• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nourished Kitchen

  • Philosophy
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    » Home » Recipes » Fall Vegetables » Autumn Salad

    Autumn Salad

    Posted: Sep 26, 2014 · Updated: Oct 6, 2020 by Jenny McGruther · This site earns income from ads, affiliate links, and sponsorships.

    Autumn Salad: Kale, Apples, Butternut Squash, Beets, Pecans, Dried Fruit, and Kombucha Honey Mustard Dressing

    Autumn has arrived in the mountains, and the aspens in my yard have turned from green to gold, and soon they'll shed their leaves entirely. It's this time of year, late September, when Mother Nature simply can't decide what to do with herself as some days remain seem blisteringly hot, and others feel so crisp and cool that we go to bed with hot water bottles and a fire burning.

    It's on these mishmashed days that I find myself craving the flavors of autumn: root vegetables and apples, sturdy kale and butternut squash. Yet, at the same time, the heat of these late September days leaves me abandoning the soup pot for fresh and light dishes.  And, in that way, this Autumn Salad was born - a celebration of those new flavors of fall, but light enough for hot day.

    My Favorite Autumn Salad

    Here, I've combined apples with many of my other favorite fall flavors: fresh earthy beets, sweet butternut squash, dried fruit, and buttery pecans brightened by a sprinkling of fresh mint and drizzled with a sweet and sour vinaigrette made of kombucha tea, honey, and mustard. It's truly lovely, though I'm sure a sprinkling of crisp pastured bacon or a crumbling of fresh goat cheese might be a good addition for a more substantial meal.

    Gorgeous Sweet Tango Apples from pale yellow to blushing red. Ready for salad.

     

    Kale, Beets and Butternut Squash

    In addition to fresh apples, I toss in fresh raw beets and butternut squash over the kale.  Typically, my family eats all three vegetables cooked in some way: roasted, buttered, steamed, braised.  But sometimes I simply crave them raw and fresh.  Eaten raw, they're milder and softer in flavor, almost delicate.

    All three are rich in nourishment, particularly antioxidants, which are best absorbed in concert with wholesome fats.  In this way, olive oil is a natural pairing for vegetables.

    Kombucha Tea and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    Kombucha tea, a naturally probiotic fermented tonic, offers a flavor similar to apple cider vinegar, only softer and rounder.  If you don't make your own, you can find it at most health food stores.  I favor using it as a replacement for vinegar in my salad dressings and vinaigrettes (like in this Roasted Beet and Walnut Salad).

    It's rich in beneficial bacteria, and because of its soft notes of tea and vinegar, it pairs beautifully with the flavors of autumn: notably apples, beets and winter squash.  In this dressing I blend it with honey, minced shallot, Dijon-style mustard and fruity extra virgin olive oil (that I get here).

    I hope you love this autumn salad as much as I do.

    Autumn Salad: Kale, Apples, Butternut Squash, Beets, Pecans, Dried Fruit, and Kombucha Honey Mustard Dressing
    Rate this Recipe

    Autumn Salad

    Sweet and crisp, Sweet Tango apples shine in this autumn salad that also features curly kale, toasted pecans, dried fruit, fresh beets and mint, drizzled with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Total Time10 mins
    Print Save Recipe Saved!

    Ingredients

    For the Salad

    • 1 cup pecan halves
    • 1 small butternut squash
    • 2 bunches curly kale (torn into pieces)
    • 3 apples (cored and thinly sliced)
    • 3 beets (chopped into ¼-inch dice)
    • ¼ cup dried unsweetened cranberries
    • ¼ cup sultanas
    • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint

    For the Vinaigrette

    • ¼ cup kombucha tea
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
    • 1 shallot (minced)
    • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions

    • Place a cast iron pan over high heat on your stove. When it's blisteringly hot, toss in the pecans and toast them, stirring frequently, until they release their aroma. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a plate, and allow them to cool.
    • Cut off the bulbous bottom of the squash, and reserve it for another use. Peel the top part of the squash, and chop it into ¼-inch dice
    • Toss the kale into a mixing bowl, toss in the squash, apples, beets, cranberries, sultanas, mint and toasted pecans until well mixed. Then arrange on a serving platter.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the kombucha, honey, mustard and shallot. When uniformly mixed, whisk in the olive oil. Dress the salad with the kombucha vinaigrette and serve.

    Notes

    If you don't brew kombucha tea, you can learn more about the process here, or simply substitute raw apple cider vinegar which offers a similar flavor.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @nourishedkitchen or tag #nourishedkitchen!
    « Cider-Braised Cabbage
    Potted Cheddar with Bacon and Shallots »

    Primary Sidebar

    Young woman in glasses smilint, Black and White Headshot

    Hi, I'm Jenny! I'm a nutritional therapist, herbalist and the author of three natural foods cookbooks. You'll find nourishing bone broths, simple herbal remedies, and loads of fermented goodness on this site.

    More about me →

    Trending Recipes

    • Rose Water
    • How to Make CBD Oil
    • Easy Sourdough Starter
    • Bone Broth
    • Easy Fermented Hot Sauce
    • Sour Pickles

    Recent Posts

    • Caraway Pots and Pans
    • Marinated Chickpeas
    • Bachelor's Jam
    • Dandelion Salad
    • Rhubarb Shrub
    • Cucumber Dill Salad

    In Season Now

    • Strawberry Wine
    • Fruit Kvass
    • Bell Pepper Salad
    • Cucumber Kimchi

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Explore

    • Nourishing Recipes
    • Broth Recipes
    • Fermented Vegetables
    • Fermented Drinks
    • Cultured Dairy
    • Herbal Remedies
    • Sourdough

    Seasonal Cooking

    • Soup Recipes
    • Stew Recipes
    • Summer Fruit Recipes
    • Summer Vegetable Recipes

    Connect

    • About
    • Subscribe
    • Workshops
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram

    Privacy Policy + Affiliate Disclosure + Copyright Notice + Accessibility

    Copyright © 2021 Nourished Media LLC. All rights reserved.