Simple Fall Salad with Apples and Bacon

It’s finally fall. The days are shorter, the leaves are turning (or maybe not turning, if you live in Southern California like us), and comfort food recipes are everywhere. We love cozy fall recipes, but we don’t always want comforting flavors with all the bulk. This Simple Fall Salad with Apples and Bacon is inspired by classic autumn flavors and textures, but in a lighter form. It’s made with crisp apples, crunchy bacon, sweet and earthy pecans, soft leafy lettuce, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette. Make this salad whenever you’re craving something that tastes cozy but not heavy.

Why You’ll Love This Fall Salad Recipe

• Comforting, seasonal flavors. Fall apples, salty bacon, and nutty pecans make this salad feel like a crisp autumn day.
• Healthy and light. It has all the cozy flavors you’re looking for in a fall salad without any of the heaviness usually associated with comfort food recipes.
• Quick and easy. Other than a little chopping, all you need to do is crisp up some bacon and shake up the dressing.
• Great holiday side dish. This is a salad to bring to fall or winter potlucks or to serve at your holiday table.

Ingredients for This Fall Salad with Apples and Bacon

• Lettuce – we like using green or red leaf lettuce for a soft texture. Romaine or mixed greens would also work.
• Apple – we prefer apples that are a little tart and sweet in this salad, like Cosmic Crisp (our favorite), Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady apples. For more information about apples, check out this guide from Eating Well. 
• Bacon – use whatever kind of bacon you like (pork, turkey, beef, plant-basted). The cook time may vary depending on the type you use.
• Pecans – try to buy pre-toasted pecans for best texture and flavor, or toast raw pecans yourself on a baking sheet in a 350F oven for 5-8 minutes, until they smell nutty and sweet.
• Vinaigrette – make this easy dressing with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, spicy brown mustard, salt, and pepper.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making This Fall Salad

Dressing

1. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar or a container with a lid. 
2. Shake the dressing until it’s fully emulsified (the oil and vinegar are combined and not separating).

Salad

1. Cook the bacon according to package directions. For regular pork bacon that is not thin cut, it’ll take about 8 to 12 minutes (turn bacon over occasionally). Set aside to cool slightly before chopping into small pieces.
2. Add the lettuce to a platter or salad bowl.
3. Top the lettuce with the apple slices. 
4. Sprinkle on the chopped bacon and pecans. 
5. Pour on the desired amount of dressing and gently toss the salad to combine.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve his fall salad with apples and bacon alongside roasted chicken or pork tenderloin.
• Add this to your Thanksgiving table!
• Pair this fall salad with a glass of crisp white wine or sparkling apple cider.
• Bake up some crusty parmesan bread to eat alongside this salad!

Simple Fall Salad with Apples and Bacon

5 from 1 vote

This Simple Fall Salad with Apples and Bacon is inspired by classic autumn flavors and textures, but in a lighter form. It’s made with crisp apples, crunchy bacon, sweet and earthy pecans, soft leafy lettuce, and a tangy apple cider vinaigrette.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:12 minutes mins

Total Time:27 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easy, Fall, Quick

Servings: 6

Ingredients

Dressing

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Salad

• 5 strips of bacon
• 1 bunch green leaf lettuce chopped
• 1 large apple sliced
• ¼ cup pecans toasted and chopped

Instructions

• Add the dressing ingredients to a jar or a container with a lid.
  ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ⅓ cup olive oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper
• Shake the dressing until it’s fully emulsified (the oil and vinegar are combined and not separating).
• Cook the bacon according to package directions. For regular pork bacon that is not thin cut, it’ll take about 8 to 12 minutes (turn bacon over occasionally). Set aside to cool slightly before chopping into small pieces.
  5 strips of bacon
• Add the lettuce to a platter or salad bowl.
  1 bunch green leaf lettuce
• Top the lettuce with the apple slices.
  1 large apple
• Sprinkle on the chopped bacon and pecans.
  ¼ cup pecans
• Pour on the desired amount of dressing and gently toss the salad to combine.

Final Thoughts

We’re loving easy weeknight salads like this, especially as a light alternative to richer comfort meals. This salad features cozy flavors without the heaviness, making for a great side or healthy main dish option. If you make this, please let us know in the comments or tag us on Instagram!