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Fall calls for a different kind of salad. This time of the year, produce such as pumpkin, cabbage, squash, cauliflower, and kale are at their best and plentiful. While summer was all about light, fresh ingredients tossed together with perhaps no more than a drizzle of olive oil, fall's hardier crop can handle much more - they will hold up through roasting and sauteeing, and will happily mingle with rich, creamy cheeses and hearty dressings.
The key to a good salad is in the pairing of flavours and textures. Matching sweet pumpkin with a salty gorgonzola cheese, or bright pomegranate with creamy roasted butternut squash creates the contrast that makes a salad more than the sum of its parts.
Eat the season with our top 10 fall salad recipes that are perfect for a lunch, dinner or as a side to accompany a delectable Sunday roast.
Top 10 Fall Salad Recipe Ideas
1. Pear Salad with Rocket, Gorgonzola and Walnuts
Sweet, firm pears contrast beautifully with salty, umami-rich gorgonzola cheese while walnuts add a nice crunch to this pear salad. If you like the funky flavour of gorgonzola, you will love this salad that features this Italian blue cheese in two ways - tossed in chunks and whisked into the dressing.
2. Pumpkin Salad with Goat's Cheese and Kale
A simple, easy salad that really just requires you to roast the pumpkin before tossing everything together. Sturdy kale makes this a great make-ahead salad. Roast a big batch of pumpkin early in the week and use it in soups, stir fries and risotto. Remember that the roast pumpkin seeds are edible too!
3. Barley Salad with Spinach and Pumpkin
With a good dose of carbs, this barley salad with spinach and pumpkin can easily be a healthy, yet filling dinner. Easily swap the barley for farro, and follow the package instructions on how to cook it.
4. Butternut Squash and Quinoa Salad with Pomegranate Seeds
Cooking the butternut squash and quinoa together makes this a one-pot meal with little washing up for later. Fresh pomegranate works beautifully in this warm salad flavoured with herbs.
5. Red Cabbage, Apple and Hazelnut Salad
A quick boil softens the red cabbage making this otherwise tough veg easier to chew. Dressed with vinegar and oil, this is a great fresh side salad that pairs perfectly with chicken, beef and fish dishes. Use a mandolin to slice the red cabbage as thinly as possible.
6. Fennel and Radicchio Salad with Gorgonzola
Insalata Trevigiana is an Italian salad from the city of Treviso with radicchio and fennel topped by gorgonzola cheese. Go for a good quality olive oil and balsamic vinegar to bring together all the flavours of this northern Italian city.
7. Potato Salad with Goat's Cheese and Grapes
Not technically a fall season salad, but who can say no to potatoes? This is a salad recipe perfect for every moment of the year. It is also a good make-ahead dish that you can prepare on a Sunday night and pack for lunch for the next few days.
8. Celeriac and Cheese Salad with Walnuts
Celeriac is an often underestimated root vegetable, and it's knobby, root-covered appearance doesn't help its reputation either. It is delicious raw as it is cooked, with a hint of celery and the texture of a potato. Try this healthy salad which marries celeriac with creamy gorgonzola cheese, cashews, walnuts, apple and celery for crunch.
9. Vegan Quinoa Salad with Roasted Pumpkin
This quinoa and pumpkin salad comes together with very little ingredients, most of which you likely have in your pantry. Cooking the quinoa in a good vegetable stock and thyme brings a ton of flavour to this simple salad.
10. Spicy Cauliflower and Potato Salad
Mixing in cauliflower makes this healthier than an all-potato salad. Fragrant with curry powder, cumin, and coriander seeds, it makes a great side to lamb, beef and chicken dishes.
