Fall Harvest Salad with Spiced Apple Cider Bourbon Vinaigrette

salad in white bowl on marble surface with fresh figs, pomegranate seeds, and gold spoons beside.

Fall Harvest Salad with Spiced Apple Cider Bourbon Vinaigrette

The perfect side dish to enjoy all the fresh produce that Fall has to offer! This Fall Harvest Salad with Spiced Apple Cider Bourbon Vinaigrette is light, just a touch sweet, and bursting with flavor. Perfect for Thanksgiving or weeknight dinners!

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: servings

Calories: 227kcal

Ingredients

Vinaigrette

¼ cup fresh apple cider
2 teaspoons bourbon
½ Tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon light agave nectar
½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 sprig fresh thyme

Salad

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil for sautéing
2 cups cubed butternut squash
3 cups chopped kale
1 ½ cups shredded brussel sprouts
1 large honeycrisp apple cored and sliced
5-7 fresh figs quartered
¾ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup crumbled feta

Instructions

Vinaigrette

Combine apple cider and bourbon in small saucepan.
Heat over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Pour into small mixing bowl.
Add vinegar, agave, olive oil, cinnamon, and thyme.
Whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.

Salad

In a large skillet, combine 1 Tablespoon olive oil and butternut squash.
Place over medium-low heat and sauté until squash is tender, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
Mix kale and brussel sprouts in large salad bowl.
Pour vinaigrette over greens and gently toss to coat.
Top with butternut squash, apple slices, figs, pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds, and feta.

Notes

Substitutions:

Sweet potatoes can be used in place of butternut squash.
Almost any fresh mixed green that you like can also be used.
If there are any toppings you do not like, feel free to omit them or change them to something you do like! Just keep in mind the flavor palate to keep everything working together.
Vanilla can be used in place of the bourbon in the vinaigrette. If vanilla is used, do not heat the apple cider.
If you would like to make this recipe vegan, feel free to leave off the feta or use your favorite vegan cheese in it's place!

Expert Tips:

The measurements in this recipe are done to taste. Feel free to adjust as needed!
If you would like a more pronounced bourbon flavor and do not mind the alcohol, skip the steps for heating the cider and bourbon.
I used a mix of curly kale and dinosaur kale for my salad. Feel free to use both or only one of them!
Use a fork to test if the butternut squash is cooked-through. If the squash is tender and the fork glides through easily, it is done!

Nutrition