Description

A vibrant Fall Harvest Salad featuring crisp fennel, sweet persimmon and apple slices, crunchy pumpkin seeds and pecans, dried cranberries, and nutty Manchego cheese. Tossed in a tangy mustard orange vinaigrette and served over fresh arugula, this salad perfectly balances sweet, savory, and nutty flavors for a seasonal delight.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Mustard Orange Vinaigrette

¼ cup orange juice (freshly juiced or store-bought)
⅓ cup olive oil
1 ½ tablespoon stone ground mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Salad

1 bulb fennel (trimmed and finely sliced)
1 shallot (thinly sliced)
1 persimmon (halved and thinly sliced)
1 apple (thinly sliced)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup pecans (chopped)
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup Manchego cheese (shaved)
2 cups arugula
Flaky sea salt (to taste)

Instructions

Prepare the Mustard Orange Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the orange juice, olive oil, stone ground mustard, honey, and kosher salt. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is well emulsified and set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
Prep the Fennel and Shallots: Trim and finely slice the fennel bulb and place it in a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice the shallot, then rinse the slices in warm water to mellow the sharp onion flavor. Drain and add to the fennel.
Dress the Fennel Mixture: Add half of the prepared vinaigrette to the fennel and shallots. Massage the dressing into the fennel gently to infuse flavor and slightly soften the texture.
Slice the Fruits: Thinly slice the persimmon halves and apple. Set these aside for plating later.
Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the pumpkin seeds, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, shaved Manchego cheese, and arugula to the fennel mixture.
Dress and Toss the Salad: Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the combined ingredients. Gently toss everything together to evenly coat all components with the dressing.
Plate and Finish: Transfer the salad to a serving platter. Arrange the persimmon and apple slices in groups on top for visual appeal. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste and serve immediately.

Notes

Rinsing the shallots in warm water helps reduce their sharpness for a milder flavor.
Use freshly juiced orange juice if possible for brighter flavor in the vinaigrette.
The massaging of fennel with dressing softens its texture and enhances flavor absorption.
This salad is best served fresh to maintain the crispness of the vegetables and nuts.
Substitute pecans with walnuts for a different nutty profile if desired.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Fall Salad, Harvest Salad, Fennel Salad, Persimmon Salad, Arugula Salad, Autumn Recipe, Healthy Salad, No Cook Salad