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This Fall Apple Salad is loaded with crisp apples, bacon, pecans and dried cranberries for an easy, flavorful salad with plenty of crunch.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Autumn Salad!
I have a hard time figuring out how much salad to make, especially now that we are a reduced-size family. I almost always make too much, and my husband is usually there to remind me!
But the first time I served this Fall Apple Salad, no one complained about too much salad—we ate every bite.
This salad is all about flavor and texture. You get crisp, juicy apples, salty bacon, crunchy pecans and sweet, chewy dried cranberries in every bite. It’s a delicious combination of sweet and savory and the perfect fall salads.
It’s also easy to change things up depending on what you have on hand. Try pears instead of apples, walnuts instead of pecans or your favorite dressing. It’s a great clean-out-the-refrigerator kind of salad!
Ingredients Needed
- Baby Spinach
- Romaine Lettuce
- Dried Cranberries
- Pecans
- Granny Smith Apples
- Bacon
- Poppy Seed Dressing
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
How to Make Fall Apple Salad
- Wash and dry spinach and lettuce
- Fry bacon until crisp. I like to cook my bacon in the oven.
- Chop nuts
- Slice apples or cube apples.
- Combine spinach, lettuce, bacon, nuts, apples, and dried cranberries into a large bowl.
- Mix 1/2 cup poppy seed dressing and1/2 cup balsamic dressing until combined.
- Add desired amount to salad and toss to coat.
Tips from leigh Anne
- Choose a crisp apple. A firm, crunchy apple works best in this salad. Honeycrisp apples, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala or Granny Smith are all great choices. I especially like using an tart green apple to balance the sweeter ingredients.
- Keep your apples from browning. If you are slicing the apples ahead of time, place sliced apples in a bowl of water, make sure apples are covered. Mix in 1/2 tsp of salt and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. It works!
- Toast the pecans. Toasting the pecans for a few minutes brings out their flavor and makes them even crunchier. Just keep an eye on them because nuts can go from toasted to burned quickly!
- Cook the bacon until crisp. Crispy bacon gives you the best texture and is a nice contrast to the juicy apples and chewy dried cranberries.
- Wait to add the dressing. Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving so the greens stay fresh and crisp.
- Make it your own. Substitute pears or mandarin oranges for the apples, or try walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts in place of the pecans. A little crumbled feta, goat cheese or blue cheese would also be delicious.
- Add some protein. Turn it into a main dish by adding sliced grilled chicken or turkey.Â
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Fall Apple Salad ahead of time?
You can prep most of the ingredients ahead of time, but I recommend waiting to slice the apples and toss everything with the dressing until shortly before serving. You can cook the bacon, toast the pecans and prepare the dressing ahead of time.
What can I substitute for pecans?
Walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts would all work well. You could also use sunflower or pumpkin seeds for a nut-free option.
What can I use instead of dried cranberries?
Try dried cherries, raisins or chopped dried apricots. Each one will give the salad a slightly different flavor. You could also use fresh, juicy pomegranate seeds.
Can I use store bought dressing instead of homemade?
Absolutely! If you prefer homemade, I have linked to my favorite dressing recipes.
Could I use other kinds of greens?
Use your favorite combination. Add in some arugula, butter lettuce, spring mix or whatever your favorite fresh greens are.
This Fall Apple Salad has everything I want in a salad—lots of crunch, plenty of flavor and a little bit of sweet and savory in every bite. The combination of crisp apples, smoky bacon, crunchy pecans and sweet dried cranberries is the perfect fall salad recipes. Serve it alongside dinner, add some chicken to make it a meal or put it on your Thanksgiving table. And if your family eats the entire bowl like mine did, you’ll know you made just the right amount!
Check out more of my favorite apple recipes.
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
Fall Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 6 oz. baby spinach
- 6 oz. romaine lettuce torn or chopped
- 1/2 cups Craisinets
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 apple diced
- 6 slices bacon fried and crumbled
- 1/2 cup poppy seed dressing
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
- Mix dressings together.
- Combine all other ingredients and then drizzle dressing. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- Choose a crisp apple. A firm, crunchy apple works best in this salad. Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji or Granny Smith are all great choices. I especially like using an apple that has a little tartness to balance the sweeter ingredients.
- Keep your apples from browning. If you are slicing the apples ahead of time, place sliced apples in a bowl of water, make sure apples are covered. Mix in 1/2 tsp of salt and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Drain and pat dry. It works!
- Toast the pecans. Toasting the pecans for a few minutes brings out their flavor and makes them even crunchier. Just keep an eye on them because nuts can go from toasted to burned quickly!
- Cook the bacon until crisp. Crispy bacon gives you the best texture and is a nice contrast to the juicy apples and chewy dried cranberries.
- Wait to add the dressing. Toss the salad with the dressing right before serving so the greens stay fresh and crisp.
- Make it your own. Substitute pears or mandarin oranges for the apples, or try walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts in place of the pecans. A little crumbled feta, goat cheese or blue cheese would also be delicious.
- Add some protein. Turn it into a main dish by adding sliced grilled chicken or turkey.Â
Nutrition Facts:
teresa says
Thanks for sharing- I have been looking for some good “fall” salad ideas…going to give this a try.
Happy day
Jenny E. says
I made this to go with our dinner last night, and my husband and I loved it! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Tracy says
I made this yesterday and it was wonderful. I used several apples for a big bowl of salad, and cut way back on the dressing.
The Queen Vee says
Leigh Anne, I made your salad for a luncheon I attended today. I think someone licked the bowl clean as there was not a morsel left. We topped it off with your Orange Creamsicle cupcakes. (my whole family is addicted to them) Thanks for sharing so many great recipes.
PS I added some blue cheese to the salad…..it was a good choice.
Rachel Jensen says
I made this recipe tonight, and added blue cheese, too! SUPER yummy!
The Queen Vee says
Leigh Ann, you must use a lot of lettuce for the salad because 1 cup of dressing is a lot of dressing. I use dressing really sparingly. How many servings would this salad normally make? It looks really good, I think I’ll make it for a luncheon this coming Friday. Oh by the way, I’m making some coconut cupcakes for a dinner party tomorrow night, if they turn out great I’ll send you the recipe. Thanx.
Leigh Anne says
I too use dressing sparingly so I had lots left over – I made the salad several times that week!