simple fall harvest salad.

Nov 22

I’m going to say something controversial: I don’t really like fruit in my salads.

To be clear, I’ll eat any salad I’m served — after all, at minimum, a salad is always going to be some sort of pleasurable dressing-coated vegetable. I’m just saying that I prefer it not have any sweet, juicy elements.

That’s why, when I was shopping a few weeks ago, I noticed the Trader Joe’s Harvest Apple Salad Kit and avoided it. I saw the word “apple” and bounced. Picked up my usual Southwestern Chopped and Pizza Ranch kits and rushed off to other parts of the store. The apple situation became distant memory.

Until, of course, I passed the sample counter.

I cannot pass up a sample. No matter what. I hate corn with most fibers of my being and I still took a sample of the creamed corn on the day that it was featured. It’s like a sickness.

So on this day, I grabbed what later became my newest obsession: The Fall Harvest Apple Salad. I ended up looping back around to the salad kits and throwing one in my cart, later to be eaten with dinner that night alongside the (very, very good) butternut squash lasagna. And you know what? I ate it again for lunch the following day.

It was then I decided I needed to just make it myself. Largely because Trader Joe’s is terribly inconvenient to where I live, but also because I have free will; and because the salad is laughably simple, as many of the best salads are.

Some things to know

While this is sort-of, kind-of a copycat, it isn’t going to be exactly spot-on. If I were daring, I’d say this one is better. I love the creamy richness of feta and liked the addition here, and I prefer the saltiness of almonds to a pecan’s sweet touch. If you want a more exact match, simply swap the feta and almonds for Unexpected Cheddar and pecans.

The dressing is a simple apple cider vinaigrette, which is spunky and bright but simultaneously richly autumnal. You can whisk it together in a bowl or simply add everything to a Mason jar and shake (I do this when I plan to store half for another salad).

Otherwise, this salad is straightforward and so, so effortlessly good. If I were to serve with a protein, it would be salmon. You could also add bacon pieces or serve alongside chicken or steak.

I bought the apple chips, but added quick directions for making your own in the notes section of the recipe.

Enjoy.

Serves 4

Print Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup apple cider

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon stone ground (or Dijon) mustard

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon (pinch) salt

1/8 teaspoon (pinch) pepper

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 cups leafy greens (spinach, baby lettuce)

1 cup feta crumbles

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup dried apple chips*, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces

RECIPE

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until very well combined.

Stream the olive oil in slowly while whisking vigorously. Continue to whisk vigorously until emulsified. Mixture will naturally separate.

Add leafy greens to a large bowl. Add about half of the vinaigrette and toss into the greens to coat.

Gently toss in the feta, almonds, and apples. If desired, add another splash of vinaigrette to the salad until coated to taste.

Serve. Salad can be stored for 12 hours in an airtight container in the refrigerator once dressed, but is best made fresh.

NOTES

Dried apples can be purchased from many retailers. I like the dried apples from Trader Joe’s that are coated in cinnamon sugar, but large stores like Kroger or Giant Eagle will also carry plain dried apples. What you are looking for specifically is apple chips, which are crunchier than dehydrated apples (or apples labeled as dehydrated).

You can make your own apple chips by dehydrating apples past the point of being pliable. This actually doesn’t take too long — about 2 hours or so. Just add very thin slices to a parchment-lined baking sheet, season with cinnamon sugar (if desired), and bake at 200 F for 2 hours, flipping once halfway through.