20 Healthy Fall Salad Recipes
A cozy round-up featuring 20 healthy fall salad recipes with apples, squash, cranberries, gluten-free grains & more!
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Fall salads deserve way more love. Sure, I’m all about pumpkin spice and cozy soup recipes, but hear me out: a fall salad can be hearty, cozy, crunchy, sweet, savory, and nourishing all at once.
Think: roasted squash + tart cranberries. Crisp apples + salty seeds. Kale that actually tastes good, because it’s nestled with edamame and dried fruit. Healthy fall salad recipes = autumn comfort food in a bowl.
Bonus: all these salads are naturally gluten-free, many are dairy-free, and they’re all packed with nutrients your brain, gut, and whole body will love. 💛
Why You’ll Love These Fall Salad Recipes
Healthy Fall Salad Recipes
Here are my favorite fall salad recipes (all gluten-free) to keep you fueled and cozy this season. Thanks to my food blogger and dietitian friends for sharing their yummy recipes here!
1. Autumn Kale Salad with Apples, Pomegranate, Pistachios, and Goat Cheese (Vegetarian)
This wonderful autumn kale salad has massaged kale, apples, toasted pistachios, and goat cheese topped with pomegranate seeds. Yum.
2. Brussels Sprouts Cranberry Salad
A simple shredded Brussels sprouts salad with sugared cranberries, toasted walnuts, and crispy bacon.
3. Chopped Fall Salad with Apples and Maple Vinaigrette (Vegetarian)
This Chopped Fall Salad Recipe w/ Apples, Fennel, Cheddar Cheese, Macadamia Nuts, and Apple Maple Vinaigrette is healthy, delicious, & super easy to make! A family favorite Thanksgiving recipe at Casa Spicy!
4. Cranberry Almond Slaw (Vegan)
Cranberry Almond Slaw is tossed with an Apple Cider Vinaigrette. It is light, refreshing, and the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving menu!
5. Crisp Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette (Vegetarian)
Salads and cold weather don’t seem to mix, but this crisp apple salad with apple cider vinaigrette will woo you into eating your greens all year. Crisp apples slightly warmed with sautéed shallots and light apple cider vinaigrette are perfect fall salad flavors.
6. Delicata Squash Salad (Vegan)
This vegan delicata squash salad is a fall harvest salad made with fresh kale, roasted squash, sweet potatoes, apples, and an easy tahini dressing.
7. Delicious Massaged Kale Salad (Vegan)
Massaged Kale Salad is a beautiful, plant-based meal with exceptional ingredients and flavor. It’s perfect for lunch, meal prep, or even dinner. I love the creamy balsamic dressing, too!
8. Fall Cobb Salad
This Fall Cobb Salad is an autumn-themed version of a classic cobb tossed in a simple, four-ingredient Honey Mustard Dressing. It’s fall in a bowl and a tasty, festive way to celebrate the season!
9. Fall Power Salad (Vegan)
This healthy fall power salad is loaded with nourishing superfoods like crunchy kale, crisp apples, purple cabbage, dried cherries, edamame, & sunflower seeds. Your body will thank you every time you eat it! P.S. Meal prep a big batch ahead of time. It keeps well in the fridge!
10. Harvest Wild Rice Salad with Butternut Squash (Vegan)
This Harvest Salad is healthy and gluten-free. It’s made with roasted butternut squash, wild rice, cranberries, and maple Dijon dressing!
11. Healthy Acorn Squash Salad with Maple Dressing (Vegetarian)
Roasted acorn squash salad is a must for Thanksgiving or even as a side for a fall dinner, especially drizzled with creamy maple dressing!
12. High Protein Salad with Creamy Tahini Dressing (Vegan)
Flavourful squash (or sweet potato) and cauliflower, roasted with cumin and turmeric, mixed with quinoa, puy lentils, seeds, kale, and radicchio (or red cabbage) – all mixed in the most creamy, delicious tahini & garlic dressing.
13. Holiday Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pomegranate (Vegetarian)
Are you looking for a festive salad to serve up this holiday season? You and your guests will love this easy and delicious shaved Brussels sprout salad with pomegranate seeds and a citrus vinaigrette.
