Description

This Fall Harvest Salad is a vibrant and nutritious blend perfect for the autumn season. Featuring crisp kale, fennel, sweet persimmon, tart dried cranberries, and crunchy pumpkin seeds and pecans, it’s tossed in a tangy mustard orange vinaigrette and topped with shaved Manchego cheese. This refreshing salad balances sweet, savory, and nutty flavors with a delightful mix of textures, making it an ideal starter or light meal during the cooler months.

Ingredients

Scale

Mustard Orange Vinaigrette

¼ cup orange juice (freshly juiced or store-bought)
⅓ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Salad

1 shallot (thinly sliced)
1 bulb fennel (trimmed and finely sliced)
1 bunch lacinato kale (chopped)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup pecans (chopped)
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 persimmon (halved and thinly sliced)
1 apple (thinly sliced)
½ cup Manchego cheese (shaved)
Flaky sea salt (to taste)

Instructions

Prepare the Mustard Orange Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, olive oil, stone ground mustard, honey, and kosher salt until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Set the vinaigrette aside.
Rinse and Prepare the Shallot: Trim and clean the shallot, then cut it in half and thinly slice. Place the slices in a small bowl and rinse with warm water to mellow the onion flavor. Drain and set aside.
Slice the Fennel: Trim the fennel bulb, then finely slice it thinly to prepare for the salad.
Prepare the Kale: Remove the lacinato kale leaves from the stems and chop them into bite-sized pieces. Place the chopped kale in a large mixing bowl, then add the sliced fennel and rinsed shallot.
Massage the Dressing into Greens: Pour half of the prepared mustard orange vinaigrette over the kale, fennel, and shallot mixture. Using your hands, gently massage the dressing into the greens to soften the kale and infuse flavor.
Add Nuts and Dried Fruit: Incorporate the pumpkin seeds, chopped pecans, and dried cranberries into the salad bowl and toss gently to combine.
Slice Fruit and Prepare Cheese: Thinly slice the persimmon (halved) and the apple. Shave the Manchego cheese and set aside.
Toss with Remaining Dressing: Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the salad ingredients and gently toss to evenly coat all components.
Assemble and Serve: Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Arrange the apple slices, persimmon slices, and shaved Manchego on top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste and serve immediately to enjoy the fresh fall flavors.

Notes

Massaging the kale softens its texture, making it more tender and easier to eat.
Rinsing the shallots with warm water reduces their sharpness and pungency.
Use freshly squeezed orange juice for the best flavor in the vinaigrette, but store-bought orange juice can also be used.
For a vegan option, substitute honey with maple syrup and omit Manchego cheese or use a plant-based cheese alternative.
Toasting the pumpkin seeds and pecans lightly can enhance their flavor and crunch.
This salad is best served fresh to maintain the crispness of the fruits and vegetables.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: fall salad, kale salad, harvest salad, persimmon salad, autumn recipe, healthy salad, mustard vinaigrette