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Harvest Salad with Apples and Pecans

Harvest salad with apples and pecans featuring crisp greens topped with thin-sliced apples, toasted pecans, cranberries, and tangy goat cheese. A maple vinaigrette brings a bright, lightly sweet finish without cooking.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mixed greens
  • 6 cup mixed greens
Apples
  • 2 apples, thinly sliced Thinly slice; toss with lemon juice to prevent browning if needed.
Toasted pecans
  • 0.5 cup toasted pecans
Dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
Goat cheese
  • 0.5 cup crumbled goat cheese
Olive oil
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
Apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper, to taste

Method
 

Make the maple vinaigrette
  1. Whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the dressing looks smooth and slightly thickened.
Assemble the salad
  1. Arrange the mixed greens in a large bowl as a base for even tossing.
  2. Top with the thinly sliced apples, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled goat cheese, distributing toppings across the surface.
  3. Drizzle the maple vinaigrette over the salad so the dressing reaches the apples and greens.
  4. Toss gently until the greens are lightly coated, then serve immediately.

Notes

To prevent browning, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice after slicing, then assemble right away. Store assembled salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 day; keep dressing separate for best texture. Freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-light option, use feta or a firm plant-based cheese in the same amount.