Autumn Salad
When we think of fall recipes we think cozy, comforting dishes. Often these are qualities we find in dishes like casseroles, soups, and stews. Dare I say these are all qualities that you also get from this salad. The sweet potatoes are spiced with chili powder that creates a warm and toasty flavor when roasted. The creamy and bold Humboldt Fog cheese brings a nice punch and richness to the salad. The dark leafy greens deliver a vibrant earthy flavor that is undoubtedly fall. All of the components work together to bring all the warmth and comfort that we think of with fall dishes, but while also delivering on the health benefits of a great salad.
I purposely structured this recipe as more of a guide to fall salad creation than a true recipe — the baseline for ingredients, how to make a vinaigrette, and how to prep the vegetables. The best part of this is that you can customize it to your preferences or what’s looking good in the grocery store.
What are the best lettuces for a fall salad? This recipe calls for a mix of arugula and spring mix. With that being said, baby kale would be a wonderful substitution or addition as well as any other green.
What cheeses can you use in a fall salad? The trick here is to find a cheese that makes an impact. Humboldt Fog has a great richness to it, but it also packs a punch with a nice salty flavor. This is my favorite cheese for this recipe, however I’d also recommend using Blue Cheese, Goat Cheese, or even Brie if you want more of a creamy flavor.
Can you make this salad ahead of time? The answer here is both yes and no. You can certainly make the components of this salad in advance, such as roasting the sweet potato and creating the vinaigrette. With that being said, I’d wait to fully mix all of the ingredients together until right before you’re ready to serve. The reason behind this recommendation is that the delicate lettuces can get soggy with the vinaigrette sitting on it for an extended period of time.
What nuts or seeds are best for a fall salad? The possibilities are endless in this regard! I recommend pumpkin seeds in this recipe because they’re festive, nutty, and crunchy. If you don’t have pumpkin seeds or don’t care for them I recommend subbing pistachios, walnuts, or even sliced almonds.
What other uses are there for this vinaigrette? This vinaigrette is perfect for a quick marinade on chicken! When going this route I recommend only marinating the chicken for about an hour, as the vinaigrette packs a punch in little time.
The core tenants of a vinaigrette:
The main rules of a vinaigrette are to include oil and vinegar (among other optional seasonings) at a 3:1 ratio.
With that being said, it’s acceptable to use virtually any oil (olive and avocado being my favorite) and any acid (vinegars such as balsamic, apple cider, or white wine vinegar are great choices)
You can also use citrus such as lemon in the place of vinegar to provide a nice bright addition.
Adding mustard is a great way to emulsify the vinaigrette into a smooth, consistent dressing.
Consider adding flavor boosters such as garlic, shallot, or herbs to make the vinaigrette unique and flavorful.
Autumn Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 3 tsp Dried Thyme
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 3 tbsp Stone Ground or Dijon Mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 oz of lettuce - preferably Spring Mix and Arugula
- 2 Medium-Sized Sweet Potatoes
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 2 oz Humboldt Fog Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Dice the sweet potatoes into ¾ inch cubes, season them with salt, pepper, the chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Toss them with olive oil and roast them for about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vinaigrette by combining all of the ingredients into a small bowl, whisking until emulsified. This recipe is for more vinaigrette than you will most likely need for this salad, keeping in mind that everyone has different preferences for how dressed their salad is. This is a great dressing to keep on hand and utilize throughout the week, so you’ll be happy you made a bit extra.
- Next, it’s optional to toast the pumpkin seeds, and I recommend doing so to give them a nice toasty flavor and crunchy texture. Once the sweet potatoes are done, you can combine all of the ingredients of the salad together — lettuce, sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds, crumbled Humboldt Fog, and as much vinaigrette as you prefer. Toss and serve right away.
