Fall Harvest Salad with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
This fall harvest salad with spinach and sweet potatoes is the perfect mix of seasonal flavors and textures. Roasted sweet potato, crunchy seeds, creamy Parmesan shavings, and a sweet and tangy vinaigrette…it’s a cozy salad you’ll want on repeat all season long!
If you need more fall salad ideas, try this easy, crowd-pleasing autumn salad, this spinach salad with beets and feta, this festive fall fruit salad, or this yummy fall pasta salad!
Recipe Ingredients: Fall Harvest Salad with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
For the dressing:
For the salad:
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Spinach: Baby spinach is perfect for this salad, but I also like using baby spinach/baby kale mix that they sometimes sell at my grocery store. Mixed greens are also great.
Dried cranberries: Substitute dried cherries or even raisins.
Sweet potato: Butternut squash is also delicious in this salad. I go back and forth between using sweet potato and butternut squash, depending on the season.
Nuts: I love to earthiness of walnuts in this salad, but swap out your favorite nuts such as pecans or almonds.
Casey’s Tips
- Dressing in a jar: Place all of the dressing ingredients in a medium mason jar (I even like to use a clean pasta sauce jar!) and shake until everything is combined.
- Chop the broccoli into small pieces: Cutting the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces helps it blend better with the greens and gives every bite the right texture.
- Cool roasted sweet potatoes before adding: Let the sweet potatoes cool before tossing with the greens to avoid wilting the spinach.
- Storage: Undressed, this salad will last up to 5 days in the fridge (making it perfect for meal prep!) Store the dressing separately if possible.
How to serve
Holiday table: This is a perfect salad for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cold weather holiday! Serve it on a festive platter or in a rustic wooden bowl.
Friendsgiving: Need a quick but beautiful dish to contribute to a potluck? This salad is delicious, healthy and goes with pretty much everything!
Meal prep: You don’t need a holiday or special event to make this salad! It keeps really well in the fridge, so meal prep this yummy salad and have it for a hearty, but light lunch all week long.
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Thank you! ~ Casey
Fall Harvest Salad with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil olive oil works, too
- 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
- 1-2 tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. EACH coarse salt and black pepper
For the salad
- 1 sweet potato, cubed
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/8 tsp. EACH coarse salt and black pepper
- 5 oz. baby spinach OR baby kale/baby spinach mix (about 5-6 cups, loosely packed mixed greens work, too
- 3 cups broccoli, chopped chop the broccoli into small bite sized pieces
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Roast the sweet potato: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cube the sweet potato into small, 1/2 inch pieces. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet and toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes until tender. Remove from the oven and cool.
- Make the dressing: While the sweet potatoes are roasting, make the dressing. To a small bowl, add the dressing ingredients. Whisk until combined. Set aside. You can also add all of the ingredients to a large Mason jar and shake until everything is combined.
- Assemble the salad: To a large bowl or platter, layer the spinach, broccoli, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, shallots, and shaved Parmesan cheese. Drizzle on the dressing and toss well. You can also serve the dressing on the side and allow your guests to serve themselves.
Notes
Casey’s Tips
- Dressing in a jar: Place all of the dressing ingredients in a medium mason jar (I even like to use a clean pasta sauce jar!) and shake until everything is combined.
- Chop the broccoli into small pieces: Cutting the broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces helps it blend better with the greens and gives every bite the right texture.
- Cool roasted sweet potatoes before adding: Let the sweet potatoes cool before tossing with the greens to avoid wilting the spinach.
- Storage: Undressed, this salad will last up to 5 days in the fridge (making it perfect for meal prep!) Store the dressing separately if possible.
This salad is so simple, yet SO delicious! It comes together quickly, so take it to your next holiday potluck or Friendsgiving! XO ~ Casey