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–+ servings
A vibrant bowl of Favorite Autumn Salad For Thanksgiving, featuring kale, spinach, butternut squash, apples, cranberries, pecans, red onion, and feta cheese.

Favorite Autumn Salad For Thanksgiving

This autumn salad is a refreshing and colorful addition to your Thanksgiving table, balancing rich holiday dishes with crisp, seasonal ingredients.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Dressing Prep 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 5 ounces Fresh spinach
  • 1 Gala or Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup Red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 heaping cup Candied pecans
  • 2 ounces Goat cheese crumbled
  • ¼ cup Pecorino cheese shaved
  • ⅓ cup Dried cranberries
Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Dijon mustard
  • Maple syrup
  • Salt
  • Black pepper freshly ground

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Whisk

Method
 

  1. Prepare the Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the fresh spinach, thinly sliced apple, and thinly sliced red onion. Add a portion of the dressing and toss gently to coat the ingredients.
  3. Add the candied pecans, crumbled goat cheese (or shaved pecorino), and dried cranberries to the bowl. Toss gently again to distribute the ingredients evenly.
  4. Add more dressing as needed, to your preference. Season with additional sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste before serving.

Notes

This salad is best served immediately after tossing to maintain the crispness of the greens and apple. You can prepare the dressing and chop the vegetables ahead of time, storing them separately in the refrigerator.

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