Go Back

Autumn Chopped Salad

Autumn chopped salad with finely massaged kale, crisp shredded Brussels sprouts, and sweet-tart fruit. Tossed with a maple Dijon vinaigrette for a tender, crunchy bite with feta and pepitas.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

kale, finely chopped
  • 4 cup kale, finely chopped
shredded Brussels sprouts
  • 2 cup shredded Brussels sprouts
apple, diced
  • 1 apple, diced
pear, diced
  • 1 pear, diced
dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
candied pecans, chopped
  • 0.5 cup candied pecans, chopped
crumbled feta
  • 0.5 cup crumbled feta
roasted pepitas
  • 0.25 cup roasted pepitas
olive oil
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Make the maple Dijon dressing
  1. In a large bowl, whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and glossy. Visual cue: the dressing should look evenly combined with no mustard streaks.
  2. Add 1 tablespoon of the dressing to the finely chopped kale and massage for 1 minute until tender. Visual cue: the kale should soften and darken slightly, losing some of its bite.
Chop, assemble, and serve
  1. Add shredded Brussels sprouts, diced apple, diced pear, dried cranberries, candied pecans, crumbled feta, and roasted pepitas to the bowl. Visual cue: the salad should look colorful and evenly layered.
  2. Pour over the remaining dressing and toss well to coat everything. Visual cue: feta and candied pecans should be lightly moistened without becoming soggy.
  3. Serve right away, or chill up to 2 hours before serving. Visual cue: the salad looks slightly more cohesive after chilling, with dressing clinging to chopped greens.

Notes

Pro tip: massage the kale with only 1 tablespoon of the dressing first—this tenderizes it so the rest of the salad stays crisp. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days; it also holds well for make-ahead lunches. For a dairy-free option, swap crumbled feta for a plant-based feta alternative (check that it crumbles well) to keep the same salty-tangy finish. Freezing isn’t recommended because the chopped greens and fruit lose texture.