15 Fall Salads That Really Lean into the Freshest Produce of the Season

Crunch, sweetness, and a touch of richness–this recipe has everything you want in a salad. Dress the greens separately, then tuck in the soft figs and cheese so they keep their shape.

Celebrate autumn with this vibrant chicory salad, featuring sweet roasted delicata squash, crisp apples, and a savory seed and seaweed granola. The black tahini dressing adds a nutty, creamy richness that ties the ingredients together beautifully.

Roasting mushrooms deepens their flavor and makes them almost baconlike. Any mushroom is good in this salad, but cluster types like maitake (aka hen of the woods) and oyster have frilly edges that crisp up nicely.

Fruits, nuts, Fuyu persimmons, and two kinds of chicory (frisée and radicchio) go into this generous but light salad. Toss it at the last minute so it stays crisp.

Imagine a cheese plate in salad form: sweet Red d’Anjou pears team up with sharp, nutty parmesan. Though the red pears add a pop of color, green ones work well too. Save any extra dressing as a dip for raw vegetables or to slather on bread.

A touch of honey in the dressing brings out the roasted vegetables’ natural sweetness, and their meaty texture satisfies even the carnivores at the table. For an extra layer of flavor, serve the salad with shaved parmesan or asiago cheese.

Greek yogurt is the secret to this light but creamy dressing. And because raw kale is so sturdy, it can sit for quite a while without getting soggy.

Persimmons’ sweetness rounds out the slightly bitter greens, salty blue cheese, and citrusy dressing in this salad. Meyer lemon, diced peel and all, provides bursts of flavor; if you can’t find it, use regular lemon and a touch more honey.

Both pomegranate juice and seeds go into this salad.

“This salad is all about texture. The crispy chicories, jammy dates, and crunchy walnuts are very satisfying,” says Kelly Mariani, chef at Scribe Winery, in Sonoma County.

“My family loves salads for weeknight dinners,” says reader Marilyn Ritchie. Inspired by a recipe for warm mushroom dressing, Ritchie added chicken, goat cheese, and extra balsamic vinegar to come up with this luxurious main dish. When she wants to splurge, she uses shiitakes.

The spices in this salad are like those in French gingerbread, or pain d’épice. If you make it with walnut oil, use walnuts; if you make it with hazelnut oil, use hazelnuts.

A mix of chartreuse and bronze lettuces–if you can find them–really sets off the fruits’ fall colors.

Whole parsley leaves are tossed with mixed chicories, slices of pickled winter squash, and an apple cider vinaigrette for nice palate-cleansing acidity.

Contrast the feathery textures of baby Asian greens with the crunch of quick-pickled onion, Asian pear, and sesame seeds. This salad is especially good made with red or green mustard, mizuna, and edible chrysanthemum, but feel free to experiment.