It’s gonna be a bold statement, but I’m gonna make it anyways: the answer to everything, is this salad.
It’s not even an exaggeration.
Have a busy week ahead? Make this salad.
Not sure what to make? Make this salad.
Have a party to take a dish to? Take this salad.
Trying to feed some pickier eaters and convince them they do like healthy food? Make this salad.
It’s a salad you won’t be able to quit…..but why would you ever want to?
It’s got all the things: great lettuce, the amazing basil dressing (that goes great on anything else in your fridge, so I always double it), the herbs, the crunchy sweet potatoes, a hint of something sweet, the crunchy pumpkin seeds, and the creamy hint of cheese (if using).
It’s magical. Ready for it?
The Fall Salad You Won’t Be Able to Quit
Makes 2 large servings or 4 side servings
from The Simply Real Eating Cookbook
Notes: The dressing and sweet potatoes can be prepped ahead of time for easy assembly. Add avocado and cheese right before serving.
1 large or 2 small heads butter lettuce
1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes or yams, chopped into ½ inch cubes
1 small green apple, chopped into ½ inch cubes
1 avocado, cubed
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs like chives, dill and/or basil
sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds (optional, if it’s fall when you’re making this, the TJ’s pumpkin seeds are to die for in this recipe!)
crumbled goat or feta cheese (optional)
dressing:
½ cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 cup basil leaves
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon pepper
(Can be done ahead of time): Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the sweet potato into cubes, toss with olive oil and sea salt and bake for 30 minutes until you can easily poke them with a fork. Remove and let cool.
Meanwhile, or when ready to serve, blend all dressing ingredients together. Add the rest of the salad ingredients to a serving bowl. Toss with dressing and sprinkle with extra chopped herbs to serve.
Ok, now you tell me…. right?! Right. If you make this, come tell me below how it went for you!
Love this recipe? Check out this post on 5 healthy recipes that even picky eaters will love here (and how to get your family to eat healthier in the process).
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Great post Sarah! I have started being “that girl” who brings healthy options to parties and gatherings and I completely agree with your sentiments here, people are usually really happy to have a good for you option. I am excited to try this one out!
I love that you do that too! Yeah girlfriend. Let’s start the trend.
This menu looks incredibly delicious!! I love the idea of serving avocado toast. How do you keep the toasts crispy? Do you use a baguette, or toast a little extra brown so the avocado doesn’t soak through? Thanks – looking forward to trying this at my next party 🙂
Yes! I just toasted the bread (rubbed with olive oil) in batches on a baking sheet at 375-400 to get it crispy!
This party menu looks gorgeous AND healthy! Thanks for the inspiration. Can any of the menu be made the night before? Yum yum, I’m getting hungry thinking about making these 🙂
So glad you love the idea too! I prepped all the “toppings” bar stuff the night before in glass Weck jars (same that I was serving in). The sweet potato muffins, cake and the salad ingredients and dressing can be prepped ahead too!
This was literally the most delicious salad I’ve ever had!!! I can’t wait to make it. And the muffins……. Yummmmmm so delicious!
Reading your beautiful book on this lovely Saturday in TN:)! I was wondering what kind of bread you used for the avocado toast? Making th fall salad tonight. Can’t wait!
I love it! The avocado toast I used pre-sliced Italian loaf bread, and gluten free bread… I can’t remember the brand but it was the one with the least amount of weird things in it ?
Hi Sarah! Making this (almost) entire menu for an upcoming gathering (of course I will credit you!)
Can you tell me what kind of gluten free bread you like? Thanks!
Ah, this is so not helpful, but I don’t remember. I don’t buy it that often! 🙂 I picked the one with the fewest weird ingredients, and one that had slightly bigger pieces because they shrink when they toast up.
I was given your cookbook as a gift this Christmas. Everything looks delicious and I’m excited to try the recipes. You mentioned the salad described above is in your cookbook but I don’t see it. Am I missing something?
I just came across this older post while putting together the menu for my best friends baby shower tomorrow. I was too lazy to get up and walk to my pantry to look for my old meal plan copies to find the fall salad recipe, so I googled it and found this post which was even more on point. How did you do the strawberry ricotta toast? How much balsamic did you use?
I just drizzled the balsamic on top of the ricotta toast. That easy!:)
Sarah, This Fall Salad is unreal- made it last night for friends and there were no leftovers- I could eat this all week! Thank you!! Can’t wait to get your book.
I’m so glad!
For the dressing–do I chop up the 1 cup of basil leaves and shake up the other ingredients? puree them?
I heard about this recipe from Emily Henderson’s design blog and looking forward to trying it!
Thank you!
You weren’t exaggerating, this is a truly great salad! Thank you.
ahhh, i can’t stop! i literally have eaten it every day for a month for lunch, and I look forward to it every day. game changing salad!