Fall Salad with Apples
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Nov 11, 2026 
This simple fall salad takes about 15-minutes to make and needs no cooking. With mixed baby greens, apple, cranberries, and sharp cheddar, it’s sweet, tangy, crisp, and works as an easy side for Thanksgiving or any big dinner.
A Simple Mixed Greens Fall Salad
Allow me to introduce you to the fall salad I make all season long, with mixed greens, a quick maple Dijon vinaigrette, and nothing to cook, so the whole thing comes together in about 15-minutes flat!
For this lovely autumn salad, I’m using thin-sliced sweet-tart apple, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, and just enough thinly sliced shallot to give it a little bite, all tossed in a dressing that’s sweet and tangy at the same time.
Now, while most fall salads use goat cheese or feta, I opt for an aged sharp white cheddar cut into small dice, which doesn’t crumble away into the greens the way softer cheeses do, so you get distinct salty, nutty bites all the way through, and it stands up to the maple and the apple much better than something creamy would.
In testing, I tried slicing the apple ahead to save myself a step at dinnertime and it browned enough that the salad looked tired before it ever hit the table, so now the apple gets sliced last.
On that note, I tested the vinaigrette without the maple syrup and it came out sharp enough to fight the cranberries, where that single tablespoon rounds the whole thing out, so don’t skip it!
This salad is happiest on a fall table, and it’s a great side salad for Thanksgiving or Christmas, especially served alongside my slow cooker turkey breast, and my slow cooker ham. Yum!
Welcome to My Kitchen, Let’s Make Autumn Harvest Salad!
I Love Making This Fall Salad When:
- You’re bringing a salad to Thanksgiving, friendsgiving, or a potluck and want something special but still simple.
- You need a fresh, crisp side salad next to a heavy main like ham, turkey, pot roast, or a pasta bake.
- You have 15-minutes and the oven is already full, since nothing in this mixed green salad has to be cooked or roasted.
- You want a side salad that can be prepped ahead, because the vinaigrette and the cheese and nuts can be done hours earlier and tossed right before serving.
Robyn’s Testing Tips for a Fall Salad with Apples and Cheddar
- I definitely recommend a sweet-tart apple like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady here. I’ve made it with both those and a sweeter variety, and the sweeter apple disappears against the maple in the dressing where a sweet-tart one holds its own.
- Slice the apple as thin as you can manage, and leave the peel on. Thick slices eat like snack apples sitting on top of a salad, where thin slices fold into every bite and the peel gives you a little color.
- Toast the nuts even if you’re short on time, or buy them pre-toasted. I’ve tossed them in raw and they tasted flat and a little soft, where three minutes in a dry skillet gets you the crunch that makes this salad work.
- Start with about two-thirds of the dressing and add more as needed, as you can always add but you can’t take it back!
Simple Fall Salad with Apples
Equipment
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated or pressed
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the Salad
- 8 cups mixed baby greens or spring mix (or about one 5-ounce container of baby spring mix)
- 1 large sweet-tart apple, cored and very thinly sliced (such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady)
- 1 medium shallot, very thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ heaping cup aged sharp white cheddar, small diced
- ⅓ cup pecans or walnuts (candied or toasted)
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
- Assemble: Add the mixed greens to a large bowl. Top with the sliced apple, shallot, dried cranberries, aged white cheddar, and nuts. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
– Measure the cranberries and nuts ahead and store at room temperature.
– Make the dressing up to 1 week ahead. Store in a jar in the fridge. Shake or whisk before using.
– Slice the shallot up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
– Chop the cheddar up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
– Slice the apple the morning of at the earliest. Toss with a squeeze of lemon juice to slow browning, then store covered in the fridge.
– At serving time, add the greens to a large bowl, layer all toppings over, drizzle with dressing, and toss.
