27 Fall Salad Recipes That Are Packed With Autumnal Flavor

Dig into these comforting fall salad recipes this season.

kale salad with apples
Photo:

Con Poulos

When summer produce begins to fade from the markets, seasonal autumn ingredients like apples, carrots and other root vegetables, and leafy greens take center stage. When these fruits and vegetables are in season, they really shine their brightest. They are hearty, substantial, and perfect additions to fall salad recipes to enjoy as the weather turns cold. 

Some of our favorite fall vegetables are of the starchy variety. Winter squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, and beets work wonders when roasted and tossed with fresh greens. Autumn is also the time to enjoy the abundance of hearty greens—kale, spinach, and Asian greens like mizuna and tatsoi are delicious when cooked but are also perfect swaps for more traditional romaine or iceberg in autumn salad recipes.

Nutty grains like barley and quinoa can also help bulk up fall salads and make them meal-worthy—and seasonal fruits, like citrus, pomegranate, and persimmons, add color and a special flair to any salad bowl. The options are truly endless and delicious. You'll want to make these favorite fall salad recipes all through the autumn and beyond.

01 of 27

Warm Lentil Salad With Poached Eggs

humble beginnings warm lentil salad eggs
Christopher Testani

Warm salads are a welcome addition during the colder months of the year. Lentils, Swiss chard, and sautéed aromatics are tossed with a simple mustard-lemon vinaigrette. Top each serving with a poached egg and a generous crumble of soft goat cheese.

02 of 27

Roasted-Vegetable Salad With Garlic Dressing

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Maria Robledo

A delicious composed salad with a range of flavors and textures, this recipe puts fall's abundance on full display, on a bed of tasty kale. A warm roasted garlic dressing nicely complements the smokiness of the roasted vegetables.

03 of 27

Chicory Salad With Maple-Roasted Acorn Squash

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Crisp chicory combines with sweet oven-roasted acorn squash for a perfect fall side dish. Hazelnut features prominently in this recipe, with hazelnut oil used to roast the squash and make the dressing, and toasted hazelnuts sprinkled as a finishing touch to give crunch.

04 of 27

Roasted Squash, Apple, and Cipollini Onion Salad

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This is one of the easiest salads to make because the oven does most of the work. Toss onions, squash, and apples with oil for roasting, then serve on top of a bed of seasoned watercress.

05 of 27

Kale Slaw With Red Cabbage and Carrots

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Bryan Gardner

Slaw is a great way to transform less flavorful vegetables into something dramatic and delicious. This recipe is jazzed up with the addition of seeds and a tangy vinaigrette. It's a great, fresh contrast to heavier roasted dishes that tend to appear on dinner tables in the fall months.

06 of 27

Lacinato Kale Salad With Roasted Squash

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Marcus Nilsson

Lacinato (sometimes called Tuscan or Dino) kale is known for its tender leaves, making it perfect for tossing into salads—no massage needed! This kale salad is mixed with cubes of roasted butternut squash, aged goat cheese, and toasted hazelnuts.

07 of 27

Roasted Carrots and Red Quinoa

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John von Pamer

This unusual salad gets its hint of salty sweetness from shiro miso, a Japanese fermented rice paste that adds tremendous depth of flavor. Put your oven to work roasting vegetables, while you simmer the quinoa and wilt the spinach. Layer it all together, then drizzle with dressing to serve.

08 of 27

Dr. Weil's Kale Salad

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Unlike most salads, this one gets even better after a night in the fridge. The kale softens and soaks in the lemony-garlicky dressing. But that doesn't mean you can't eat it shortly after you make it. It's still delicious, with tasty crunch from toasted breadcrumbs.

09 of 27

Shredded Brussels-Sprout Salad With Hazelnut Crunch

brussels sprout salad
Louise Hagger

Brussels sprouts will never go out of style. Press the sprouts through the shredding attachment of your food processor (or slice by hand) and toss them with lemon juice, olive oil, and our sweet and salty rosemary-scented hazelnut crunch.

10 of 27

Winter Cobb Salad

winter cobb salad with tofu and shiitakes
Con Poulos

Don't let the name fool you. This winter salad is just as delicious in the fall. You might as well make it as many times as you can once the weather gets cool. It's a vegetarian salad, with tamari-flavored tofu and shiitake mushrooms replacing the chicken and bacon that's traditionally found in a cobb salad.

11 of 27

Kale-and-Apple Salad

kale salad with apples

Con Poulos

You'll feel like the picture of health after eating this salad. It's packed with fiber-rich kale, celery, and apples. A lightly sweetened honey mustard vinaigrette makes it feel special.

