Harvest Apple Arugula Salad

I'm calling this a Harvest Apple Arugula Salad, but it could just as easily be called Fall in a Bowl. It's loaded with delicious autumn-inspired ingredients and finished with a fabulous Pomegranate Ginger Salad Dressing. SO GOOD!

If you're looking for a fall/holiday salad that will steal the show, THIS is it! On top of that, this Harvest Apple Arugula Salad is super healthy and much of it can be prepped ahead.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

There are so many aspects of this Harvest Apple Arugula Salad that we love:

• First of all, although it looks kind of fancy, it's fairly easy to put together. You'll need a cutting board, a nice sharp knife (these are my favorites), and a medium-size sauté pan (I love this set). And if you want to cut up the sweet potatoes (and lots of other fruits and veggies) in a flash, a Vidalia Chopper is amazing. It's honestly an essential kitchen tool for me. You can read more about the Vidalia Chopper below under Café Tips.
• Next up is Caramelized Sweet Potatoes. That sounds kind of fancy in itself, but it's a super easy recipe that you prepare right on the stovetop. The total cooking time is less than 10 minutes and the results are lick-the-plate-clean delicious, honey-glazed sweet potatoes. They add a festive, fall touch to the salad.
• Crisp, golden bacon adds a salty, smoky savory layer of flavor.
• Smoky rosemary pecans - which are simply everyday pecans that are toasted in a smidgen of bacon fat and a bit of finely chopped rosemary til they're crisp and super flavorful.
• Beautiful crimson pomegranate arils add a sweet, juicy crunch and a gorgeous presentation.
• Plump, sweet dried cranberries are a fall favorite and add another layer of wonderful flavor.
• Thinly sliced dried figs give this Harvest Apple Salad a bit of rustic sophistication.
• Crunchy, juicy, thinly sliced apple fans are a beautiful contrast against the spicy green arugula and the cast of other delicious ingredients.
• And last but definitely not least, the fabulous Pomegranate Ginger Salad Dressing which pairs deliciously with the other fabulous ingredients.

See? What's to love about this Harvest Apple Arugula Salad? Healthy, hearty, savory, sweet, smoky, crunchy, jewel-hued, gorgeous and possibly the best fall salad you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting!

Afraid of poms?

I mentioned above that the pomegranate arils (seeds) give this salad a beautiful presentation. I get super excited when I see pomegranates start showing up at my local grocer and gourmet markets.

But it wasn't always that way. For years I was super intimidated by the thought of trying to remove all those tiny little jewel-toned seeds. All the techniques I read about seemed super messy and, honestly, not worth the effort.

So I would occasionally "break the bank" and purchase some of the pre-packaged pomegranate arils. But I would have to close my eyes when I got to the cash register as they were RIDICULOUSLY expensive. And sometimes, when I opened up the little packet, they were already going bad. 😖 Needless to say, pomegranates weren't on my everyday fall shopping list.

All of that changed a number of years ago when I discovered this super easy, quick and relatively non-messy way to deseed a pom. Now I buy them frequently (and use them extravagantly) as they are decently priced and it takes me just a minute or two (at the most) to have a nice bowlful of beautiful pomegranate arils.

We created a video (below) to show you the technique, but if you prefer a picture tutorial just click over to this post: The Easy Way to Remove Pomegranate Seeds.

See what I mean? So easy!

I hope you enjoy this Harvest Apple Arugula Salad as much as we have! Put it on your must-make-soon list and you'll find getting all poetic and asking yourself, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways!"

Cafe Tips for making this Harvest Apple Arugula Salad

• As mentioned above, this salad calls for a half recipe of our Caramelized Sweet Potatoes. I usually just make a whole batch because the leftovers are great and warm up quickly in the microwave. You can use them as a side, on salads, in omelets, on pizza, in quiches... be creative!
• The only thing that's a little tedious in preparing this Harvest Apple Arugula Salad is chopping the sweet potatoes. However, I use my Vidalia Chop Wizard to chop all of them within a minute or two. I love my little chopper and use it all the time. It's perfect for quickly chopping up apples, sweet potatoes, squash, onions, cucumbers, cranberries, carrots... It's fairly small, so it doesn't take up much space and it's got built-in measuring levels which makes it super convenient.
• I like to use a Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji or Red Delicious apple for this salad. It really doesn't make too much difference. Just use an apple that you really enjoy.
• I like to core and cut my apple in quarters. I then slice each quarter thinly, keeping the slices together so I can fan them out when arranging them on the greens.
• It's funny, the inspiration for this salad came from a box of beautiful arugula that I found at a local grocery store. I got so excited that I started creating a new salad recipe in my mind. I'm always looking for pretty greens, but I've learned it's better to be flexible and not too fussy. Some days the arugula looks good, other days it's spinach or watercress or spring greens. Go with whatever looks pretty and fresh at your market.
• If your dried cranberries are really fresh and plump, you can skip the first step which involves soaking them in hot water for 5 minutes then draining until ready to use.
• I used Sunkist Mission Figs in this salad. This isn't a sponsored post but I love the way they stay fresh and soft until opened. If your figs are dried out, you may want to rehydrate them (like the dried cranberries) by covering them with boiling water and letting them soak for 5 minutes then draining before slicing and adding to the salad.
• I used Point Rey Blue Cheese for this salad. Use whatever kind you like best. If you're not a fan of blue cheese, Feta would also be delicious or you could just skip it.

 

Thought for the day:

You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.
Psalm 139:1-6

What we're listening to for inspiration:

Truth Be Told

 

If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It's so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.