This vegan Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette brings together all the best Fall fruits and vegetables and tops them with an easy 5-minute oil-free vinaigrette.
This salad recipe uses a variation on my Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries – using cubed sweet potatoes instead of fry-shaped.
Why You’ll Love this Vegan Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Simple yet delicious – This salad only has a few basic ingredients, but when paired together the flavors are unbeatable.
- Quick & easy – You can make this salad in under 30 minutes – including the time it takes to air fry the sweet potatoes. If you are using leftover sweet potatoes, it will be even quicker!
- Main or side – This salad is filling enough to be a main dish, but it is also a perfect side dish for any fall meal.
Ingredients
- Kale, Spinach & Arugula – These greens are some of the stars of fall harvest. They’re hearty and flavorful, making a great base for this salad.
- Pumpkin Seeds – Raw or roasted work just fine for this recipe.
- Dried Cranberries – These add a bit of sweetness to this salad. If you aren’t a fan of cranberries, but still want a fall-inspired touch of sweet, try fresh diced fresh pear.
- Honeycrisp apple – A fall staple, and my favorite variety of apple. You can use any apple that you like, but I think Honeycrisp is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
- Air Fried Sweet Potatoes – Sweet potatoes, a bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper is all you need to add these veggies to the mix. If you don’t have an air fryer, you can roast the sweet potatoes instead.
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette – You can use store-bought dressing, but this one is so easy and oil-free!
Helpful Equipment
In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:
- Large salad bowl
- Air fryer (optional)
- Tongs for mixing (optional)
How to Make Vegan Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Start by cooking the sweet potatoes.
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Dice them into small-medium sized chunks. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper and air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender.
While the sweet potatoes cook, make the Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing. Add all ingredients for the dressing into a small mixing bowl or glass measuring cup and mix.
Next, prep the greens. Wash the kale, spinach, and arugula, and remove any large stems. Chop or rip the kale to the desired size and add them to your large salad bowl.
Top the greens with the dressing and massage the dressing into the greens, let sit while you chop the apple. You can do slices or apple chunks for this recipe, whatever you prefer!
Once the sweet potatoes are finished and have cooled slightly, add them to bowl with the dressed greens. Add the sliced apple, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries. Mix until the dressing evenly coats all ingredients. Add more dressing if desired.
That’s it! Serve and enjoy!
How to Store Vegan Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Fridge: Any leftovers will store in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you plan to eat this salad over the course of a few days, I would recommend waiting to dress each portion until you are ready to eat it. The greens will stay crisper this way.
More Tips for Making Vegan Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Not Vegan? Add grilled chicken to this salad or serve aside your favorite meat-based main dish for the holiday.
- Gluten-free? This recipe is gluten-free as is.
- Looking for more protein? Add Crispy Chickpeas or toasted walnuts to this salad for some extra protein and crunch.
FAQ: Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Is this vegan harvest salad gluten-free?
Yep! Stick with the recipe exactly as described and you are all set.
Is this salad oil-free?
The dressing is oil-free and the salad can easily be made oil-free by omitting the oil when air frying the sweet potatoes.
Looking for more delicious vegan salads? Try this Golden Beet Salad or Apple Farro Salad.
Vegan Harvest Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 1 bunch kale
- 2-3 oz spinach and arugula mix
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 1 honeycrisp apple
Apple Cider Viniagrette
- 2 tbsp apple cider
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp dijon
- 2 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Start by cooking the sweet potatoes. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Dice them into small-medium sized chunks. Toss in olive oil, salt, and pepper and air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-15 minutes or until fork tender.
- While the sweet potatoes cook, make the Apple Cider Vinaigrette Dressing. Add all ingredients for the dressing into a small mixing bowl or glass measuring cup and mix.
- Next, prep the greens. Wash the kale, spinach, and arugula, and remove any large stems. Chop or rip the kale to the desired size and add them to your large salad bowl.
- Top the greens with the dressing and massage the dressing into the greens, let sit while you chop the apple.
- Once the sweet potatoes are finished and have cooled slightly, add them to bowl with the dressed greens. Add the sliced apple, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries. Mix until the dressing evenly coats all ingredients. Add more dressing if desired.
- That's it! Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Not Vegan? Add grilled chicken to this salad or serve aside your favorite meat-based main dish for the holiday.
- Gluten-free? This recipe is gluten-free as is.
- Looking for more protein? Add Crispy Chickpeas or toasted walnuts to this salad for some extra protein and crunch.
Nutrition
Please note, while all ingredients used in this recipe have been verified to be vegan and free of applicable allergens at the time of recipe creation, different brands may differ in their ingredients or processing procedures and may change their ingredients at any time. For some recipes, I do include ingredients that are processed in a facility that processes other allergens. Please make sure to check the ingredients and processing procedures for your specific purchases to ensure they meet your dietary needs.
Last Updated on February 14, 2025
I love all of these flavors together! Such an easy fall salad.
Honeycrisp apples are my favorite! This sounds delish, I want to try the vinegarette salad dressing. That sounds yummy, I can almost feel the tingle on my tongue.
I love how you include a vinaigrette recipe withing your recipe and the use of sweet potatoes! Thank you for the recipe.