This chopped fall harvest salad combines roasted sweet potatoes, crispy chickpeas, crunchy apples, and a tangy maple Dijon dressing for a nutritious, colorful side dish that’s perfect for Thanksgiving and easy to prepare ahead.
If you love colorful, satisfying salads made with seasonal ingredients, try our antipasto bean salad, chimichurri chickpea salad, butternut squash salad, or lentil beet salad.
Why you’ll love this fall harvest salad!
This chopped fall harvest salad with crispy chickpeas is everything I want in a fall salad. 🍂 Sweet, savory, crunchy, and packed with colorful, wholesome ingredients. It’s hearty enough for lunch and special enough for your Thanksgiving table.
We’re talking golden roasted sweet potatoes, crispy chickpeas, fresh apples, crunchy pecans, sweet cranberries, and salty feta. All tossed in a tangy maple Dijon dressing that brings everything together. Every bite has a little bit of everything!
Louise and I love how this salad makes eating more vegetables, legumes, and fiber-rich foods genuinely enjoyable. 🥗 It’s nutritious, satisfying, and full of different textures, without feeling heavy or overly complicated.
And here’s the best part: you can prep most of it ahead of time, which is exactly what you want when cooking for Thanksgiving. Just toss everything together before serving, and you’ve got a beautiful fall salad that deserves a spot on the table. 🍎
P.S. For more fall and winter salads with wholesome ingredients, try our chickpea cranberry salad, lentil apple salad, or Mediterranean orange fennel salad.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Sweet potatoes: roast until tender and lightly caramelized. Substitute butternut squash, delicata squash, or carrots.
- Chickpeas: add protein, fiber, and crunch when roasted. Substitute white beans or cooked lentils, although they won’t get as crispy.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds richness and Mediterranean flavor. Substitute avocado oil.
- Paprika: sweet or smoked paprika adds warmth and color. Substitute chili powder or ground cumin.
- Apple: Honeycrisp or Pink Lady adds sweetness and crunch. Substitute pears or crisp green apples.
- Celery: adds freshness and crunch. Substitute fennel or cucumber.
- Red onion: adds a sharp, savory bite. Substitute shallots or green onions.
- Dried cranberries: bring chewy sweetness. Substitute raisins, chopped dates, or dried cherries.
- Pecans: add buttery crunch. Substitute walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Feta cheese: adds a salty, creamy contrast. Substitute goat cheese or shaved Parmesan.
- Apple cider vinegar: gives the dressing its tang. Substitute lemon juice or white wine vinegar.
- Maple syrup: balances the acidity with sweetness. Substitute honey.
- Dijon mustard: adds tang and helps emulsify the dressing. Substitute whole-grain mustard.
How to Make This Chopped Fall Harvest Salad
Step 1. Roast the sweet potatoes and chickpeas
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then shake off as much water as possible.
Spread both on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender and lightly browned and the chickpeas are crispy.
Let cool for 5–10 minutes.
Step 2. Make the maple Dijon dressing
While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas roast, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
Set aside while you prepare the salad.
Step 3. Assemble the fall harvest salad
Dice the apple into small pieces, thinly slice the celery, and finely chop the red onion.
Roughly chop the pecans. For extra flavor, toast them in a dry skillet for 3–5 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas to a large salad bowl with the pecans, dried cranberries, celery, red onion, chopped apple, and crumbled feta.
Step 4. Toss and serve
Pour the maple Dijon dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy!
Making it for Thanksgiving? Keep the dressing separate until just before serving. This helps the ingredients stay crunchy and prevents the sweet potatoes from soaking up too much dressing.
Tips
- Dry the chickpeas well: After rinsing, drain well or pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. This helps them crisp up in the oven instead of steaming.
- Cut the sweet potatoes evenly: Aim for ½-inch cubes so they roast at the same rate and are easy to eat.
- Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet: Spread everything in a single layer so the sweet potatoes brown and the chickpeas get crispy.
- Choose a crisp apple: Honeycrisp and Pink Lady are excellent because they hold their shape and add a refreshing crunch.
- Toast the pecans: Just 3–5 minutes in a dry skillet brings out their nutty flavor. Watch them closely because they burn quickly.
- Let the roasted ingredients cool: Give the sweet potatoes and chickpeas 5–10 minutes before assembling the salad.
- Chop everything into bite-sized pieces: You want a little of everything in each forkful.
- Prevent the apples from browning: If preparing ahead, toss the chopped apples with a little lemon juice.
