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Fall Harvest Apple Orzo Salad. Shredded kale, shaved Brussels sprouts, orzo pasta, Honeycrisp apples, pomegranates, candied seeds or hazelnuts, and crispy prosciutto are all tossed together in a brown butter, thyme, and reduced cider vinaigrette. Then, cubes of nutty Manchego cheese and salty feta are added for the perfect balance of savory, smoky, sweet, and salty fall flavors. This is truly a staple salad for the season. I know you will love it!
You knew it was coming—I can’t let September pass without sharing a new fall salad. I love them so much, and when they include both apples and pomegranate arils, they’re my absolute favorite.
I crave these salads!
This year’s harvest salad is more of a dinner salad than a side. Whenever you add a grain, it instantly feels heartier and more satisfying than just greens and cheese. Of course, there’s a time and place for both, but right now I’m loving the warmth and heartiness of this salad. It’s exactly what we need for the season ahead.
I’ve been piecing this salad together for the last month—first in my head, then testing it a few times until I landed on the perfect combination. The shaved Brussels sprouts, the Manchego, and especially the reduced apple cider vinaigrette are what make this harvest salad so special. I’ve been so excited to share it with you all month long!
The Details, Tips, and Tricks
Ingredients
- hazelnuts – but any raw nut is great
- pumpkin seeds
- salted butter
- smoked paprika
- ground chipotle
- prosciutto
- honey
- flaky sea salt
- orzo
- kale
- brussels sprouts
- Honeycrisp apples
- pomegranate arils
- Manchego cheese
- feta cheese
Cinnamon Cider Vinaigrette
- salted butter
- shallots
- thyme
- apple cider – not to be confused with apple cider vinegar
- cinnamon
- honey
- chile flakes
Special Tools
For this autumn salad, you’ll need a baking sheet, a pot for cooking the orzo, a small skillet, and your favorite salad bowl and serving set.
Steps
Step 1: Make the smoky seeds and nuts
On a baking sheet, toss the raw hazelnuts (I love pairing them with Brussels sprouts and Manchego) and pumpkin seeds with salted butter, smoky paprika, and a pinch of chipotle.
Arrange the prosciutto slices over the seeds and nuts. Bake until the nuts and seeds are toasted and the prosciutto is crispy. Drizzle honey over everything, then bake another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Hosting Tip: These nuts and seeds are addicting—make a double batch for snacking throughout the week. They’re also amazing on a fall cheese board or served over baked brie with extra honey.
Step 2: Cook the orzo and toss the salad
While the seeds are roasting, boil the orzo. Toss the warm orzo with the kale, shredded Brussels sprouts, apples, and pomegranate in a big salad bowl.
I love mixing the orzo with the greens while it’s still warm—the heat helps soften the kale and sprouts just perfectly.
Step 3: Make the vinaigrette
Melt a couple of tablespoons of salted butter in a skillet with shallots and thyme. Cook until the butter browns around the shallots—it will smell incredible.
Remove from the heat and stir in the apple cider plus a cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the cider reduces into a syrupy base. Discard the cinnamon stick, then whisk in olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and a pinch of chili flakes.
Step 4: Toss the salad
Pour the warm vinaigrette over the salad and toss well to coat the greens. Add the toasted hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds, along with the crispy prosciutto from step 1.
Finish with cubes of Manchego cheese and crumbled feta.
Step 5: Serve
Serve the salad right after tossing—this keeps the prosciutto nice and crunchy. It’s such a delicious mix of warm, smoky, sweet, and salty fall flavors.
This salad truly has it all, so don’t skimp on any of the ingredients. It’s cozy enough for a weeknight dinner but special enough for entertaining. Pair it with roasted salmon, pot roast, chicken, or even your holiday turkey.
I can’t believe the holiday season is so close!