14. Kale Apple Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette (Vegetarian)
Kale Apple Salad with Homemade Cranberry Vinaigrette contains all your favorite fall flavors.
15. Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Beet Chips, & Tahini Mustard Dressing (Vegetarian)
This is a simple, warm kale salad with pomegranate and beet chips. It’s an easy lunch salad that comes together in minutes.
16. Really Good Thanksgiving Salad Recipe (Vegetarian)
If you believe that every Thanksgiving menu needs a bright and fresh salad, this Really Good Thanksgiving Salad recipe is for you! Greens, Parmesan cheese, and the best harvest produce tossed with a simple maple vinaigrette.
17. Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Homemade Maple Dijon Vinaigrette (Vegetarian)
This Roasted Butternut Squash Salad is a delicious, colorful salad featuring fall ingredients tossed with a sweet maple Dijon vinaigrette. It’s the perfect addition to your holiday table!
18. Roasted Butternut Squash and Chicken Spinach Salad
Mega-filling Roasted Butternut Squash and Chicken Spinach Salad with pecans, apples, golden raisins, and cinnamon maple cider vinaigrette – a super nutritious entrée salad for lunch or dinner!
19. Roast Pumpkin Spinach Feta Salad (Vegan)
This 30-minute roasted pumpkin spinach feta salad recipe bursts with color and flavor! It’s perfect for seasonal holiday entertaining and as a lovely fall or winter side dish.
20. Roasted Pumpkin & Beetroot Salad
This hearty Roasted Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad recipe features roasted pumpkin and beetroot tossed in a delicious maple vinaigrette and topped with feta, pine nuts, pepitas, and arugula (rocket). It’s the perfect fall/winter salad or holiday side dish!
Build-Your-Own Autumn Salad
No recipe? No problem. Use this easy mix-and-match formula for endless fall salad ideas:
- Base: kale, arugula, spinach, shredded cabbage, or massaged Brussels sprouts
- Sweet: apple, pear, persimmon, pomegranate, roasted carrots or beets
- Hearty: quinoa, lentils, black beans, wild rice, roasted sweet potatoes
- Crunch: walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, roasted chickpeas
- Dressing: maple-mustard, balsamic, tahini-citrus, apple cider vinaigrette
Be sure to check out my favorite non-cookbooks, The Flavor Bible and The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, for the tastiest fall flavor pairings. Oh, and don’t forget to make my Best Ever Brazilian Cheese Rolls to pair with these healthy fall salad recipes. Yum!!!
Fall Salad Recipes Shopping List
FALL PRODUCE
- Acorn Squash
- Apples
- Arugula
- Baby Spinach
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Butternut Squash
- Cauliflower
- Cranberries
- Delicata Squash
- Kale
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Pomegranate Arils
- Pumpkin
- Quince
- Red Onions
- Shallots
- Sweet Potatoes
- Turnips
BEANS & LEGUMES
- Black Beans
- Chickpeas
- Edamame
- Lentils
- Navy Beans
CHEESE
- Blue Cheese
- Cheddar Cheese
- Tangy Feta Cheese
- Creamy Goat Cheese
- Gorgonzola Cheese
DRIED FRUIT
- Cherries
- Currants
- Cranberries
- Raisins
DRESSING INGREDIENTS
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Avocado Oil
- Dijon Mustard
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Lemon Juice & Zest
- Orange Juice & Zest
- Maple Syrup
- Sherry Vinegar
- Nutty Tahini
- White Balsamic Vinegar
GLUTEN-FREE GRAINS
HERBS & SPICES
- Allspice
- Black Pepper
- Cardamom
- Cloves
- Cilantro
- Cinnamon
- Cumin
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Thyme
EXTRA PROTEIN OPTIONS
- Flank Steak
- Grilled Chicken
- Pan Seared Salmon
- Roast Turkey Breast
Let’s Chat! Which of these fall salad recipes have you fallen in love with??? What are your favorite fall salad toppings? If you create your own fall salad recipes, be sure to tag me @thespicyrd on Instagram so I can try them too!
