Hearty Roasted Vegetable Salad
A hearty salad that complements turkey made with a warm homemade dressing. This leafy green salad is full of roasted seasonal veggies and is perfect for your fall and winter lunches and dinners.
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A perfect fall salad comprises a range of seasonal roasted veggies that can be easily replaced according to your preference and availability. This delicious salad is accompanied by an incredible homemade dressing and is ideal for lunch or even dinner when served along with a bowl of soup or stew.
Serve this salad as part of your Thanksgiving dinner with my smoked whole turkey or turkey crown roast, cheesy loaded scalloped potatoes, pumpkin risotto, and smoked cranberry sauce.
Equipment
- Baking tray for roasting vegetables.
- Pan for making the warm salad dressing.
- Mixing bowls, cutting board, sharp knife.
Ingredients
All of the ingredients and any substitutions that can be made, along with any notes to help you make this salad and dressing.
- Leafy salad greens | I love to use a mixture of different greens with varied tastes and textures. My favorites in hearty salads like this are: kales, mizunas, mustard greens, arugula, Belgian endive, frisee, and spinach. Feel free to get a big container of mixed and prewashed salad greens and then add some extras from the produce aisle if you wish.
- Roasted vegetables | Some of my favorites are: Pumpkin or other winter squashes, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, artichoke, Brussel sprouts, beets, cabbage, fennel, eggplant, parsnips, radishes, rapini. Use what you have on hand and enjoy eating.
- Feta | Optional, but I love adding some feta to this salad after it has been assembled, dressed, and tossed. Parmigiano is another great option.
- Salad dressing | see my homemade salad dressing below. Of course you may substitute your favorite dressing or use a simple balsamic vinegar and olive blend — add some mustard, it’s lovely.
- Olive oil | Just a touch to massage and “dress” the salad before adding the actual dressing — try this and see the difference it makes.
- Salt + Pepper | Just a bit and to taste.
Salad Dressing Instructions
- Pancetta, diced | You can use bacon, or even omit this entirely.
- Olive oil
- Tahini sauce | You can also substitute with a nut butter of your choice, including almond or peanut butter.
- Maple syrup | for a hint of sweetness, honey may be used instead or brown sugar.
- Mustard | Any mustard or dijon will do.
- Soy sauce | You can also use gluten-free tamari or coconut amino acids.
- Lemon | Lime can be used instead.
- Lemon zest | Lime zest can be used instead. You can add some fermented preserved lemons to this dressing, about 1-2 teaspoons.
- Garlic cloves, finely minced | fresh garlic is ideal, roasted is also lovely.
- Black pepper to taste
This is similar to the salad dressing in my Nasturtium Salad With Creamy Tahini & Avocado Dressing.
❁ You’ll find the exact amount of each ingredient below in the recipe card. Make sure to select ‘cook mode’ to keep your screen from turning off as you make it. You can also print the recipe.
Salad & Dressing Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Preheat your oven. Prep your vegetables by washing and slicing them.
Wash and dry your leafy greens if required. Keep them refrigerated or in a cool place until ready to use which will be after you pull the vegetables out of the oven.
Step 2: Arrange your veggies on a baking tray. Some might be done before the others, so keep that in mind.
Step 3: Make the dressing by slowly rendering the diced bacon on the lowest heat. Once suitably crispy, add the minced garlic and stir for 60 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4: Whisk in olive oil and remove from heat. Add tahini, soy/tamari/aminos, fresh lemon juice, zest, and a pinch of crushed black pepper.
Step 5: Whisk and add more olive oil or water if required to thin out the dressing.
Step 6: When vegetables have finished roasting, pull them out of the oven and allow them to come down in temperature a bit; if you have spring mix greens, wait until they are room temperature, as the delicate leaves will wilt. Kale and others can withstand hot veggies just fine.
Arrange your mixed leafy greens in the serving bowl you’re using. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil into the bowl, and use your hands to massage and coat the greens with a very light amount of oil.
Arrange the roasted vegetables on top, and add enough of the dressing to be sufficient. You will likely have leftovers depending on how much salad you’re making.
Add feta or other cheese if you wish and serve.
Hint: Use smoked tomatoes in this salad for a big burst of flavor instead of roasted. Add dried raisins or cranberries along with walnuts or pecans — candied nuts are amazing here!
Storage
This salad can be made ahead and assembled just before serving.
Keep the roasted vegetables, the mixed greens, and the homemade dressing seperate until required.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Blitva | Croatian Chard & Potato Side Dish
- Easy Cheesy Loaded Scalloped Potatoes {Au Gratin}
- Sataraš {Croatian Stewed Tomato & Pepper Side Dish}
- EASY Smoked Tomatoes
- Nasturtium Salad With Creamy Tahini & Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
For The Salad:
- 1 large beet chopped or sliced
- 2 medium carrots chopped or sliced diagonally
- 1 cup brussel sprouts halved
- 1 small eggplant
- 1 small zucchini chopped, or winter squash like pumpkin
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved, or 1 large tomato sliced into wedges
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
For The Salad Dressing:
- ½ cup pancetta diced, or bacon.
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup honey may be substituted
- 2 tablespoons tahini 2 tablespoons per person is an approximate calculation
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- 3 cloves fresh garlic finely minced
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat your oven. Prep your vegetables for roasting by washing and slicing them. Arrange your veggies on a baking tray. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil.
- Wash and dry your leafy greens if required. Keep them refrigerated or in a cool place until ready to use which will be after you pull the vegetables out of the oven.
- Make the dressing by slowly rendering the diced bacon on the lowest heat. Once suitably crispy, add the minced garlic and stir for 60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the olive oil and allow to heat up.
- Whisk in olive oil and remove from heat. Add tahini, soy/tamari/aminos, fresh lemon juice, zest, maple or honey, and a pinch of crushed black pepper.
- Whisk and add more olive oil or water if required to thin out the dressing.
- When vegetables have finished roasting, pull them out of the oven and allow them to come down in temperature a bit; if you have spring mix greens, wait until they are room temperature, as the delicate leaves will wilt. Kale and others can withstand hot veggies just fine.
- Arrange your mixed leafy greens in the serving bowl you're using. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil into the bowl, and use your hands to massage and coat the greens with a very light amount of oil.
- Add the dressing and a generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste). Toss lightly.
- Arrange the roasted vegetables on top, and add enough of the dressing to be sufficient. You will likely have leftovers depending on how much salad you're making.
- Add feta or other cheese if you wish and serve.
Notes
- Leafy salad greens | I love to use a mixture of different greens with varied tastes and textures. My favorites in hearty salads like this are: kales, mizunas, mustard greens, arugula, Belgian endive, frisee, and spinach. Feel free to get a big container of mixed and prewashed salad greens and then add some extras from the produce aisle if you wish.
- Roasted vegetables | Some of my favorites are: Pumpkin or other winter squashes, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, artichoke, Brussel sprouts, beets, cabbage, fennel, eggplant, parsnips, radishes, rapini. Use what you have on hand and enjoy eating.
- Feta | Optional, but I love adding some feta to this salad after it has been assembled, dressed, and tossed. Parmigiano is another great option and so is goat cheese.
- Nuts | Add walnuts or pecans to the salad; candied nuts are also delicious.
- Dried Fruit | dried cranberries, raisins, or apricos work well here.
