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This colorful Autumn Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad combines all the best produce that fall has to offer into the season’s best salad. Spicy baby arugula, Honeycrisp apples, juicy pomegranate seeds, candied nuts, and crispy prosciutto. All tossed with an apple cider vinaigrette. It’s a fall staple around here…healthy, simple, and so delicious.
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Today is the official start to autumn so this fall harvest salad feels very appropriate. I’ve already been talking about fall for weeks. And though fall is only officially beginning, our leaves have just about reached their peak. We even had our first dusting of snow early on Monday which brought chilly temperatures and an aire of coziness.
I’m not ready for snow yet, but I’m definitely welcoming the cozy vibes. They excite me every year!
I know for most of you the weather is still fairly mild, if not warm, but I hope you’re all getting into the fall mood!
Anyway, I’ve been waiting to share this salad with you guys for a while, as it’s been on repeat around here. The second the crisp sweet Honeycrisp apples arrive at our local grocery, it’s time for fall salads.
This salad is simple, but I promise you, it’s everything delicious, and not one bit boring.
Here are the details
I wanted this salad to be three things, colorful, flavorful, and to have great texture…meaning some crunch to it.
This means candied nuts/seed and crispy prosciutto…two of my favorite ingredients!
Start by tossing the pecans and pumpkin seeds together with some maple syrup, cinnamon, and cayenne. I arrange them to one side of a baking sheet, then add prosciutto to the other.
Throw the pan into the oven and allow the nuts to roast and the prosciutto to get nice and crispy!
While the nuts/seeds are toasting, toss the salad together. Since we had a ton of fresh arugula left in the greenhouse, I used spicy arugula, which was perfect for this semi-sweet salad. If you don’t love arugula, use kale, but make sure to massage the kale with some olive oil and salt before tossing it up in the salad. You could also just use romaine lettuce.
To the greens, add lots of thin slices of Honeycrisp apples, pomegranate arils, and avocado.
Finally, the vinaigrette
This is key to the salad. A mix of oil, apple vinegar, creamy dijon, sweet apple butter, thyme, and sage. It’s so warming, sweet, and even a little spicy.
It pairs wonderfully with the flavors in the salad and is so quick to mix up too!
When the seeds are all roasted, toss the salad with the vinaigrette. Then add the seeds and the prosciutto, plus lots of feta cheese, goat cheese would be great too – serve it up, and enjoy!
Not only is this so pretty on a dinner table, but it’s totally delicious too. Sweet, tangy, and spicy with so many autumn flavors, plus an awesome CRUNCH too. I love that this salad is so versatile, you could add your favorite protein, like chicken to make it a main.
A great dish for every occasion from family dinners to Thanksgiving!
Looking for other fall salad recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Fall Harvest Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad
Shredded Brussels Sprout Bacon Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Pomegranate Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Lastly, if you make this Autumn Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Check out the how-to video here:
Autumn Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup raw pecans
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- flaky sea salt
- 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 6 cups arugula or shredded kale
- 2 honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- arils from 1 pomegranate
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Apple Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple butter, (optional)
- 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. On the prepared baking sheet, toss together the pecans, pumpkin seeds, maple, cayenne, and cinnamon. Arrange in a single layer. Lay the prosciutto flat around the nuts. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the nuts are toasted and the prosciutto is crisp. Watch both closely. Sprinkle the nuts with sea salt.3. Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine the arugula, apples, avocado, and pomegranate arils.4. To make the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake. Taste and adjust as needed.5. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, tossing to combine. Top the salad with toasted nuts, prosciutto, and feta. Eat and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Made this for dinner last night! My family LOVED it. The spicy/sweet/salty flavors going on in this salad is exquisite!
Thanks so much, Rachel:) I’m so glad to hear this recipe turned out nicely and appreciate you making it! XxT
Looks AMAZING! Hoping to make this for Thanksgiving. Would it be possible to roast seeds, nuts and prosciutto the day before. The hour before serving is a bit hectic and was hoping to keep ingredients prepped but separate until last minute. Simple last minute assemble and serve! Any suggestions to keep sliced apples pretty? Thank you.
