This Fall Harvest Salad with quinoa and bacon tahini vinaigrette is everything you love about autumn in one vibrant dish! Tender kale, apples, dried cherries, crispy pepitas, chopped bacon, and roasted sweet potatoes!
A quick vinaigrette is made with the leftover bacon grease, tahini, and a touch of maple syrup. The perfect side dish for any holiday or fall inspired table!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
Recipe: Fall Harvest Salad with Quinoa and Bacon Tahini Vinaigrette
Ready In: just under and hour total
Serves: 6 servings
Staple Ingredients: kale, sweet potatoes, pepitas, pine nuts, bacon, dried cherries, apples.
What Makes It Special: this salad is loaded with fall flavors and textures the perfect base for meat or seafood to make more filling or serve as a a side dish on your weeknight dinner or holiday table! I love the warm quinoa with the cold fresh apples, and the chewy dried cherries add the perfect sweetness!
This salad is loaded with so many good things! The sweet dried cherries, crispy apple, and crunchy pepitas work so well with the creamy sweet potato and the salty bacon vinaigrette.
My shaved Brussels sprout is another bacon heavy salad, perfect for the holidays. Pair with a simple glazed carrot dish or potato au gratin for a balanced meal.
Kale is a great base for the dish and the quinoa makes it a bit more hearty, pair with grilled chicken or salmon for a more filling main meal. Find all of my side dish and salad recipes here for more inspiration!
Key Ingredients
Kale: Massage the leaves by hand to soften and reduce bitterness. Baby kale or spinach can be swapped if you prefer a more tender green.
Bacon: Cook until crisp; reserve some drippings for the dressing. For a vegetarian version, leave it out and add extra pepitas or roasted chickpeas and use olive oil or avocado oil for the dressing.
Quinoa: Rinse well before cooking. Swap with farro, couscous, or wild rice for a different texture.
Apple: Use a crisp, slightly tart variety like Cosmic or Honeycrisp. Pears or Pink Lady apples also work well.
Sweet Potato: Roast until caramelized for the best flavor. Butternut squash is a great substitute.
Dried Cherries: Add tart chewiness. Dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates can be used instead.
Pepitas: Toast lightly for crunch and earthy flavor. Sunflower seeds are an easy alternative.
Pine Nuts: Toast until golden for a buttery bite. Slivered almonds or chopped walnuts can be swapped in.
Olive Oil: Used for roasting and as the dressing base. Avocado oil works as a neutral substitute.
Tahini: Creamy, nutty balance for the savory flavors. Almond butter or cashew butter can be used in a pinch.
Maple Syrup: Brings subtle sweetness to round out the dressing. Honey or agave are easy substitutes.
How to Make the Kale Harvest Salad
Let’s talk a little about how to make the Fall Harvest Salad with Quinoa and Bacon Tahini Vinaigrette (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Roast sweet potatoes, toast pepitas and pine nuts. Cook bacon.
- Massage kale, make quinoa, prep dressing.
- Assemble salad and enjoy!
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add sweet potatoes to a large sheet pan, drizzle with some of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, toss to combine. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
- Combine pepitas and pine nuts together on a small sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 for 4-6 minutes or until they are golden brown and have a nutty smell. Sprinkle with extra sea salt while warm if desired.
- Add quinoa and water to a large saucepan, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and let simmer covered for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa is tender.
- Add bacon to a sheet pan in a single layer, place into q 400 degree oven for 5-7 minutes or until crispy and cooked through. Reserve the bacon fat, set aside. Chop bacon.
- In a small bowl combine the reserved bacon fat, remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, tahini, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine the dressing.
- Add kale to a large bowl, massage with your hands to soften the kale. Top with the roasted sweet potatoes, toasted pepitas and pine nuts, dried cherries, bacon, quinoa, and apple slices.
- Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. Enjoy immediately for best results!
Rachel’s Chef Tips
- Massage the kale: massaging the salt before tossing the salad makes it softer and easier to eat, while also reducing bitterness. This can be done just using your hands.
- Roast sweet potatoes until caramelized: those golden brown edges add flavor and natural sweetness!
- Crisp the bacon: Save a few tablespoons of bacon fat to whisk into the vinaigrette for extra smoky flavor.
- Make it ahead: Roast the veggies, cook the quinoa, and prep the dressing up to a day in advance. Assemble just before serving to keep everything fresh.
- Optional cheese finish: Shaved parmesan, feta, or Manchego adds a salty, nutty finish that ties everything together.
Recipe Pairings & Variations
- Main Dish Pairing: Serve alongside roasted chicken, pork chops, or seared salmon for a hearty dinner.
- Soup & Salad Combo: Pair with a bowl of butternut squash soup or creamy cauliflower chowder.
