Name: Fall Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 medium sweet potato (diced); 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp olive oil (extra virgin); 4 cups spinach; 1 medium apple (thinly sliced); 0.25 cup sliced almonds; 0.25 cup dried cranberries; 1.5 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin); 1.5 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp whole grain mustard; 2 tsp honey

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Looking for a salad that tastes like fall? Look no further than this fall harvest salad with apples and sweet potatoes. This sweet and savory vegetarian salad is full of good-for-you ingredients and seasonal flavors. It makes a perfect quick lunch or side dish!

Why I Love This Fall Salad Recipe

This is one of my go-to light and nutritious recipes for fall. Seasonal ingredients like apples, cranberries, and sweet potatoes add sweetness to this recipe, while the honey mustard vinaigrette provides a savory note.

Another thing I love about this recipe is how quick and easy it is to make – it’s ready in less than 30 minutes and is made with 10 ingredients you probably have at home. This recipe is the perfect size for splitting or saving for meal prep on a busy fall night. (Check out the video demo on Instagram for all of the details.)

Oh, one more thing – this easy fall salad is also vegan and vegetarian-friendly! Don’t worry, omnivores, you can easily make it more hearty with grilled chicken.

white plate with spinach salad topped with apples, cranberries, almonds, and sweet potatoes

How to Make a Flavorful Fall Salad

Preparation Steps

1. Roast sweet potato

Preheat the oven to 450F, then cover your baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.

While the oven is preheating, wash the sweet potato and dice it into 1/4 inch cubes. Cutting the sweet potato cubes evenly will ensure even cooking. I recommend keeping the skin on to maximize the nutritional value of your sweet potato, but if you prefer to peel it, that’s okay!

After dicing the sweet potato, add it to your prepared baking sheet and toss with some olive oil and salt. Feel free to add pepper or spices here if you’d like! Bake the sweet potato for 20 minutes, stirring at the 10-minute mark. The sweet potatoes should be tender and browned.

2. Prepare the honey mustard vinaigrette

This dressing is the easiest! Just combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, and honey in a small bowl or jar and whisk until thoroughly combined. Taste after mixing to make sure it’s to your liking. You can add more honey if you prefer a sweeter dressing and a bit of salt if you prefer a more savory dressing.

3. Combine and serve!

Once the sweet potatoes are done cooking, it’s time to eat! You can combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl or plate individually. (If you like your salad more evenly coated with dressing and you’re not planning on eating the salad for leftovers, go with the large bowl method. If you’d prefer to add your own dressing, or if you’ll be saving the other serving for later, plate individually.)

Layer the spinach (or greens of choice), roasted sweet potato, sliced apple, almonds, and cranberries. Top with a drizzle of dressing and enjoy your fall harvest salad!

Recipe Modifications

Make it vegan – Swap the honey in the honey mustard vinaigrette for maple syrup or use your favorite sweet vegan dressing.
Make it nut-free – Swap the almonds for pumpkin seeds or goat cheese.
Make it with more protein – Add baked or grilled chicken, quinoa, or tempeh.
Make it more savory and filling – Omit the dried cranberries and add goat cheese, protein, and/or brown rice.
Make it with a different dressing – Any sweet dressing or vinaigrette would taste great with the apples and sweet potatoes in this recipe.
Make it with different greens – No spinach? Kale or mixed greens would also taste (and look) awesome too!
Make it in bulk or for meal prep – To make a larger batch, multiply everything by two and store all ingredients separately until serving.

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