Description
This Harvest Cobb Salad is a vibrant and hearty dish perfect for autumn, featuring roasted sweet potatoes, crisp greens, tender shredded turkey, and a sweet-tart maple vinaigrette. Combining a variety of textures and flavors like crunchy pecans, juicy apples, smoky bacon, and dried cranberries, it offers a balanced and satisfying meal that’s both wholesome and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- 4 cups sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Salad Base
- ½ cup chopped cooked bacon
- 8 cups mixed spring greens
- 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- ½ to 1 pound cooked shredded turkey (or chicken)
- 1 Honeycrisp apple, cored and diced
- â…” cup chopped pecans
- â…“ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Maple Vinaigrette Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit to get it ready for roasting the sweet potatoes.
- Prepare and roast sweet potatoes: Spread the cubed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss gently to coat evenly, then arrange them in a single layer. Roast for about 25 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even cooking, until tender and slightly caramelized.
- Toss the greens: In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed spring greens and chopped romaine lettuce and toss gently to mix.
- Assemble the salad: Top the greens with the roasted sweet potatoes, chopped cooked bacon, shredded turkey, diced Honeycrisp apple, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, spreading each ingredient evenly to distribute flavors and textures.
- Make the maple vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, minced shallot, pure maple syrup, and Dijon mustard until the dressing is smooth and well combined. Season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Dress and serve: Pour the maple vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately and enjoy the vibrant flavors and textures.
Notes
- Roast the sweet potatoes in a single layer to ensure they cook evenly and develop a nice caramelized texture.
- You can substitute turkey with cooked chicken if preferred.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the turkey and bacon and consider adding roasted chickpeas or grilled tofu.
- Adjust the amount of dressing according to personal preference to avoid overdressing the salad.
- Make sure the apple is crisp and firm for optimal texture contrast in the salad.
