Warm Fall Harvest Kale Salad

This fall harvest warm kale salad is filled with all of the flavors of fall, like roasted sweet potatoes, honeycrisp apples, figs and candied pecans in a warm, delicious salad that you'll enjoy all season long! (gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan option)

Holy yum, y'all. This fall harvest kale salad is giving me all the fall feels. A crisp, cold salad with tender greens is delicious and refreshing in the hot summer months, but it's not so appealing when the cold temperatures roll in. For fall and winter, I'm all about cozy, comforting salads. Yes, I said comforting and salad in the same sentence. Is that possible? Yes, let me show you.

Why You'll Love This Fall Kale Salad

This fall harvest kale salad is a huge hit in our house. I made it two nights in a row because we loved it so much! Warm wilted kale is much more inviting than crunchy, frigid greens. It makes the perfect vehicle for all of the delicious ingredients of fall: warm roasted sweet potatoes with hints of cinnamon, maple coated candied pecans, fresh honeycrisp apples, earthy figs, and creamy Bellavitano cheese. All topped off with a delicious sweet and savory maple dijon dressing, this salad is darn near irresistible. It's a delicious side dish to go with risotto or roasted chicken, but it's also hearty enough to be a meal on its own.

The Ingredients

• Kale - I love dinosaur (or lacinato) kale, but use any that you can find.
• Sweet potatoes - with a hint of cinnamon and paprika, roasted sweet potatoes add the cozy, carby goodness that's required in a hearty cold weather salad.
• Figs - Use all the fresh figs while you can find them! If there's not a fresh fig in sight, dried figs will also work.
• Apples - I love sweet-tart, juicy and crisp honeycrisp apples, but feel free to use your favorite variety.
• Candied pecans - My recipe for candied pecans is super simple and can be made in advance, but if you don't want to make them, the Costco brand candied pecans are delicious, too.
• White cheese - My absolute favorite is Sartori's Merlot BellaVitano cheese (you can find it in the deli section of most stores with a good cheese assortment). If you can't find it, a good quality block of parmesan or aged white cheddar work well too.
• Maple dijon vinaigrette - I add a pinch of cloves for even more fall vibes.

How To Make It

1. Make the sweet potatoes. Cut a medium sweet potato into half-inch cubes and toss with cinnamon, paprika, salt, pepper, and half of the oil. Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
2. Wilt the kale. Wash and chop the kale. Toss with the other half of the oil and spread onto another baking sheet. Roast until just wilted and bright green, but not yet crispy, about 5-10 minutes. Add the roasted kale to a large bowl.
3. Make the candied pecans.
4. Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
5. Slice the apples and cut figs into quarters vertically. Grate or crumble the cheese.
6. Add the sweet potatoes, apples, figs, cheese and pecans to the bowl with the kale. Drizzle with dressing (I usually start with half) and toss to coat.

Can This Salad Be Made In Advance?

The candied pecans, dressing, and sweet potatoes can be made in advance (in fact, this salad is a great use for leftover sweet potatoes!), but I wouldn't make the whole thing in advance because it's so good served warm. If you're using leftover sweet potatoes, warm them in the oven while you wilt the kale to freshen them up.

More Delicious Fall Salads

• Fall Kale Salad With Apples, Pears and Sorghum
• Celery Apple Salad with Walnuts and Dates
• Butternut Squash and Lentil Spinach Salad
• Fresh Fig Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese
• Mel's Granny Smith Salad With Blue Cheese and Pecans

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the comments!

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