12 of 27

Roasted Beet Salad With Blue Cheese and Nuts

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Beets can take a long time to roast, but they're well worth the wait. Paired with a basic vinaigrette, toasted nuts, blue cheese, and some parsley, this is a superb side salad to accompany any pan-fried fish or roasted meats.

13 of 27

Raw-Beet and Celery-Root Salad

raw beet celery root salad
Justin Walker

Earthy root vegetables like beets and celery root are actually quite sweet when they're in season. When sliced into thin matchsticks, they make for a delightfully crunchy salad. We like to add toasted pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley to the mix.

14 of 27

Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

Corn and Zucchini Orzo Salad

An early-fall salad, this dish can make use of the last of the corn-on-the-cob harvest that's available throughout September and sometimes into October, depending on where you live. Featuring zucchini, orzo pasta, and feta, this big-batch recipe provides leftovers for a frittata recipe the next day.

15 of 27

Radicchio Salad With Chopped-Lemon Dressing

Radicchio Salad With Chopped-Lemon Dressing with spoons
Justin Walker

The flesh of a whole lemon and a pinch of sugar are used to make the bright dressing for this colorful salad. It's perfect for drizzling over bitter greens like radicchio.

16 of 27

Shredded Cabbage Slaw With Ginger Vinaigrette

shredded cabbage with ginger vinaigrette topped with sesame seeds
Marcus Nilsson

This lighter take on coleslaw is a perfect fall salad, relying on hearty cabbage and carrots. Sesame, ginger, and yuzu vinegar are used to flavor the mixture.

17 of 27

Watercress, Radicchio, and Radish Salad

watercress radicchio and radish salad
John Dolan

Watercress and radicchio are both a bit peppery and bitter. When paired with spicy radishes, this knockout salad is just the thing for when you need something a little different on your plate.

18 of 27

Persimmon and Escarole Salad

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Raymond Hom

This simple fall salad pairs slightly bitter and crisp escarole with sweet-tart persimmons. There are no ratios listed in this recipe, so use as much persimmon, greens, and pistachios as you like.

19 of 27

Chili-Lime Roasted Butternut Salad

Chili-Lime Roasted Butternut Salad
Johnny Miller

Mild cotija cheese helps tame the spiciness of the chili-roasted butternut squash. Zippy lime juice and honey soak into the lettuce leaves, and toasted pepitas add some crunch.

20 of 27

Bitter Greens, Grapefruit, and Avocado Salad

Bitter Greens, Grapefruit, and Avocado Salad
Marcus Nilsson

Peak-season pink grapefruit adds a sweet-tart complexity to this salad when mixed with three kinds of bitter greens–escarole, endive, and frisee. Sliced avocado and a creamy yogurt dressing create a smooth finish.

21 of 27

Wild-Rice and Lima-Bean Salad With Cranberry Relish

wild rice salad
Martyn Thompson

The heartiness of wild rice makes this a super satisfying salad or side dish, and lima beans are packed with protein. Make a quick cranberry relish in the food processor to serve over the top.

22 of 27

Mixed Chicories With Persimmons

chicory salad

This recipe features a pleasing blend of hearty cold-weather greens, like radicchio, frisée, and more. Their slight bitterness is offset by vinaigrette, crunchy walnuts, soft sweet persimmons, and pomegranate seeds.

23 of 27

Grain and Legume Salad

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This recipe uses a convenient flexible formula, blending grains, raw or cooked vegetables, nuts, cheeses, seeds, and more, with fresh herbs and a zingy vinaigrette, for a delicious side salad or standalone light meal.

24 of 27

Endive Salad

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Bitter endive can feel like an acquired taste for some, but once you figure out how to prepare it well—with an acidic lemon dressing, like this one—it may become a staple in your fall salad repertoire. Bonus points for being able to make it ahead and store in the fridge until it's time to serve.

25 of 27

Roasted Sweet-Potato and Farro Salad

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Ryan Liebe

Perfect warm, cold, or at room temperature, this farro and roasted squash salad is dressed with a tangy lemon dressing. All it needs is a handful of sprouts (or baby greens) and fresh dill to finish it off.

26 of 27

Broccoli, Herb, and Pistachio "Grain" Salad

broccoli herb and pistachio grain salad with pomegranate
Frank Frances

This salad has all the heartiness of a grain salad, minus the grains. Broccoli crowns are steamed and finely chopped like rice, then tossed with fresh herbs, apples, pistachios, and a sprinkle of sumac.

27 of 27

Kale and Farro Salad With Feta

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Ryan Liebe

The epitome of a fall salad, here you'll find chewy farro paired with chopped kale, refreshing mint, and mild French feta. It can be made up to two days in advance.

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