This Autumn Chopped Salad Recipe is packed with all the best fall flavors—succulent pears, salty bacon, tart cranberries, sharp cheese, and crunchy pecans tossed with crisp romaine and a shortcut creamy, sweet balsamic dressing. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any time you need a crowd pleasing side dish! And the best part? You can prep it ahead of time with super easy make-ahead steps, so when it’s go-time, just toss it together and you’re good to go!
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I can never make enough of this salad. Seriously. Every single time I serve it to a crowd I run out. I guess that speaks for how delicious it is!
Why this recipe is great
- Delicious toppings: ratio of lettuce to toppings. Lettuce is good...but bacon, cheese, fruit and nuts are greater!
- Easy salad dressing: The salad dressing combines two store bought flavors together to create one fast, easy, and delicious dressing. Best of all it can be adjusted to fit your preferences.
- Versatile: Mix it up with what you have on hand or what looks good in the store.
I was inspired to make this salad many years ago after seeing this one on Espresso and Cream. Over the years I have changed it and added new ingredients to fit our preferences.
This salad is scrumptious!! I eat it all year. Sometimes I substitute apple for the pear.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Laura
Autumn chopped salad ingredients
The best tip we have is to buy quality ingredients. For the exact amounts, see the recipe card below.
Romaine: Hearts of romaine make the perfect base because they are tender yet crunchy. However, a regular head of romaine is delicious as well.
Red pears: Choose a pear that is not rock solid but doesn’t indent when pressed.
Cheddar cheese: Sharp or extra sharp cheddar will make all the difference here. A perfect contrast to the sweet pear. Tillamook extra-sharp cheddar is our favorite. (not sponsored!)
Cranberries: Dried sweet cranberries add a hint of sweet and a beautiful red color to the salad.
Pecans: Here is an excellent recipe for homemade Maple Pecans, but feel free to buy candied pecans from the store. Either make a delicious topping.
Bacon: Slices of thick-cut bacon is the best choice. Try this Easy Oven Baked Bacon with 3 Candied Options. It will blow your mind.
Dressing: Choose your favorite brand of balsamic vinaigrette and poppyseed salad dressing. Half of each in a jar and then shake.
How to make autumn chopped salad
This is one of the best salads! It is so easy to make and gets rave reviews!
In a pint size mason jar, pour in half the poppy seed dressing, then top with the same amount of balsamic dressing.
Shake until well combined. If making ahead store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This makes one cup of dressing.
The difference between a regular salad and a chopped salad is the size of lettuce and toppings.
Start by chopping the romaine, apples, bacon, nuts, and cheese into ½ to ¾ inch pieces. Once all the ingredients are prepped, layer them in a large platter or large bowl with the lettuce on the bottom and the toppings across the top.
Mix the dressing thoroughly before pouring over the top of the salad. Toss together and serve immediately.
Make ahead directions
When I am serving this as part of a meal I prefer to do the prep the day before.
- Wash the lettuce and cut to size. I like to store mine in this salad spinner because it keeps the lettuce from turning brown on the edges.
- Prep all the toppings except for the pears. Cut them just before serving or else they will turn brown.
- Store each of the components separately, combing them at the last minute.
- Finally, the dressings can be poured into a jar, shaken up, and stored in the refrigerator up to two weeks early.
Substitutions and variations
- Bacon: We love thick-sliced bacon, but real bacon bits (not the artificial) will work.
- Nuts: Candied nuts like walnuts, pecans or pistachios are all good options.
- Cheese: Use pre-shredded or cubed cheese or even switch out the cheddar for salty feta cheese.
- Seeds: Instead of nuts, pumpkin seeds or pepitas would be a great option.
- Dressing: A good apple cider vinegar dressing would be delicious.
- Fruit: If pears are not in season or if they do not look great, apples are a really good option. Our favorites are Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp.
FAQ
The magic of a chopped salad is all in the texture! The key is to make all the ingredients roughly the same size so every bite is a mix of all the good stuff—no extra cutting needed at the table.The relatively small size of the pieces means no cutting is needed while eating.
The ensure that your harvest salad stays crisp (no soggy salad here) - store the components separately. If you mix them too soon, the moisture from toppings can make the bacon and nuts go soft. A second tip is to wash the lettuce in really cold water, dry thoroughly, and store in an airtight container. That way everything stays nice and crunchy until serving time.
What to serve with
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Maple Glazed Pork Tenderloin
- Maple Chicken
- Cranberry Rice
- One Pot Butternut Squash Orzo
- Maple Syrup Brussels Sprouts
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the bacon is crispy. Soggy bacon in a salad is a no-go. Our favorite method is oven baked bacon. Not only is it hands-free, it is also much less messy that stovetop cooking.
- Cut the pear just before serving. It will begin to brown pretty quickly.
- Buy good quality dressing. It really makes a difference.
More salad recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Autumn Chopped Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 cups romaine hearts chopped
- 1 pear chopped
- 8 pieces bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 recipe Maple Pecans chopped
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese diced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- ½ cup poppy seed dressing
Instructions
- Make Maple Pecans according to recipe.
- Chop romaine, cheese, bacon, and pears into ½-¾ inch pieces. The point of a chopped salad is to have all the ingredients close in size. Set aside.
- Place romaine in the bottom of a large serving bowl. Top with pears, bacon, pecans, cheese, and cranberries.
- Add dressings to a jar. Shake vigorously to combine. Pour dressing over salad. Use tongs to gently toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure the bacon is crispy. Soggy bacon in a salad is a no-go. Our favorite method is oven baked bacon. Not only is it hands-free, it is also much less messy that stovetop cooking.
- Cut the pear just before serving. It will begin to brown pretty quickly.
- Buy good quality dressing. It really makes a difference.
- Bacon: We love thick sliced bacon pieces, but real bacon bits (not the artificial) will work.
- Nuts: Candied nuts like walnuts, pecans or pistachios are all good options.
- Cheese: Use pre-shredded or cubed cheese or even switch out the cheddar for feta.
- Seeds: Instead of nuts pepitas would be a great option.
- Dressing: A good apple cider dressing would be delicious.
- Fruit: If pears are not in season or if they do not look great, apples are a really good option. Our favorites are Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp.
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Juanita says
Love love this salad!
Danielle says
So great to hear! Thank you for taking a minute to comment! That makes our day.
Kate says
This was delicious! We added some rotisserie chicken for my carnivore husband.
Misty says
So glad you liked it!
Poppy says
Really good. I did add rotisserie chicken and made my own Poppy Seed dressing. Very easy meal- already had everything on hand.
Danielle says
Yay! So glad to hear! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Laura says
This salad is scrumptious!! I eat it all year. Sometimes I substitute apple for the pear.
Danielle says
Great idea! I bet Fuji or Honeycrisp would be especially delicious.
Kimberly Jones says
your photos are stunning!