Home Recipe Index Salads
4.9/5
Jump to RecipeRate Recipe
By: Rachel Tiemeyer
This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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!
Table of Contents
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 ovenahead 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.
Can I make Autumn Salad ahead of time?
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.
What are some creative additions to an Autumn Salad?
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.
How should I store Autumn Salad?
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 Salads You’ll Love
Summer Strawberry Salad
Fiesta Salad
Mandarin Orange Salad with Creamy Citrus Dressing
Southwest Chicken Salad
My Favorite Cobb Salad
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
Mexican Chopped Salad
Asian Slaw
More Salad Dressings You’ll Love
- Southwest Ranch Dressing
- Honey Balsamic Dressing – Or try Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette for a twist.
- Honey Dijon Dressing
- Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Asian Sesame Dressing
- Citrus Salad Dressing
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.9 from 42 reviews
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.
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Prep: 15 minutesCook: 0 MinutesTotal: 15 minutes
Print RecipeRate Pin for Later
Scale:
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)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
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.
© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine:AmericanMethod:Mix
Photos and video by Whitney Reist of Sweet Cayenne.
Rachel Tiemeyer
As co-founder of Thriving Home, Rachel dreams about creating recipes (literally) and uses her husband, her 3 kids, and even the neighbors as guinea pigs several nights a week. She believes that good food has the power to bring families and friends closer together and continues to wake up excited about her job each day, even after 10+ years!
Read more...
Reader Interactions
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Carolyn saysFantastic recipe. I made it for Thanksgiving and everyone including grandchildren and great nephews kept coming back for more. I made it for a large luncheon, Christmas, and will be serving it to 25 pastors in a couple of weeks. The lack of croutons makes it tasty and edible the next day (if there is any left.) Never want to lose this recipe!
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
Hi Carolyn. Looks like you’ve tested this recipe on a variety of groups! So glad you’ve found success. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Reply
- Michelle says
Made this salad for a big family dinner and it was the first thing gone! Love it! My granddaughters actually had thirds.
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
Wow, thirds! 🙂 Love to hear it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review Michelle.
Reply
- Jennifer says
I made this salad for a baby shower. Everyone commented on how delicious and beautiful it was. I tripled the recipe and there wasn’t any left. So many questions on what was in the dressing! So I’m sending them the link.
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
That’s awesome Jennifer! Thanks for sharing the link and for taking the time to leave a review.
Reply
- Steph says
I left out the bacon but added quinoa (to accommodate a guests dietary restrictions when making it) and it was SUPERB. The dressing is the best I’ve ever made and now I get requests to make this at gatherings. So simple and truly tastes next level. Thank you!!
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
Ooh interesting Steph. I wouldn’t have thought to add quinoa. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review and let others know about your substitution and how it turned out.
Reply
- Jan Davisson says
Loved this salad and guests loved it too! I substituted plum vinager for apple cider vinager and it was really good!
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
You have me intrigued with plum vinegar. I’ve never heard of it, but it sounds wonderful! So glad you and your guests loved this recipe. Thanks for leaving a review.
Reply
- Cecilia Kozeny says
so good and flavorful! my go to salad right now that always impresses too!
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
Hi Cecilia. So good to have those recipes that always impress! Glad you found it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Reply
- Cari says
Do you refrigerate salad dressing after making it?
Reply
- Rachel Tiemeyer says
I wouldn’t put it in the fridge if you’re serving right away. The oil will harden a bit at the top in the fridge (I sometimes microwave it just a little to loosen it up). For storing, I would suggest refrigerating it so it lasts longer.
Reply
- Emily says
This is my favorite salad. Made it for some friends and they couldn’t stop raving over it. I use honeycrisp apples and extra-sharp white cheddar as I like how it tastes with the apples. Yum yum yum!
Reply
- Carla from Thriving Home says
Oh yes, I love both honeycrisp apples and extra-sharp cheddar on this salad… though I haven’t tried extra-sharp white cheddar. I will have to do that. Thanks so much for taking the time to let others know what you use!
Reply
- Annette says
Made this for Thanksgiving. NEVER had so many compliments & requests for the recipe! So simple but SO good.
Reply
- Rachel Tiemeyer says
Aww, man that makes me so happy to know your family enjoyed it. 🙂 Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave a review.
Reply
Older Comments
