Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
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This delicious Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette will quickly become your go-to fall apple salad. It’s so good that it was featured in this news story. It’s a great recipe for large groups or compliments a weeknight meal at home. Enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
I’ve been serving this simple, fall-inspired chopped salad at my weeknight and my holiday table for years. It never sticks around long. The combo of sweet, tart apples and dried cranberries, baked bacon, tangy feta, and crunchy pecans creates a flavor experience in your mouth!
The homemade apple cider dressing accents the bacon with the perfect mix of sweet and savory. This might be my favorite homemade salad dressing to date. It’s a little sweet, a little tangy, and a beautiful golden color.
Ingredients
The ingredients are simple, and fresh, and provide a contrast of textures and flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to gather…
Ingredient Notes:
- Bacon – To save time on this salad, be sure to cook the bacon in the oven ahead of time. It reduces the stovetop mess and is an easy way to cook bacon in bulk.
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette – Don’t skip this dressing. It really does make the salad. You’ll need olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, Kosher salt, and pepper.
Note: Find our full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and directions at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Autumn Chopped Salad
Make Salad Dressing
You can whisk the dressing in a bowl or add the ingredients to a jar with a lid, seal, and shake. (You can make it ahead and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.)
Make the Salad
Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl. Right before serving, lightly drizzle about 2/3rds of the dressing over the top and toss. Serve with the extra dressing on the side.
Tip: Layer Individual Portion in Mason Jar
Here’s a fun idea! If you make a big salad, set aside a portion for lunch the next day.
Layer it in a Mason jar in this order: 1-2 tablespoons dressing, apples (toss in the dressing to prevent browning), dried cranberries, feta cheese, 1 1/2 cups lettuce, chopped pecans.
Use the jar of salad within 12-24 hours. When ready to serve, shake it up well and enjoy.
What to Serve with This Fall Salad
Be sure to serve this Autumn Chopped Salad alongside one our favorite holiday side dishes, Bacon and Cheddar Twice-Baked Potatoes or Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole.
This salad also pairs well with a main dish like Slow Cooker Balsamic Shredded Beef or Roasted Turkey Breast.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prepare several of the components of an autumn salad ahead of time. Wash and chop the lettuce, roast the pecans, cook the bacon, and mix up the dressing. Wait until right before serving to chop up the apple. Assemble the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
Get creative with your autumn salad by adding toppings like roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, cooked barley or farro for a chewy element, crispy fried shallots for crunch, or roasted sweet potato or butternut squash for sweetness.
Leftover autumn salad can be stored in the refrigerator, but it’s best to keep the dressing separate and only mix it in when you’re ready to eat. The salad will lose its freshness and crispness and the apples will brown eventually, so it’s best to eat leftovers within a day or two.
More Amazing Salads to Try
- Strawberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
- Summer Strawberry Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
- Mandarin Orange Salad with Citrus Salad Dressing
- Southwest Chicken Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- My Favorite Cobb Salad
- Wilted Lettuce Salad – Delicious, easy way to use up garden greens!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Crisp greens are topped with tart apples, sweet dried cranberries, feta cheese, toasted pecans, and crispy bacon in this Autumn Salad. Finish off with our sweet and tangy Apple Cider Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Apple Cider Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (sub: honey)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Autumn Salad Ingredients:
- 8 cups crisp Romaine or Green Leaf lettuce, chopped (approximately 1 head of lettuce)
- 2 medium tart red apples, cored and diced (do not peel) (recommended: Fuji or Honeycrisp)
- 1 cup dried cranberries (sub: fresh pomegranate seeds)
- 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted (see Cooking Notes)
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (try baking it ahead of time)
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese (sub: Gorgonzola crumbles)
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Instructions
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a jar with a lid, seal, and shake. (You can make ahead and store in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.)
- Add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl, lightly drizzle about 2/3rds of the dressing over the top and toss. Serve with the extra dressing on the side.
Notes/Tips
- Bacon Tip: To save time on this salad, be sure to cook the bacon in the oven. It reduces the stovetop mess and is an easy way to cook bacon in bulk.
- How to Roast Pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place pecans on a rimmed sheet pan. Bake for 5-10 minutes, shaking halfway through. You’ll know they are ready when you can smell them. Watch closely so they don’t burn! Remove immediately from the pan to a bowl to cool off when done.
- How to Make Ahead: To prep ahead, wash and chop the lettuce, roast the pecans, cook the bacon, and mix up the dressing. Wait until right before serving to chop up the apple. Assemble the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and prevent the salad from becoming soggy.
