Description

A vibrant and fresh autumn chopped salad featuring a delightful mix of crisp Romaine and Spring Mix lettuces, sweet apples, tart dried cranberries, crunchy candied pecans, savory bacon, and creamy feta cheese, all tossed together and served with a luscious creamy poppy seed dressing. Perfect as a light lunch or a colorful side dish for fall gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

8 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
2 cups Spring Mix lettuce
2 small Red Delicious or Gala apples, sliced thin
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped candied pecans
8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Dressing

Creamy poppy seed salad dressing, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the salad ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the chopped Romaine lettuce and Spring Mix lettuce to create the fresh base for the salad.
Add fruits, nuts, and cheese: Add the thinly sliced apples, dried cranberries, chopped candied pecans, and crumbled feta cheese to the greens. This blend of sweet, tart, and savory ingredients creates a balanced flavor profile.
Incorporate the bacon: Add the crisp-cooked and crumbled bacon to the salad, tossing gently to distribute evenly and add a smoky crunch to every bite.
Toss the salad: Carefully toss all ingredients until they are well combined and mixed evenly throughout the bowl.
Serve with dressing: Divide the mixed salad into individual serving bowls. Top each serving with your desired amount of creamy poppy seed dressing just before serving to keep the greens crisp and fresh.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, omit the bacon or substitute with smoked tempeh or crispy chickpeas.
To keep the salad crisp, add the dressing just before serving.
Use Gala apples for a sweeter taste or Granny Smith apples for a more tart flavor.
Candied pecans can be homemade by tossing pecans with sugar and a bit of cinnamon, then baking briefly.
This salad is best enjoyed fresh but leftovers can be stored without dressing in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: autumn salad, chopped salad, apple salad, cranberry salad, pecan salad, feta cheese salad, poppy seed dressing, fall recipes, healthy salad