vigorously for about 15-20 seconds. You’ll see it transform into a creamy, beautifully blended vinaigrette.
  3. Taste and adjust if needed. Want it a little sweeter? Add a touch more maple syrup. A little tangier? A splash more vinegar.

Step 3: Toast the Pecans

Toasting nuts is a small step that makes a huge difference. It deepens their flavor and makes them extra crunchy.

You can do these one of two ways:

Step 4: Assemble Your Masterpiece

Now for the fun part! The key to a great salad is to dress it right before you serve it. This keeps the greens from getting soggy.

  1. Place your mixed greens in the large salad bowl.
  2. Add the cooled roasted sweet potatoes, sliced apple, toasted pecans, and crumbled goat cheese.
  3. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Add more dressing as needed until everything is lightly coated.
  4. Serve immediately and enjoy the compliments!

My Favorite Tips and Variations

After making this salad dozens of times, I’ve picked up a few tricks.

A Recipe to Keep

This Harvest Salad is more than just a recipe; it’s a feeling. It’s the taste of autumn in a bowl, perfect for a quiet weeknight dinner or as the star side dish on a holiday table. It’s healthy, satisfying, and absolutely gorgeous to look at.

I truly believe that cooking should be joyful and accessible, and this recipe is a perfect example of that. I hope you love making it—and eating it—as much as I do.

Happy cooking!

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