Chopped Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and refreshing chopped autumn salad featuring crisp romaine, sweet apples and pears, savory bacon, tangy feta, and crunchy sugar-cinnamon toasted pecans, all tossed in a zesty apple cider dressing. Perfect for enjoying seasonal flavors in a nutritious, quick-to-prepare meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 6–8 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 1 red apple, diced
- 1 Anjou or Bartlett pear, diced
- 3–4 strips bacon, cooked until almost crisp and crumbled
- ½ red onion, chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ⅔ cup pecans or walnuts
Dressing Ingredients
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup apple juice
- ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Combine apple juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, and black pepper in a jar. Cover tightly and shake well until all ingredients are fully mixed and sugar is dissolved. Set aside for flavors to meld.
- Combine salad ingredients: In a large bowl, add chopped romaine lettuce, diced apple, diced pear, crumbled bacon, chopped red onion, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese. Toss gently to mix.
- Toast and coat nuts: Place pecans or walnuts in a medium pan over medium heat. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to the pan and keep stirring until the sugar melts and coats the nuts evenly. Transfer the coated nuts to a glass plate or metal serving pan to cool down. Once cooled, roughly chop the nuts and add them to the salad bowl.
- Toss salad with dressing: Pour the prepared apple cider dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss everything together until well combined and evenly coated with dressing. Serve immediately for freshest taste and crunch.
Notes
- For a nut-free version, omit nuts or substitute with roasted seeds.
- Use cooked and cooled bacon for best texture and flavor.
- Adjust sweetness of the dressing by adding more or less honey and brown sugar according to taste.
- For vegan adaptation, replace bacon with smoked tempeh and feta with vegan cheese or omit.
- Salad is best served fresh; dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Keywords: autumn salad, apple cider dressing, chopped salad, fall recipe, pecans, bacon salad, feta cheese salad
