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Crispy Harvest Salad: Easy Apple Pecan & Goat Cheese Recipe

Crispy Harvest Salad - featured image
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A seasonal autumn salad featuring crisp apples, toasted pecans, creamy goat cheese, and baby spinach, all tossed in a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 2 medium Honeycrisp apples
  • 1 medium Red Delicious apple
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 4 oz goat cheese (chèvre)
  • 1/2 cup croutons (optional)
  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Toast pecan halves in a small skillet over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove and let cool completely.
  2. Wash, core, and slice or cube the apples. Toss with a little lemon juice if not serving immediately to prevent browning.
  3. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously until emulsified.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add baby spinach and dried cranberries. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
  5. Add sliced apples, crumbled goat cheese, and cooled toasted pecans to the bowl.
  6. Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the top and toss gently one more time. Serve immediately.

Notes

Toast the pecans for best flavor and crunch. Do not meal prep this salad by mixing all ingredients ahead of time as the greens will wilt and apples will oxidize. Store components separately and assemble just before serving. For dairy-free, swap goat cheese for cashew cheese or omit. For nut-free, swap pecans for toasted pumpkin seeds.

Nutrition

Keywords: harvest salad, apple pecan salad, goat cheese salad, fall recipes, autumn salad, healthy salad, quick dinner, vegetarian main course

Find it online: https://bakebeam.com/crispy-harvest-salad-easy-apple-pecan-and-goat-cheese-recipe/