Ideas for preparing delicious fall salads

With the arrival of the cooler weather and the return to routines, we’re craving comforting meals. Stews and braises are not the only dishes that meet these demands—salads can also play a major role. Swap out crispy lettuces for more robust leafy greens and grains, and garden vegetables for those that can be roasted. Your salads have never been so warming!

Cook your salads

In the middle of summer it’s all about fresh salad ingredients, but as soon as autumn arrives we want to warm things up. Vegetables can be roasted, grilled or blanched and for good caramelization, coat them in oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) until tender. Cooked vegetables have more flavour and can be served hot or allowed to cool a little before mixing with the other ingredients.

Use the latest harvests

Bet on hearty vegetables that are best served roasted and are in abundance at this time of year. Think Brussels sprouts, squash or potatoes. Mix them with peppery arugula, and apple cider vinegar-based salad dressings, and fresh cheeses like ricotta or cottage cheese to create salads that have body. Cauliflower and steamed broccoli are also good options for generous salads.

Enjoy apples

Fall is the quintessential apple season! It is the star fruit, so use it in all your salads and cut them into small cubes, strips, juliennes or slices to vary the textures. Empire, Honeycrisp and Cortland apples are good choices since they don’t turn brown quickly.

Vary the lettuce

Softer lettuces give way to more robust leaves such as kale, Swiss chard and the last of the spinach. You can eat them raw or massage them lightly with oil to tenderize. Drop them into the pan or broil them for a few minutes in the oven so that they become a little crispy.

Add grains

Cook couscous, quinoa, bulgur or wild rice to top your meal-sized salads. These grains will make them more satiating and enticing.