- How to Store Leftovers: Store leftovers in the refrigerator, but keep the dressing separate and only mix it in when you’re ready to eat. It’s best to eat leftovers within a day or two.
- Make Individual Mason Jar Salad: To take this salad to take in your lunch, layer it in a Mason jar in this order: 1-2 tablespoons dressing, apples, dried cranberries, feta cheese, 1 1/2 cups lettuce, chopped pecans. Use the jar of salad within 24 hours. When ready to serve, shake it up well and enjoy.
Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
Love this salad dressing and salad. My daughter and sil had us over for lunch. They had made this. I’m not a fan of feta or vinegar. I’m addicted to this salad and salad dressing. On the way home I stopped and bought the ingredients for the dressing. It’s been a week and I’m still loving it. YUM
Wow Debbie! What a review. Thanks for sharing.
Love this recipe any time of the year! I prep all the ingredients ahead of time and assemble while the main dish is cooking. Last night we had it with pork tenderloin. Perfect accompaniment! Thanks for such a nice salad.
That sounds delicious together! Thanks Diane.
Friend of mine made this and it was delicious
So glad you liked it and the recipe was shared!
Can I prep this salad before bringing to a dinner party? Will apples turn brown if doing so?
I have made it an hour or two ahead with the apples, but it’s best to cut the apple right beforehand. Or, another idea that helps ahead of time: toss the chopped apples with a little of the vinaigrette to keep them from turning brown.
I have this ready in the fridge for thanksgiving!! Do you recommend not cutting the apples until it’s almost serving time? And does the dressing need to be refrigerated?
Yes, I’d wait on cutting up the apples so they don’t turn brown. Or if you do cut them up, toss them with a little bit of the vinaigrette to keep them from turning brown. Happy Thanksgiving!
Family devoured it!! Even my son who avoids anything vegetable. Pretty easy to make too.
Wonderful Nell! We always love to hear when picky eaters find a recipe they love.
Is there another Sweet wine you could think to add? I like the idea of a little real wine in salad dressing especially for festive occasions.
I would ask at the liquor counter for a suggestion. I haven’t tried any other wine in this recipe, but I don’t see why a sweet, fruity one wouldn’t work.
Super easy to throw together and so delicious! It has everything going for it…sweet, salty, tangy, crunchy! It’s a great salad anytime, but also great to serve alongside the traditional heavy Thanksgiving menu to lighten it up! This recipe is a definite keeper!
Thanks Sondra! I love having the different tastes (salty, sweet, tangy, crunchy) in one dish as well. A good salad with the traditional Thanksgiving meal is a must for sure!
Amazing salad! I’ve made it 3 weeks in a row! The dressing is too simple to be that good but, it totally is!
Thanks Katie! So glad you like it.
This was a hit at our house! My in-laws were visiting and my FIL, who doesn’t really like salads, wanted seconds! I think next time I make it I will try walnuts instead of pecans. It could even be good with goat cheese. Great salad and recipe!
I am all for goat cheese! Such a great idea. And I don’t see how walnuts could be bad either. Thanks so much for the review, Kayla!
I made this for family & they loved it! Since I was serving meat, I decided to not use bacon
& it was still good!
Hi Debra! So glad your family loved it!
The dressing is delicious!
Thanks Kathy! I love finding some good dressing recipes to whip up when I need them.
Easy to make and a real crowd pleaser! Had to share the recipe with my friends who enjoyed this autumnal salad.
So glad to hear your friends wanted the recipe too Denise! Thank you for sharing it with them and for taking the time to leave a review.
I make this salad for family and friends. Everyone loves it! So good!
Wonderful to hear! Thanks, Fran.
Just made this for my lunch. It’s really tasty! I added some grilled chicken, shredded carrots, and diced mini cucumbers. I did find the salad dressing to be way too oily! Next time I’ll decrease the EVOO
Thanks for the feedback! Although I’ve made this salad and dressing many, many times, I wanted to recheck the vinaigrette after your comment.
I testing it with 2 tablespoons less oil and found it to personally be too acidic/strong. So if you cut back on the oil, I’d suggest cutting back some on the acid too.
Then, I made it again according to the recipe, shook it really well (that’s important), and found it to be just right for my palate. But I know everyone is different. Thanks again for your feedback.
This was another Thriving Home holiday winner! I took this to Thanksgiving and the whole fam loved it! I candied the pecans which was incredibly delicious. Spot on perfect!
Wonderful!! So happy to hear you enjoyed it. I took it to our feast, as well.