Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe

What to Serve for Thanksgiving Dinner: Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette 

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Fall is here, and it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to serve for Thanksgiving dinner. This year, I’m trying something new: a Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette! It’s crisp and refreshing, but hearty enough to please even the pickiest eaters in your family. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to make so there’ll be plenty of time left over for making pies or chopping vegetables. 

How to make Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette: 

Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

The vinaigrette has a great balance of tart and sweet, which I love. The apples in the dish are such a wonderful addition because they cut through the savory nature of this salad. This is also an opportunity to use some spices! There’s something about autumn that makes me want to cook with all kinds of pumpkin spice or apple pie spiced ingredients. Cooking these dishes reminds me how beautiful life can be during this gorgeous season – it’s so worth taking time out for self-care. 

Ingredients 

  • 8-10 cups (or one small box) of mixed salad greens 
  • 2 small granny smith apples 
  • 6 oz of crumbled blue cheese 
  • 1/3 cup of dried cranberries 
  • 1/2 cup spiced pecans, recipe to follow 
  • 1 cup of apple cider, unfiltered 
  • 1/4 cup of minced shallots 
  • 2 Tbsp of cider vinegar 
  • 1 Tbsp of honey 
  • 2 tsp of dijon mustard 
  • 1/3 cup of good olive oil 
  • salt and pepper to taste 
  • Spiced Pecans (makes 3 cups) 
  • 3 cups of shelled, raw pecans 
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten 
  • 1 Tbsp of water 
  • 1/2 cup of white sugar 
  • 1/2 tsp of salt 
  • 1 tsp of ground cinnamon 
  • 1/2 tsp of ground cloves 
  • 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg 

Step by step Cooking Instructions 

How to make Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

  1. Assemble the salad by placing greens in a large bowl. Toss with pecans and set aside. Rinse apple, chop into small cubes and add to salad. Alternate layers of spiced pecans between each layer of apples until you reach the top of the bowl or run out of pecans- whichever comes first! 
  2. Layer cranberries on top so they peek through throughout your stacks – it’s like a fun surprise every time you bite down for one! Enjoy while still chilled from fridge. 
  3. In order to save yourself some dishes (and sanity!), all ingredients can be chopped ahead if you wish before assembly for this dish cuts back on prep work considerably! 
  4. Finally, when ready to serve drizzle dressing over entire dish and toss to coat well before serving. 

Conclusion 

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I hope you enjoy this Fall Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette recipe! It’s a perfect mix of sweet and savory, crunchy and fresh. The apple cider vinegar dressing is the star here – it gives just enough tang to balance out all the other ingredients in this salad. If you’re looking for more dishes for your family’s dinner, Butternut Squash and Apple Soup is probably the perfect match for salad. Don’t forget! check out my blog for more recipes like this one that will help get your through those chilly days ahead. Bon appetit!

Jennifer Glover
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