Maple Pecan Salad
This Maple Pecan Salad with maple vinaigrette, sweet maple bourbon pecans, and fresh, seasonal fall and winter salad ingredients is delicious!
Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped vegetables (about 8 - 10 ounces of chopped cruciferous vegetables, including green cabbage, broccoli stalk, brussels sprouts, kale, and leafy greens like radicchio.)
- ⅓ cup Maple Bourbon Pecans (or plain pecan halves or chopped pecans)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup goat cheese crumbled
- 2 - 3 tablespoons pepitas (For extra flavor and crunch, try these Chili Lime Pepitas.)
Maple Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil (Use ⅓ cup for a richer vinaigrette.)
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (add more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Make the Maple Bourbon Pecans in advance. You can also use plain chopped pecans or pecan halves as a substitute, but the maple pecans are the best!
- Next, wash and chop all of your cruciferous veggies, or use store-bought pre-chopped vegetables, then add them to a big salad bowl. Next, make the maple salad dressing, see instructions below.
- Pour the maple dressing over the veggies, then sprinkle with pecans, pepitas, cranberries, and goat cheese. Toss or stir to combine, then season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Serve fresh, and enjoy!
Maple Salad Dressing
- Add the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to a small bowl, then whisk until the salt is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil until well blended and emulsified. You can also add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake well to combine, or add to a food processor and pulse to combine.
Notes
The maple vinaigrette recipe will yield at least 2 servings. You can prepare the maple balsamic salad dressing in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Shake well before pouring it over the salad. If you like lots of salad dressing or want to have extra for another salad, make a double batch.