Healthy Harvest Salad with Creamy Pomegranate Dressing is the perfect fall-inspired recipe. Great addition to your Thanksgiving menu.
Crisp and refreshing, wholesome and colourful. The combination of greens, apples, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds is topped with an easy-to-make pomegranate dressing.
I love the flavours of fall. Apples and cinnamon pair perfectly in these super delicious fried apple tarts and our family’s favourite apple pudding recipe. Of course, I am a huge pumpkin spice fan. From pumpkin rolls to pumpkin lattes and everything in between.
Although I am a fair-weathered girl, there is something about the crisp cool weather and comfort food that is so enjoyable.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this fall salad can be found at the bottom of this post.
Delicious Harvest Salad Ingredients
All the wonderful flavours of the season come together in this vibrant autumn salad.
- Apples
- Salad greens
- Pumpkin seeds
- Pomegranate seeds
- Mayonnaise
- Pomegranate juice
- Dried cranberries
- Avocado oil
- Apple balsamic
Be sure to check out my recipe suggestions and tips below.
Easy Creamy Pomegranate Salad Dressing
I think this is my favourite part of this autumn salad. Apples and pomegranates pair perfectly in this simple harvest salad recipe.
All you have to do is mix the mayonnaise, pomegranate juice, and apple balsamic together and you are done.
If you have never used flavoured balsamic, you are in for a treat. It elevates this salad dressing to a whole new level.
Once you have your salad dressing mixed, all you have to do is assemble the rest of the salad ingredients and enjoy.
- Place your greens of choice on a plate.
- Sprinkle with some dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate seeds.
- Layer on some apple slices.
- Add the creamy pomegranate dressing and serve.
This wholesome harvest salad is perfect for lunch, brunch or dinner. Want to turn it into a full meal? Just add some protein.
I love making individual servings, but you can mix everything together in a large salad bowl.
Recipe Suggestions/Tips
I love salads with apples. You can use any variety you like. My favourite for this recipe is Honeycrisp.
I used mayonnaise in the salad dressing. My original version used Greek yogurt. You can switch the mayonnaise to yogurt if you prefer. If you find that makes it a little tart, just add some honey or agave nectar to sweeten it.
Looking to make this into a full meal? Super easy, just add protein. Chicken, turkey, and slices of pork tenderloin work great. Grilled shrimp would be delicious too. Need it vegan? Toss in tofu.
The dressing will last for about a week, in a sealed container in the fridge.
Greens can be a combination of anything you like. Kale, lettuce, broccoli slaw, spring mix. The combination is endless.
Toppings of pumpkin seeds, pomegranate arils, and dried cranberries are great for any fall recipe. Feel free to use anything you like. Use any kind of nut, or try fresh and dried blueberries. You can even add cheese. Feta or goat cheese would be delicious.
Flavoured balsamic is such a great ingredient to work with. I used apple, but you can also use pomegranate, pear, or even pomegranate molasses in this easy-to-make salad dressing.
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You may also enjoy these tasty fall recipes:
- Apple Chickpea Salad
- Turkey Wrap
- Roasted Pumpkin Soup
- Apple Stuffed Squash
- Chorizo Chili
- Pumpkin Mashed Potatoes
Harvest Salad with Creamy Pomegranate Dressing
Ingredients
For the Pomegranate Dressing:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon apple balsamic vinegar
For the Salad:
- Salad greens
- Fresh apple slices
- Dried cranberries
- Fresh pomegranate seeds
- Dried pumpkin seeds
Instructions
To make the Dressing:
- Add ingredients to a bowl and whisk until smooth and combined.
- Alternatively you can add all the ingredients to a mason jar, seal and shake until well combined.
To arrange the Salad:
- Place some greens on a serving plate.
- Sprinkle with about a tablespoon each of cranberries, pumpkin seeds and pomegranate seeds.
- Drizzle with salad dressing.
Sharon Rigsby
What a gorgeous salad! Looks so light and fresh but very much a fall salad! Love the pictures!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
A lot of flavors in this salad!
Chef G
Thanks…we do too.
Kimberly @ Berly's Kitchen
This salad is absolutely beautiful!! Pomegranate is one of my favorite flavors, only getting the seeds out of the pod is not the easiest task. I end up with that gorgeous pomegranate color all over me and the kitchen. It is worth trying again to make this salad, though.
Chef G
Yes…you have to really work to get those tasty seeds out…and then clean up the mess!!
Leslie
So exciting to see pomegranate back in the markets! I love the flavours of your salad – definitely pinning it!
Chef G
I wish we had them all year long.
Alice @ hip foodie mom
I’m trying to get into more homemade dressings. This is perfect! can’t wait to try it.
Chef G
Homemade is always sooo good.
Nicole B
What a beautiful salad. It looks delicious and healthy. I’ll have to look for pomegranates at the store. Thanks for linking up at the #HomeMattersParty. Hope to see you at this week’s party, the door is open Friday at midnight EST.
Chef G
Pomegranates are so delicious…and you are welcome.
Amy
This is the most gorgeous salad! I’m dying to try this dressing now but we just used up the last of the pomegranates that I bought last week! Guess I’ll have to make another trip to the store… 🙂
Chef G
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Kathy McDaniel
Oh the glamorous life of a blogger! I wish things like SEO or coding weren’t part of it.. I tend to enjoy the creative -artistic aspect of it all more. I love this salad and I will be making it for sure! Great combination of ingredients and flavors.
Chef G
I know right. So many other things get in the way.
Jenni
What an awesome salad and a great dressing!
Chef G
Thanks so much.
Platter Talk
This is one beautiful salad. Can’t wait to try, even if it is messy!
Chef G
HAHA..well the mess is worth it for sure.
Hilary
Oh yum! I’m loving the sweet/salty combo here- and that dressing looks right up my alley! Will definitely have to give it a try 🙂
Chef G
Thanks Hilary…hope you give it a try. It was nice spending time with you are the #FBC2016
Marisa
Such a gorgeous and colorful salad, I’m sure it tastes as great as it looks!
Chef G
We totally love it.
Kellie MacMillan
I love the look of this salad and all of the ingredients too.
I don’t want to squash your opinion of it being the prettiest salad out there but a fellow FBC’er has that title in my books check out: New Year Detox Salad with Pink Tahini Dressing
and Gloria, I have to say it’s only the color of that dressing! LOL You are a super strong contender in my books.
Oh GEESH! I never knew I had such strong feelings about SALAD ha,ha.
I always use Jamie Oliver’s suggestion for getting all those juicy seeds out of the pomegranate.
I’m a hot mess, spanking my pomegranates. LOL so much fun!!
Gloria, I didn’t mean to hijack your post but I’m passionate about this stuff. Please forgive me. You are such an inspiration.
Kellie from Princess & The Yard Ape
Chef G
HAHA…yeah I tried his method too…and it still makes a mess. What can you do….pomegranates are worth the effort and mess in my books. They are so delicious. Thanks for the kind words and great comments.
Aish Padihari
I love pomegranates. I just recently made a pomegranate raita. What a great recipe you have here – a must try.
Chef G
Pomegranates are so good. Wish we could get them year round.
Sarah
We love love love kale! Can’t wait to try this salad out!
Chef G
Yes it really is great in this salad.