Harvest Salad is super-loaded to satisfy and sustain. With crisp bacon, creamy avocado, tender chicken, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and lots of fall yumminess, then tosses them together in a lively vinaigrette. The perfect lunch!
This harvest salad has Cobb salad vibes in fall form!
Hearty and full of seasonal flavors, this fall harvest salad recipe is a meal everyone at your table will love!
We almost never eat salad for dinner at home, but since a classic Cobb Salad is the one-and-only salad that Ben considers “real food,” I decided to make a version of it for our main meal.
I kept the Cobb essentials—bacon, chicken, avocado, and hard-boiled eggs—then incorporated a few of my favorite fall ingredients to give the salad a harvest twist.
- Alongside the classic Cobb ingredients, today’s Cobb harvest salad has roasted butternut squash, apples, cranberries, and toasted pepitas.
- I swapped the blue cheese for goat cheese, then topped it off with a creamy cider Dijon dressing.
I happily devoured this harvest salad for lunch and dinner on the same day!
5 Star Review
“Delicious! All of the different flavors and textures blended together perfectly for an awesome fall Cobb salad. We will definitely make again. The dressing was perfect for this salad.”
— Teresa —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Mixed Greens. Romaine, spinach, arugula, or baby kale (or a combination of these) will work well for this harvest salad.
- Butternut Squash. My go-to veggie in the fall. Once roasted, butternut squash has a wonderfully sweet, caramelized flavor.
- Bacon. The best way to make crispy bacon for salads, sandwiches, or to enjoy on its own is in the oven or air fryer. See Baked Bacon and Air Fryer Bacon for step-by-steps.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs. A delicious, protein-rich salad addition. This Instant Pot Boiled Eggs recipe is an easy way to make them.
- Chicken Breast. My favorite choice for this salad is Grilled Chicken Breast. I love the smoky flavor it adds. However, the salad will be equally delicious if you choose to follow my Baked Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Chicken Breast recipes instead.
- Apple. Sweet, crisp, refreshing, and healthy.
- Avocado. Since this is a twist on a Cobb salad, we can’t forget the avocado. It helps make the salad satisfying.
- Cranberries. For beautiful color and sweetness.
- Goat Cheese. If you aren’t a fan of goat cheese, you can substitute it with an equal amount of feta cheese or a mild blue cheese, such as gorgonzola.
- Pepitas. Nutty and crunchy.
- Dijon Cider Maple Dressing. With apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, and maple syrup, this dressing is light, bright, and sweet. It’s flavorful but allows the other ingredients in this harvest salad to shine.
How to Make Harvest Salad
- Prep the Toppings. Roast the squash. Cook and dice the bacon. Peel and slice the hard boiled eggs. Cook the chicken.
- Make the Dressing. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.
- Assemble. Place the greens in a bowl, and top with the squash, bacon, chicken, eggs, and apple. Add the dressing and toss. Finish with avocado, cranberries, goat cheese, and peptias. ENJOY!
What to Serve with Harvest Salad
This autumn salad is delicious on its own or served with a festive cocktail, crusty bread, or a cozy fall-flavored soup.
Harvest Salad
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 58 minutes
Total: 1 hour 13 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Video
Harvest salad is a fall twist on everyone's favorite Cobb Salad: butternut squash, apples and cranberries with bacon, avocado and chicken!
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Ingredients
FOR THE COBB SALAD:
- 1 small butternut squash about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch dice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 4 large eggs
- 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 8 cups mixed greens such as Romaine, spinach, arugula, or baby kale (about 20 ounces)
- 1 sweet crisp apple such as gala or honeycrisp, cored thinly sliced (no need to peel)
- 2 ripe avocados sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese about 2 ounces
- ⅓ cup toasted pepitas pumpkin seeds
FOR THE DRESSING:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the squash: Place over racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spread squash cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet, then drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake the squash until tender and caramelized, 15-20 minutes, turning once throughout. Set aside.
- Bake the bacon: Place an ovenproof baking rack on a second baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray, then arrange the bacon slices on the rack in a single layer. Place on the second rack in the oven with the squash. Bake until the bacon is as crisp as you like, about 12-20 minutes depending upon the thickness of your bacon. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. Dice and set aside.
- Hard boil the eggs: In a small pot, bring just enough water to cover the eggs to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and gently lower the eggs in with a slotted spoon. Bring water to a low, rumbling boil, then let cook for 9 minutes. A few minutes before the eggs are finished cooking, prepare an ice bath. Remove the eggs from the boiling water and plunge into the cold water. Let rest a few minutes, then tap the eggs with back of a spoon to crack them (this will make peeling easier). Return to the ice water to cool completely. Peel the eggs, then cut into slices. Set aside.
- Cook the chicken on the grill (my fav!), in the oven, or in the air fryer. (For shredded chicken options, see the notes section below.)
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients: olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Add the butternut squash, bacon, chicken, eggs, and apple. Drizzle with the dressing, toss gently to coat. Scatter the avocado, cranberries, goat cheese, and pepitas over the top. Enjoy!
Notes
- TO MAKE SHREDDED CHICKEN: Use my easy method for Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken, or How to Cook Shredded Chicken on the stovetop.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: The butternut squash, bacon, eggs, and chicken can all be prepared 2 days in advance. The dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance. Store items individually in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, let the chicken, squash, and bacon come to room temperature, then assemble the salad as directed. If possible, wait to add the apple and avocado until right before serving, so that they don’t turn brown.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftover salad in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 4)Calories: 751kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 33gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 237mgPotassium: 1256mgFiber: 6gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 19580IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 186mgIron: 4mg
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