- Make the dressing separately: Whisk it in a bowl or shake it in a jar. Give it another quick mix before serving.
- Dress just before serving: Especially for Thanksgiving, add the dressing at the last minute to keep everything fresh and crunchy and prevent the sweet potatoes from soaking up too much dressing.
- Keep crunchy ingredients separate: If making ahead, store the chickpeas and pecans separately to preserve their texture.
- Toss gently: Use two large spoons to coat everything without breaking up the sweet potatoes or crushing the feta.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! It’s a great make-ahead Thanksgiving side dish. Roast the sweet potatoes and chickpeas, chop the vegetables, and prepare the dressing in advance.
Toss the apples with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. Store the components separately in the refrigerator, then combine everything just before serving for the best texture.
Both! I recommend letting the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas cool for 5–10 minutes before assembling. The salad is delicious slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Yes! Simply leave it out for a dairy-free version, or substitute a non-dairy feta. You can also use creamy goat cheese for a different flavor.
Definitely! Butternut squash is an excellent substitute in this autumn harvest salad. Cut it into small, even cubes and roast until tender and lightly caramelized.
Dry them thoroughly before roasting, spread them in a single layer, and avoid overcrowding the baking sheet. For the best crunch, keep them separate from the dressing until just before serving.
Yes! The chickpeas, sweet potatoes, pecans, and feta make this a satisfying vegetarian fall salad. For a more substantial meal, mix in cooked quinoa, couscous, or farro.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will continue to mingle, but the chickpeas and pecans will soften, and the sweet potatoes will absorb some dressing.
If preparing ahead, store the dressing and crunchy ingredients separately for the best texture.
Freezing is not recommended, as the apples, celery, and other fresh ingredients will lose their crunch and become watery when thawed.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love
- Healthy Apple Coleslaw with greek Yogurt
- Healthy Broccoli Slaw
- Black Bean Salad
- Greek Yogurt Broccoli Salad
- Greek Yogurt Cabbage Slaw
- Marinated Three Bean Salad
- Piccata Potato Salad
- Dense Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad
If you try this fall salad recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Chopped Fall Harvest Salad (With Crispy Chickpeas)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- 1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt plus black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika sweet or smoked
- 1 large apple such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, diced
- 2 stalks celery
- ½ small red onion finely chopped
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans roughly chopped
- ¾ cup feta cheese crumbled
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt plus black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Roast: Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).Peel and cut 1 pound sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes. Drain, rinse, and dry 1 can chickpeas.Spread both on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, and black pepper.Roast for 20–25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned and the chickpeas are crispy. Let cool for 5–10 minutes.
- Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper until combined.
- Assemble: Dice 1 large apple, thinly slice 2 stalks celery, finely chop ½ small red onion, and roughly chop ½ cup pecans.Add the roasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas to a large bowl with pecans, ⅓ cup dried cranberries, celery, onion, apple, and ¾ cup feta cheese.
- Toss: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until everything is coated.Transfer to a serving platter and enjoy!Tip: If making ahead, keep the dressing separate and toss just before serving to prevent soggy ingredients.
Notes
- Sweet potatoes → Butternut squash, delicata squash, or carrots.
- Chickpeas → White beans or cooked lentils (less crispy).
- Extra virgin olive oil → Avocado oil.
- Paprika → Chili powder or ground cumin.
- Apple → Pears or crisp green apples.
- Celery → Fennel or cucumber.
- Red onion → Shallots or green onions.
- Dried cranberries → Raisins, chopped dates, or dried cherries.
- Pecans → Walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds.
- Feta cheese → Goat cheese or shaved Parmesan.
- Apple cider vinegar → Lemon juice or white wine vinegar.
- Maple syrup → Honey.
- Dijon mustard → Whole-grain mustard.
- Dry the chickpeas: Drain well or pat dry for crispier results.
- Cut evenly: Dice sweet potatoes into ½-inch cubes for even roasting.
- Don’t overcrowd: Spread everything in a single layer for better browning.
- Use crisp apples: Honeycrisp or Pink Lady work best.
- Toast the pecans: 3–5 minutes in a dry skillet for extra flavor.
- Cool before mixing: Let roasted ingredients cool for 5–10 minutes.
- Prevent browning: Toss chopped apples with lemon juice if making ahead.
- Dress just before serving: Keeps everything crunchy and prevents soggy sweet potatoes.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended because the fresh ingredients lose their crunch.
Nutrition
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