This Thanksgiving Salad will be a complete show stopper on your holiday table.  And yes, it tastes as good as it looks with fresh honey crisp apples, pumpkin seeds, pecans, crispy prosciutto and rich feta cheeses all crumbled over crunchy and flavorful arugula and romaine lettuce.  

The Most Flavorful Thanksgiving Salad

There are a lot of thanksgiving salad recipes to choose from, but this one has all the fall produce making it the perfect complement to the heavier dishes you might have on the table. Sweet, savory, bright colors, and a flavor packed homemade champagne vinaigrette dressing that will have your guests asking for the recipe after their first bite.  Add this salad to your Thanksgiving menu for the freshest flavors and pop of color.

What You Will Need

Champagne Vinaigrette

• champagne vinegar – Adds a sweet, light, and crisp taste.
• extra virgin olive oil – A mild flavored oil to help spread out all of those flavors in this creamy dressing.
• dijon mustard – A vibrant addition that adds a punch of flavor.
• shallots – To allow for that onion flavor that we know and love, but on a bit smaller scale.
• lemon zest – Helps to brighten the entire dressing.
• garlic – Because can you really have a recipe without garlic?
• fresh thyme – An herb that instantly has us thinking about the holidays!
• kosher salt & black pepper – Just a bit to elevate all the flavors.
• honey – Just a touch of sweetness.

Thanksgiving Salad

• romaine lettuce & arugula – Adds a lovely crunch and bright green colors.
• fresh apples – We love using honey crisp for their crisp texture and sweet flavor.
• avocados – The creamy texture balances out the more robust ingredients.
• red onions – Adds a kick and a bit of zest in each bite.
• crispy prosciutto – Crisp these up in the oven to get the best crunchy and savory bites.
• candied pecans & pumpkin seeds – These crunchy seeds and healthy nuts add texture and a mild nutty flavor.
• crumbled feta – A bold cheese to deepen the flavor profile.

How To Make The Best Thanksgiving Salad

Start by assembling the champagne vinaigrette ingredients and blend them all together in a small food processor. Give it taste once blended and add any additional salt or other ingredients as needed and set the dressing aside.

Prep the remaining ingredients for easy assembly.  You could even do this in advance and store everything in the fridge until its time to serve.

How To Serve a Thanksgiving Salad

If you’re wondering if people serve salad on Thanksgiving, the answer is a big YES!  It helps to balance out the heavier dishes and adds a lovely bright pop of color to your table.  In terms of how to serve it, you’ve got two options.  You can divide the ingredients between individual bowls for each guest OR assemble all the ingredients into a large serving bowl with the dressing on the side. 

What To Serve With A Thanksgiving Salad

There are so many great thanksgiving side dishes out there, but here are a few of our favorites that would pair perfectly with this healthy thanksgiving salad; sweet potato casserole, ultimate mashed potatoes, wild rice stuffing, green bean casserole, butternut squash soup, and of course the main dish, the Thanksgiving turkey! 

 We like serving our homemade vinaigrette on the side knowing that everyone has their own preference with how much or how little dressing to use on their salad. 

Made this colorful salad and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

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Other Hearty Salad Recipes You Might Like

• ​Spinach Salad
• Fall Farro Salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad
• Tomato Kale Salad 
• Fennel Salad