Hey Susan,
Totally, that will work nicely for you!! I would toss the apples in lemon juice, that will prevent them from browning. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Sounds wonderful…planning to make this Sunday for a post-election lament party.
Thanks so much, Brenda! I hope you love this recipe! xT
I LOVE this recipe for November and December. I make this salad all the time for hosting parties. Such great flavors and colors! Delicious!!
Thanks so much, Olesya! Love to hear you enjoy this salad and thanks for making it so often to share with others! Have the best day! Xx
Making your pesto stuffed cheesy shells for guests. Will this salad work with the stuffed shells?
Hey Christine,
Totally, sounds like a great meal! I hope you love the recipes! Have the best week! xT
Will the dressing last if made the day before? Excited to try this!!
Hey Lisa,
Totally, just keep it in the fridge:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
Absolutely delicious and such a beautiful presentation. I always lay my salads out on platters, not bowls, for my company. Makes such a difference in presentation. The dressing is so, so good and pairs beautifully. Wish I could post my picture if it.
Love to hear this, Martha! Thank you so much for making this salad and your feedback! Have a great Friday! xT
My husband and i make this salad weekly we love it that much!! What is a protein/ main course you would pair with this?
Thanks!!
Hey Sydney,
So glad you and your husband love this salad as much as I do:) Thanks for making it so often! Here are some dishes you might enjoy making with it:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/apple-cider-smothered-chicken/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/marry-me-chicken-meatballs/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/roasted-herb-chicken-and-wild-rice/
I hope this helps! xT
I made this salad tonight and it was absolutely delicious!! I don’t normally make salads this fancy but it was well worth it. This is absolutely a keeper!!
Hey Kim,
Happy Fall Thursday!
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! XxT
Want to try this and do want to use the apple butter but the link you have for it goes to peanut butter at target – I can find a recipe for apple butter but after searching your website I couldn’t find a recipe!
Thanks
Hey Dianne,
So sorry about that! Here is the link for my apple butter recipe:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-slow-cooker-maple-apple-butter/
You could also use any store bought apple butter:) I hope this helps! xT
My new favorite fall salad! The only thing I did was decrease the amount of cayenne. Worthy of serving to dinner guests!
Hey Lori,
Happy Sunday! Thank you so much for making this recipe and your feedback, I’m so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
OH MY GOODNESS is this recipe divine. We hosted some friends for dinner and this was the star of the show (even over my homemade sourdough and pumpkin Biscoff tiramisu)! I followed the recipe as is despite seeing comments about less maple syrup or cayenne. We loved it as is but could see how someone might want less cayenne if you don’t like a little spice. We thought the cayenne complimented the maple flavor beautifully. I did not have apple butter for the vinaigrette but did have homemade chunky applesauce which worked perfect in place.
This is definitely a very easy recipe but looks so gorgeous and is probably the best salad I’ve ever had. Half baked harvest recipes NEVER fail <3
Hey Molly,
Awesome! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Happy Sunday! x
Hi Tieghan,
I made this for my family last night. I just have to thank you! I have been using your recipes exclusively for the last two weeks and not only do they please my entire family of 6, but they make me feel like a skilled chef! The ingredients are always so fresh and surprisingly accessible. The presentation of them is also so thoughtful. I feel like you have pushed me out of my comfort zone but in a way that is so attainable. We loved this salad and the fall flavors within it. The dressing was delicious! On to the next recipe. Now I want to try them ALL! Thank you so much for sharing your passion and talent with us.
Aww, thank you so much, Meghan! Your message truly made my morning and I am so glad your family has been enjoying the recipes! Also, that you are enjoying making them! So glad this salad was a hit as well:) Happy Labor Day! xT
So good, perfect mix between sweet and savory. I will for sure be making this again. I added half parmesan and half feta and it really added!!
Hey Anna,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! xT
Can you make any of this salad ahead?
Hey Naomi,
Totally, you could really prep everything ahead of time except I would wait to slice the apple and avocado. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
awesome thank you, i will give that a go! looks yum cant wait to make it
This is delicious but I agree with less maple syrup and maybe less cayenne pepper.
Hey Katelyn,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it was yummy! xx