Fall Harvest Salad
I’m a planner, which means I like to plan out a schedule for content and recipes far in advance of the season they would be shared in, but sometimes in the middle of the season, ideas pop into my head that are just too good to save for next year. This is exactly how I ended up creating this Fall Harvest Salad. Brimming with hearty fall produce and superstar spelt berries, I’m placing this salad firmly in meal salad territory; everything about this salad knocks it out of the park.
Table of Contents
- Fall Harvest Salad Ingredients
- What is a Spelt Berry?
- Step 1—Prepare the Spelt Berries
- Step 2—Roast the Delicata Squash
- Step 3—Prepare the Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- Step 4—Prepare the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- Step 5—Assemble the Fall Harvest Salad
- More Hearty Salad Recipes to Make
Fall Harvest Salad Ingredients
To make this Fall Harvest Salad, you will need the following ingredients:
Fall Harvest Salad
- 175 grams spelt berries
- 1 large delicata squash
- 1 large bunch of Lacinato kale, destemmed and chopped
- 175 grams red apple, cored and cubed
- 50 grams Roquefort blue cheese
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 45 grams raw pumpkin seeds
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh black pepper
What is a Spelt Berry?
Spelt berries, also known as spelt kernels, are the whole, unrefined kernel of the ancient spelt grain, which is a variety of wheat. Similar to grains like wheatberries and farro, spelt berries can be cooked and used in salads, soups, and stews, or eaten on their own like you would eat rice. Spelt berries have a mild nutty flavour and a tender, slightly chewy texture, similar to brown rice.
I picked up a container of spelt berries out of curiosity months ago, and they had been sitting in my pantry untouched until I decided to give them a try and add them into a recipe test for this salad on a whim—best decision ever! Adding spelt berries took this salad from a 9 to a 10/10!
Need another reason to give spelt berries a try? Spelt berries are high in fibre, protein, and vital minerals like magnesium and iron. One quarter cup of dry berries has 8 grams of fibre (33% of the recommended daily value) and 7 grams of protein. After discovering this, spelt berries have become very popular in my household.
Step 1—Prepare the Spelt Berries
Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment. While the oven is preheating, prepare the spelt berries.
Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat. Once heated, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Rinse the spelt berries well, then transfer to the pot. Toast the grains, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
Cover the grains with 3 cups of water and season with sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. The grains will take about an hour to cook. Similar to rice, you do not want to stir the grains while cooking.
Step 2—Roast the Delicata Squash
Split the delicata squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to remove the seeds. Slice the squash into approximately half-inch half-round pieces. Transfer the squash to the lined baking sheet, and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Organize the slices so none is overlapping. Roast for 35 minutes, flipping the squash after 20.
Step 3—Prepare the Pumpkin Seed Brittle
Heat a stainless steel pan over medium-low heat. Once heated, pour in the maple syrup. It will start to bubble and steam instantly. Add the pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has reduced and coated the seeds.
Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the brittle to a sheet of parchment to cool.
Step 4—Prepare the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
Allow the spelt berries and roasted squash to cool before assembling the salad. In the meantime, make the maple Dijon vinaigrette. In a jar or bowl big enough for your immersion blender to fit, add all the tangy Dijon dressing ingredients. Blitz the immersion blender to emulsify the dressing.
If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can make the tangy Dijon dressing by hand. Instead of adding all the ingredients at once, start by whisking everything but the olive oil together, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking.
Step 5—Assemble the Fall Harvest Salad
To a large serving bowl, add the cooled spelt berries, kale, apple, and roasted delicata squash. Pour over the maple Dijon vinaigrette, then toss well to coat. I like to get in there with my hands to massage the dressing into the kale so it softens a bit.
Crumble over the Roquefort blue cheese and the pumpkin seed brittle. Toss the salad again to incorporate. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Hearty Salad Recipes to Make
If you loved this Fall Harvest Salad, be sure to try these other hearty salad recipes:
Fennel and Apple Slaw with Tangy Dijon Dressing
Easy Kale Salad with Sweet Potatoes, Dates, & Pistachios
Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Salad with Lemony Tahini Sauce
If you make this salad, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! I love to see what you all are making.
Feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews below. I love to hear from you!
Fall Harvest Salad
Equipment
- Immersion blender
- Parchment paper
- Stainless steel frying pan
- Large salad or serving bowl
Ingredients
Fall Harvest Salad
- 175 grams spelt berries (1 cup)
- 1 Large delicata squash
- 1 Large bunch lacinato kale, destemmed and chopped
- 175 grams red apple, cored and cubed (approximately one apple)
- 50 grams Roquefort blue cheese (1/3 cup)
Pumpkin Seed Brittle
- 45 grams raw pumpkin seeds (1/3 cup)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- Scant 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Sea salt
Maple Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon grainy Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment. While the oven is preheating, prepare the spelt berries.
- Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat. Once heated, add one tablespoon of olive oil. Rinse the spelt berries well, then transfer to the pot. Toast the grains, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover the grains with 3 cups of water and season with sea salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. The grains will take about an hour to cook. Similar to rice, you do not want to stir the grains while cooking.
- Split the delicata squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to remove the seeds. Slice the squash into approximately half-inch half-round pieces. Transfer the squash to the lined baking sheet, and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Organize the slices so none is overlapping. Roast for 35 minutes, flipping the squash after 20.
- Prepare the pumpkin seed brittle. Heat a stainless steel pan over medium-low heat. Once heated, pour in the maple syrup. It will start to bubble and steam instantly. Add the pumpkin seeds, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the maple syrup has reduced and coated the seeds. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the brittle to a sheet of parchment to cool.
- Allow the spelt berries and roasted squash to cool before assembling the salad. In the meantime, make the maple Dijon vinaigrette. In a jar or bowl big enough for your immersion blender to fit, add all the tangy Dijon dressing ingredients. Blitz the immersion blender to emulsify the dressing.
- Assemble the salad. To a large serving bowl, add the cooled spelt berries, kale, apple, and roasted delicata squash. Pour over the maple Dijon vinaigrette, then toss well to coat. Crumble over the Roquefort blue cheese and the pumpkin seed brittle. Toss the salad again to incorporate. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
