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Cozy Fall Harvest Chopped Salad Recipe: Easy 15-Minute Meal

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A quick and easy chopped salad featuring roasted butternut squash, crisp apples, dried cranberries, pepitas, and feta cheese, all tossed in a tangy maple Dijon dressing. Perfect for busy weeknights, family meals, or holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced (½-inch cubes)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 5 cups mixed salad greens (baby kale, spinach, romaine)
  • 1 large Honeycrisp apple, diced (about 1 cup)
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • ⅓ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 small shallot, finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss diced butternut squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until tender and edges are golden brown. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
  3. While squash roasts, make the dressing: In a small jar, combine apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, ¼ cup olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and minced shallot. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds until emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
  4. Wash and dry salad greens. Dice apple into ½-inch cubes (leave skin on). Measure out cranberries, pepitas, and feta.
  5. In a large mixing bowl, combine salad greens, cooled squash, diced apple, cranberries, pepitas, and feta. Drizzle with about half the dressing and toss gently to coat.
  6. Taste and add more dressing if needed. Toss again gently.
  7. Serve immediately. Garnish with extra pepitas and feta if desired.

Notes

For meal prep, store dressing separately and add just before serving. The undressed salad keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge. To prevent apples from browning, toss with a little lemon juice. Toast pepitas in a dry skillet for extra flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: fall salad, harvest salad, chopped salad, butternut squash salad, maple Dijon dressing, easy salad recipe, healthy salad, vegetarian salad, gluten-free salad

Find it online: https://platebelle.com/cozy-fall-harvest-chopped-salad-recipe-easy-15-minute-meal/