Harvest Chopped Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

I have brought a lot of forgettable salads to a lot of potlucks. You know the one. It sits there looking very polite next to the cheesy potatoes while every single person walks right past it. So when this bowl came home completely empty, and somebody texted me for the recipe the next morning, I took it personally in the best possible way.

This is what I make once the weather finally turns and everyone in Kansas City decides apples belong in absolutely everything. It is crunchy, a little sweet, a little sharp, and it does not wilt into sadness if it sits out for an hour. That last part is the whole reason it keeps getting invited back.

Heads up, a few links below are affiliate links, which just means if you grab something I get a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. Only things I actually use made the cut.

Why you will love this one

It is sturdy. Kale and shredded brussels sprouts do not collapse the second dressing touches them, so you can toss this a full hour before people arrive and it only gets better. Try that with butter lettuce and report back to me.

It also hits every note at once. Sweet apple, tart cranberry, salty sharp cheddar, toasty pecans, and a maple dijon vinaigrette that pulls it all together without tasting like dessert. My kids pick the cranberries out and eat those first, which I am counting as vegetables by association.

And nothing in here requires a special trip. Every single ingredient is at whatever grocery store is closest to you right now.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 large bunch lacinato kale, stems removed and chopped fine, about 4 cups
• 3 cups shredded brussels sprouts, about 12 ounces
• 1 large Honeycrisp apple, diced small
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped
• 4 ounces sharp white cheddar, diced small
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup roasted salted pepitas, optional but very good

For the maple dijon vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup (this is the kind I keep on hand)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

How to make it

1. Toast the pecans. Spread them on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes, until you can smell them. Set a timer, because the difference between toasted and ruined is about ninety seconds.
2. Prep the kale. Strip the leaves off the stems, chop them fine, and put them in your biggest bowl. Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of the olive oil and massage the leaves with your hands for about thirty seconds. They will darken and soften. This step is not optional, it is the difference between a great salad and chewing on a houseplant.
3. Shred the brussels sprouts. Trim the ends, halve them, and slice thin, or run them across a mandoline if you want it done in three minutes. Add them to the kale.
4. Make the vinaigrette. Put everything in a jar, screw the lid on, and shake hard for fifteen seconds. A dressing shaker makes this feel fancier than it is.
5. Dice the apple and toss it with a splash of the vinaigrette right away so it does not brown while you finish everything else.
6. Add the apple, cranberries, red onion, and pepitas to the bowl. Pour over about three quarters of the dressing and toss well. Let it sit for 15 minutes so the greens soak it up.
7. Right before serving, add the cheddar and pecans and toss once more. Taste, add the rest of the dressing if it needs it, and finish with a little flaky salt.

Tips, swaps, and make ahead

Make it ahead. Chop everything the night before and store the greens, the mix ins, and the dressing separately. Toss it all together an hour before you serve. The cheese and pecans always go in last, otherwise the pecans go soft.

Swap the cheese. Goat cheese or gorgonzola instead of cheddar if that is more your crowd. Skip it entirely and add an extra handful of pepitas to keep it dairy free.

Make it dinner. Shredded rotisserie chicken turns this into a full meal on a Tuesday, and it is the only way my husband considers salad to be food.

Use a big bowl. Bigger than you think you need. Tossing a chopped salad in a too small bowl is how half of it ends up on the counter, ask me how I know. I bring mine in a large wooden serving bowl and it looks like I tried harder than I did.

One honest note. Do not use a soft apple. Gala and Red Delicious go mealy and disappear into the dressing. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith all stay crisp.

Quick recipe details

• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Cook time: 8 minutes, just for toasting the pecans
• Rest time: 15 minutes after dressing
• Total time: about 50 minutes
• Servings: 8 to 10 as a side, 4 as a main with chicken added
• Storage: Keeps in the fridge for 2 days once dressed, which almost no salad can say. Undressed components keep for 4 days. Do not freeze, obviously.

The takeaway

Every fall gathering needs one thing on the table that is not beige, and this is mine. It takes half an hour, it travels well, and it makes you look like the person who brought something thoughtful even though you mostly just chopped things and shook a jar.

If you make it, tell me what you swapped, because I always want to know. Drop it in the comments, I read every single one.

So glad you are here.
xo, Pam