Harvest Apple Salad – Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

This harvested apple salad is packed with many delicious ingredients such as crispy apples, baby vegetables, feta cheese, bacon, pecans and more. The mixture is thrown away with apple cider vinegar and is one of the most delicious salads ever! You have a crunch. You have the most delicious vinegar. You have the perfect fall salad!

The beauty of this salad is that the ingredients are easy to customize! Swap salad ingredients in and out according to your taste preferences. I have many tips on where to buy ingredients and make choices below! ⬇️
I’ve been looking for a stunning look salad that can entertain…but also simple and tasty enough to serve my little family. This harvested apple salad is sure to fit all the above!


Harvest the ingredients of apple salad
- Baby Green: Like baby spring green, baby arugula, baby kale, baby spinach or combination!
- Chopped apples: Use crispy, sweet, rich varieties like honey crisp or cosmic crisp.
- Sweet and spicy candied pecans: Store-buyed or homemade candied pecans work well in this salad. If you can’t find (or don’t have time to go) candied pecans, roasted pecans or other types of nuts can work. Please see the notes in the recipe for my homemade recipes and how to fit into the salad.
- Dried Cranberries: Cree protein or dried cherries work very well. If in the season, the pomegranate ghetto will make a good replacement.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Find these in the snack/nut aisle at the grocery store. If they are not found, then replace the shells, lightly salty sunflower seeds.
- bacon: Cook about 6 bacons (apparently, no one will fire you if you use it). 😉
- Feta cheese: If you want to lift this salad (and feta) to a notch, buy a piece of feta cheese (quite wide range of cheeses; usually specialty cheese) and then crash yourself – it’s more creamier than feta that has already collapsed.
- Red Onion: Cut into thin slices!
Put ingredients in and out and adjust according to your taste preferences. Also, feel free to add more or less any ingredients!


Apple cider vinegar
The seasonings of this salad are rich, light and delicious. Keep this recipe in your back pocket because other than that, it provides a great flavor for other salads!
In the mixer, Mix olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, second mustard, garlic and salt and pepper together and process until smooth.
That’s it! Too easy and delicious.


Promotional skills
This salad requires some chopping and preparation, however, many of the ingredients of this salad can be prepared in advance As a result, assembly and service are both fast and easy.
- Balsamic vinegar: Make up one week in advance and store in the refrigerator. Stir before serving so you can recombine if needed.
- Red Onion: Slice the red onions a day in advance. Also, remove the irritating bites from the onion, store them or soak them in ice water for a few hours before serving. Drain and dry.
- Candied pecans: If you make these yourself, you can make them a few days in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- bacon: The bacon can be cooked, crumbled, drained on paper towels, and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. Before serving the bacon in salad, bring it to room temperature.




Make it a main dish
This full salad is full of crunch (too much crunch!). The texture and taste are incredible. While it makes great side dishes, it can be easily transitioned to main course territory with cooked chopped chicken.
Here are some favorite chicken recipes/ideas that can be paired with this harvested apple salad:
I can’t wait for you to try this salad! It’s an epic ingredient combination that is so delicious on their own that you know the thrown salad will be a grand slam dunk. It’s delicious (it’s not always happening in pretty food as we all know!).
Quick record of leftovers
If you think there may be leftovers, All parts of this salad are provided separately so that everyone can build their own salad and seasonings are provided on the sides. Then, store all ingredients separately for leftovers. Do this to make sure the remaining salad is not soaked or weird. Also, throwing apples into lemon juice can help prevent them from turning brown.


Harvest apple salad
Cider vinegar:
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1 to 2 Spoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 clove Garlic, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Coarse, kosher salt (used half for meal salt)
- pinch Black pepper
salad:
- 6 cup Baby Spring Green, Baby Arugula, Baby Kale or Combination
- 1 cup Chopped Honeycrisp or cosmic crispy apples (about 1 medium apple)
- ¾ cup Sweet and spicy candied pecans (see the notes for recipes I use and store-bought)
- ½ cup Dried cranberries (i.e. craisins)
- ½ cup Gently salty roasted pumpkin seeds (see notes)
- ½ cup Cooked bacon (about 6 pieces)
- ½ cup Wrinkled feta cheese (see note)
- ¼ cup Thin sliced red onions
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For vinaigrette, mix all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve. You can make vinegar a few days in advance.
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For salad, mix all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss gently.
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If necessary, stir to recombine. Place the seasoning on the side, or toss the salad with the seasoning and serve.
Pumpkin Seeds: I saw these in multiple grocery stores in the snack/nut aisle. If they are not found, then replace the shells, lightly salty sunflower seeds.
Feta cheese: If you want to lift this salad (and feta) to a notch, buy a piece of feta cheese (quite wide range of cheeses; usually specialty cheese) and then crash yourself – it’s more creamier than feta that has already collapsed.
apple: Chopped apples can be tossed in 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice to avoid browning if needed.
Serve: 1 Served (1 1/4 cup salad),,,,, Calories: 251KCAL,,,,, carbohydrate: 14g,,,,, protein: 5g,,,,, Fatty: twenty oneg,,,,, Saturated fat: 4g,,,,, cholesterol: 13mg,,,,, sodium: 172mg,,,,, fiber: 2g,,,,, sugar: 10g
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