Name: Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped; 1 tbsp Olive oil; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 tsp Garlic powder; 1 tsp Onion powder; 1 tsp Thyme; 2 cups Romaine; 2 cups Arugula; 1 medium Apple, chopped; ⅓ cup Pecans, chopped; 1 cup Olive oil; 3 Garlic cloves; 1 tbsp Onion powder; 1 tsp Thyme; 1 tsp Parsley; Salt and Pepper to taste

Jump to Recipe

If you’re looking for a fresh side dish to balance out a hearty fall meal, this Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes is a great choice. Roasted sweet potatoes, crisp apples, pecans, arugula, and romaine come together for a colorful salad that’s full of seasonal flavors without feeling heavy.

Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes and pecans in a bowl on the counter.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Filled with Seasonal Flavors. – This The Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes has so many delicious fall flavors like the sweetness from the sweet potatoes, crisp crunchy apples, and the warmth from the pecans. You can enjoy the best fall flavors and nourish your body well.

So Easy to Make. – Not only is this salad bright, colorful, and delicious, but it’s also really easy to make. Just chop, bake (the sweet potatoes, toss, and enjoy.

Lighter Option During the Holidays. – The rich, heartiness of traditional fall recipes is one of the best parts about the holidays, but sometimes it’s nice to balance out the heaviness of those meals with something that is lighter, nourishing, and just as flavorful.

Tips for the Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Go heavy on the apples and chop them into smaller cubes for an extra crunchy salad.
I recommend buying pecan pieces at the grocery store so it’s one less thing for you to chop.
Adding chicken to this salad is a great way to get protein in which turns this salad into a delicious, filling meal.

A close up picture of the Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes.

Tools You May Need

Ingredients

Here is everything you need to make this Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes.

Olive oil

Spices – Salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme

Sweet potatoes – peeled and chopped

Romaine

Arugula

Apples

Pecans

Add-In Ideas

Cheese – I recommend a soft cheese like goat cheese, feta, or blue cheese. However, shredded parmesan would also be wonderful in this salad.

Additional nuts – walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts would be perfect for that added toasty crunch for this autumn salad.

Dressings – I went with an olive oil based homemade dressing with garlic cloves and savory spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme. However, I think this would also taste delicious with a balsamic vinaigrette for a sweet and salty salad, or a fruity vinaigrette to enhance the sweetness of the apples.

Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes in a bowl on top of a tea towel.

How to Make an Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

1. Prep Your Sweet Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. I baked my sweet potatoes in the air fryer on 400 for 20 minutes, but either works.

Line your baking sheet with foil and set aside.

Peel and chop your sweet potatoes into cubes.

Place them on your baking sheet and drizzle olive oil on top and add your spices ( salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme)

Mix everything well with your hands and bake the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes in the oven or until golden brown. You can also bake them in the air fryer for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Prepare Other Ingredients & Prepare Dressing

While you’re potatoes are baking, chop your apples and pecans, and pull out any cheeses you’d like to add.

If you have a pre-made dressing you can certainly use it on the salad, but if you need a quick dressing, pour one cup of olive oil into a jar with salt and pepper, 3 garlic cloves, onion powder, thyme, and parsley and blend. I used an emersion blender, but you can throw these ingredients into a regular blender if that’s what you have on hand.

Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes Ingredients on the table.

3. Assemble, Toss, & Enjoy!

Add romaine and arugula to your bowl.

Pour your dressing over the lettuce and toss, letting the dressing coat all of the leafy greens. This is going to allow the lettuce to absorb all the delicious flavors in the dressing and prevent your salad from tasting dry.

Next, toss in your baked sweet potatoes, apples, pecans, and cheeses. Add a little salt and pepper (maybe a little squeeze of lemon?) to taste and enjoy!

How to Store The Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Salad Ingredients – For meal prepping, I would recommend storing the dry ingredients together and moist ingredients separate. Store the romaine, arugula, sweet potatoes, and pecans together in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 – 5 days. Store the chopped apples separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. This will prevent the lettuce going soggy from the moisture from the apples. To prevent the apples from browning, squeeze lemon juice over top.

Homemade Dressing – The olive oil garlic dressing separates in the fridge which is completely normal. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days and blend again once you are ready to enjoy.

Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Selena Jones

If you're looking for a fresh side dish to balance out a hearty fall meal, this Autumn Harvest Salad with Apples and Sweet Potatoes is a great choice. Roasted sweet potatoes, crisp apples, pecans, arugula, and romaine come together for a colorful salad that's full of seasonal flavors without feeling heavy.

Print Pin

Prep Time 5

Sweet Potato Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 2 people

Equipment

Salad bowl
Cutting board
Large knife
Peeler
Baking Sheet
Foil

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

1 cup Sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Thyme
2 cups Romaine
2 cups Arugula
1 medium Apple, chopped
⅓ cup Pecans, chopped

Homemade Dressing

1 cup Olive oil
3 Garlic cloves
1 tbsp Onion powder
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prep Your Sweet Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. I baked my sweet potatoes in the air fryer on 400 for 20 minutes, but either works.
Line your baking sheet with foil and set aside.
Peel and chop your sweet potatoes into cubes.
Place them on your baking sheet and drizzle olive oil on top and add your spices (salt and pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and thyme)
Mix everything well with your hands and bake the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes in the oven or until golden brown. You can also bake them in the air fryer for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Prepare Other Ingredients & Homemade Dressing

While you’re potatoes are baking, chop your apples and pecans, and pull out any cheeses you’d like to add.
If you have a pre-made dressing you can certainly use it on the salad, but if you need a quick dressing, pour one cup of olive oil into a jar with salt and pepper, 3 garlic cloves, onion powder, thyme, and parsley and blend. I used an emersion blender, but you can throw these ingredients into a regular blender if that’s what you have on hand.

3. Assemble, Toss, & Enjoy!

Add romaine and arugula to your bowl.
Pour your dressing over the lettuce and toss, letting the dressing coat all of the leafy greens. This is going to allow the lettuce to absorb all the delicious flavors in the dressing and prevent your salad from tasting dry.
Next, toss in your baked sweet potatoes, apples, pecans, and cheeses. Add a little salt and pepper (maybe a little squeeze of lemon?) to taste and enjoy!