Vegan Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

Vegan Fall Harvest Salad made with maple Dijon vinaigrette and apple chips is an explosion of fall flavors. This fall salad showcases a stunning array of colors, guaranteed to get you in the mood for autumn.

I often waver between keeping an arms-length distance from salads and being completely obsessed. 

Currently, I am in an obsessed faze, and you are about to be too! 

The salad craze is all thanks to maple Dijon vinaigrette. It perfectly complements this fall salad's variety of sweet, savory, and salty flavors. 

This vegan fall harvest salad starts with a base of fresh spinach and gets WAY better from there. Next are tofu, carrots, and onions roasted in the maple and Dijon dressing. 

Then comes an entourage of toppings: baked apple chips, salt and vinegar pepitas, roasted chickpeas. You could even throw some popped quinoa on for good measure. 

Last but certainly not least is, of course, a generous drizzle of maple Dijon dressing. 

If you still aren’t convinced, here are a few more reasons to love this harvest salad:

• It is vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free.
• It is easy to customize with so many toppings to choose from. 
• And all of its components can be made ahead of time!

Looking to make more vegan fall recipes? Try dairy-free apple crisp, baked apple cider donuts, and butternut squash soup.

Ingredients

You will need these simple ingredients to make a vegan fall harvest salad:

• Spinach is the perfect base for a fall salad. It’s tender and mild in flavor.
• Carrot, Onion, and Tofu are roasted in a maple mustard glaze to complement the salad’s dressing and infuse even more flavor.
• Roasted Chickpea adds a toasty and nutty flavor to the salad, along with some extra protein! 
• Baked Apple Chips add a sweet, light crunch to the fall harvest salad. They are delicious when made at home but can also be store-bought.
• Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas increase the protein content and deliver extra crunch. These salt and vinegar pumpkin seeds add a salty element to the salad that perfectly balances the sweetness of the apple chips and dressing.
• Maple Dijon Vinaigrette delivers a sweet, tangy finish, creating a perfect harmony between all the flavors of the harvest salad.

Variations

There are so many lovely fall salad ideas out there. The combinations are endless! The idea of crafting a delicious (and never boring) salad is simple, though, when you break it up into different components.

• Choose Your Greens - Instead of spinach, try kale, arugula, or even broccoli. Use your favorite or a mix of multiple!
• Pick Your Grains - While completely optional, adding some toasty lemon quinoa, rice, farro, or couscous makes this harvest bowl even more satisfying.
• Add Seasonal Vegetables - Some popular fall vegetables that would taste great in this bowl in addition to or in place of the carrots are sweet potato, butternut squash, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, and beets.
• Incorporate Protein - Swap the tofu and chickpeas for your favorite plant-based protein like tempeh, soy curls, or seitan.
• Include Some Fruit - In place of dried apple chips, add freshly sliced apple or pear. Dried fruits like cranberries, apricots, or raisins also work great.
• Add Crunch - Use your favorite nuts or seeds like almonds, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, popped quinoa, or toasty quinoa granola.
• Dress It Up - The dressing ties this harvest salad together. Try balsamic vinaigrette, vegan ranch dressing, or creamy vegan aioli. An apple cider vinegar dressing or maple tahini dressing would also taste delicious.
• Garnish - Add fresh herbs, nut-free parmesan cheese, and croutons for a final touch.

Some common fall salad combinations are apple kale salad and quinoa salad with roasted butternut squash or sweet potato. Get creative and make a salad showcasing your favorite fall harvest fruits and veggies!

Air Fryer Tofu and Carrots

My go-to fall harvest selection for this salad is a combination of tofu, carrots, and onions, inspired by maple Dijon roasted carrots and apples. Air fry them for an easy, hands-off preparation:

1. Add chopped tofu, carrots, onion, and a generous amount of maple mustard dressing to a medium-sized bowl. Mix to thoroughly coat.
2. Add the mixture to an air fryer liner with parchment paper.
3. Lay the mixture in a single layer for even cooking.
4. Air fry at 370°F for 20 minutes or until crispy and golden. Shake halfway through.

Make the Maple Dijon Vinaigrette

This maple dressing comes together in minutes with just a few simple ingredients! Here's how to make it:

1. Place maple syrup, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a small mixing bowl.
2. Whisk until a smooth dressing forms.
3. Add olive oil and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes until the oil emulsifies

For more expert tips and ideas for using this dressing, check out our post on maple Dijon vinaigrette!

Assemble the Fall Harvest Salad

Now it's time to put it all together! Here's how to assemble your vegan fall harvest salad:

1. Start with a base of spinach.
2. Layer with roasted tofu, carrots, and onion.
3. Add roasted chickpeas on top.
4. Place baked apple chips all over.
5. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds.
6. Drizzle with dressing, and enjoy!

Make Ahead Tips

The key to meal-prepping your vegan fall harvest salad is storing each component separately! Just think of the packaging of a store-bought salad kit.

• Greens and Grains - Store your greens in an airtight container in the fridge. Make sure they are washed and completely dried. Add a paper towel to ensure there is no moisture to keep your spinach fresh all week. In a separate container, store the grains, also in the refrigerator.
• Veggies and Protein - Once again, in another container, store your roasted vegetables and protein. I usually roast my tofu, chickpeas, onions, and carrots all together. When you’re ready to eat the salad, just reheat it in the microwave, air fryer, or oven.
• Toppings - Thinking back to a premade salad kit, usually, all those crunchy toppings are packaged together. I find that this also works well here! Store your baked apple chips, pepitas, nuts, or whatever your heart desires in an airtight container at room temperature. Just make sure all the toppings are fully cooled before storing.
• Dressing - Store the dressing in its own container! This is the most important one to keep separate. If you put the dressing on the greens early, it will create a soggy, mushy salad, and no one wants that!