- Holiday Spread: This salad shines paired with turkey, glazed ham, or a platter of roasted vegetables on your holiday table.
- Vegetarian Option: Leave out the bacon and add roasted chickpeas or extra pepitas for crunch!.
- Grain Swap: Try farro, wild rice, or couscous in place of quinoa for a different texture.
- Fruit Twist: try using pears, or other dried fruits like cranberries or apricots.
- Cheese Upgrade: Add crumbled goat cheese, blue cheese, or shaved Manchego for extra richness.
Roasted Harvest Salad with Quinoa and Maple Bacon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups Chopped kale
- 5-6 strips Raw bacon
- 1 cup Dry quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 Cosmic or Honeycrisp apple, sliced
- 1 medium Sweet potato, small cubes
- 1/2 cup Dried cherries, or cranberries
- 1/4 cup Raw pepitas
- 1/4 cup Pine nuts
- 3/4 cup Olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt, for seasoning
- Fresh cracked black pepper , for seasoning
For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 2 tbsp Reserved bacon fat
- 2 tbsp Tahini
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add sweet potatoes to a large sheet pan, drizzle with some of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper, toss to combine. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and tender.1 medium Sweet potato, 3/4 cup Olive oil, Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper
- Add quinoa and water to a large saucepan, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and let simmer covered for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa is tender.1 cup Dry quinoa , 2 cups water
- Add bacon to a sheet pan in a single layer, place into q 400 degree oven for 5-7 minutes or until crispy and cooked through. Reserve the bacon fat, set aside. Chop bacon.5-6 strips Raw bacon
- Combine pepitas and pine nuts together on a small sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 400 for 4-6 minutes or until they are golden brown and have a nutty smell. Sprinkle with extra sea salt while warm if desired.1/4 cup Raw pepitas, 1/4 cup Pine nuts , 3/4 cup Olive oil, Kosher salt, Fresh cracked black pepper
- In a small bowl combine the reserved bacon fat, remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, tahini, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine the dressing.1/2 cup Olive oil, 2 tbsp Reserved bacon fat , 2 tbsp Tahini, 1 tbsp Maple syrup, 1/4 tsp Salt, Fresh cracked black pepper
- Add kale to a large bowl, massage with your hands to soften the kale. Top with the roasted sweet potatoes, toasted pepitas and pine nuts, dried cherries, bacon, quinoa, and apple slices. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. Enjoy immediately for best results!4-5 cups Chopped kale, 1 Cosmic or Honeycrisp apple, 1/2 cup Dried cherries
Notes
- Massage the kale: use your hands to massage the kale for a few minutes, this makes a big difference! It softens the kale and makes it less tough and bitter.
- Roast until caramelized: Let the sweet potatoes get golden for the best flavor, a few minutes under the broiler can help.
- Save bacon drippings: A few spoonful’s whisked into the vinaigrette adds fat and extra flavor!
- Make ahead: Prep quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, and dressing up to 2 days in advance. Assemble just before serving.
- I use my Everyday blend to season the potatoes, toasted pepitas, and in the vinaigrette! I also like to top my salad with some shaved parmesan!
Nutrition
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would appreciate if you left a star rating on the recipe card above or a comment below sharing your experience! I value your feedback, it would also mean a lot if you could share this recipe or my website with friends or loved ones. Cheers!
How To Store
This salad is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the components ahead of time. Store the roasted sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa, and bacon in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days in the fridge. The bacon-tahini vinaigrette will keep in a sealed jar for up to a week, just give it a shake before serving.
If you plan to store leftovers once assembled, keep the dressing separate and toss just before eating to keep the kale and apples crisp – otherwise the kale can get soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can cook the quinoa, roast the sweet potatoes, and make the dressing up to 2–3 days ahead. Store each component separately and assemble just before serving for the freshest flavor and texture.
Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady apples work best.
Yes! Skip the bacon and use olive or avocado oil in the maple-tahini vinaigrette instead. You can add roasted or air fried chickpeas, extra nuts, or crumbled goat cheese for protein and flavor.
It’s best eaten right away, but leftovers will keep in the fridge for about 1–2 days. The kale stays sturdy, but the apples may soften slightly. Past two days and the salad will start to wilt.
Use farro, wild rice, or couscous, all work beautifully as a good base!
Tools I Recommend
- Mixing Bowls – the perfect set for combining the salad and marinating the dressing! I love this glass set and the fact that the bowls nest.
- Half Sheet Pan – my go-to baking sheet, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely.
- Tongs – I love a good pair of trusty tongs. This set is great because it offers different lengths.
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know what you thought by leaving a comment below and sharing your final dish on Instagram, Facebook, & Pinterest!
Cheers!
-Rachel