Looking for other fall salad recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Harvest Brie and Cheddar Apple Kale Salad
Butternut Squash Orzo Salad with Candied Bacon
Fall Harvest Roasted Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Salad
Shredded Brussels Sprout Bacon Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Pomegranate Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Lastly, if you make this Fall Harvest Apple Orzo Salad, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Fall Harvest Apple Orzo Salad
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 606 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) raw hazelnuts or pecans
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
- 3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto (omit if vegetarian)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- flaky sea salt
- 1 box orzo pasta
- 4 cups shredded kale
- 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
- 2 Honeycrisp apples
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 cup cubed Manchego cheese (or white cheddar)
- 4 ounces cubed or crumbled feta cheese
Cinnamon Cider Vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 shallot, sliced or chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup apple cider
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey (optional)
- salt and black pepper
- chili flakes
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. On the baking sheet, toss together the hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, butter, paprika, and chipotle. Arrange in a single layer. Lay the prosciutto around the seeds/nuts. Bake for 10 minutes or until the seeds/nuts are toasted and the prosciutto is crisp. Drizzle over the honey, throw back in the oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sea salt.3. Meanwhile, cook the orzo as directed on the box. Drain. In a large salad bowl, combine the kale, brussels sprouts, and warm orzo. Add the apples and pomegranate arils.4. To make the vinaigrette. In a skillet, cook the butter, shallot, and thyme over medium heat until the butter is browned, 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the cider and cinnamon. Boil over high heat, 5 minutes, until reduced by half. Add the olive oil, honey, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Taste and adjust as needed.5. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, tossing to combine. Top the salad with toasted nuts/seeds, prosciutto, Manchego, and Feta. Eat and enjoy!
This post was originally published on September 17, 2025
I did not like this recipe. I have had success with other salad recipes which turn out good but I find Tieghan likes to add cinnamon and chipotle peppers in her dressing which just doesn’t taste good. There are so many flavours, too many. Some of my favourite recipes are the most simplest. And these salads take minimum one hour to make.
I have so many other favourites of Tieghan’s but not this one.
Hi Jacqueline,
So sorry to hear this salad was not enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try and sharing your feedback!
Made this as a side not knowing how my family would receive it. I ended up packaging up our main dish because everyone loved this salad so much we ate multiple helpings. It was our main dish, easily! SO GOOD!
Hey Jen,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it turned out well!
I made this tonight and it was heavenly!
The only changes that I made were that I used raw apple cider vinegar in place of the apple cider (I didn’t have any on hand) and it was PERFECT. I also used half honey and half hot honey and I loved it. I think I’ll double the prosciutto/nut mix next time but overral: a winner for autumn!
Thanks so much for sharing your amazing recipe!
Hey Raina,
Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for making it!🍁
Seriously, why so much shade over this recipe? I’m a serious food critic … in my mind … and my family loved this! Granted, I read over the ingredients super quickly and missed that it was apple cider instead of apple cider vinegar BUT I just tweaked the quantities a bit and voila – it was the PERFECT fall salad. The combo of kale, brussels sprouts & apple was “fall” on a plate and the nuts and prosciutto were divine … and yes, I did make extra for football game snacking. Yum! This will become a new addition to my Thanksgiving meal line-up. Thank you Tieghan for giving me yet another creative and delicious recipe!
Thank you so much, Bethelyn:) I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this salad and appreciate you giving it a try! Have the best week ahead!
The salad part was good, the dressing is why I am giving 2 stars. It was so so sweet and the cinnamon overpowered it. Luckily I tasted the dressing before putting on the salad. I made a dressing with ACV, olive oil, shallots, coarse ground mustard and just a splash of apple cider and salt. Much better!
Hi Delaney,
Thanks so much for trying this salad and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear the dressing was not enjoyed!
So delicious! Another great salad recipe from Tiegen! I great balance of tart, sweet, crunch, creamy. Excellent flavor and super healthy!
Thanks so much, Hannah!! Love to hear this salad was a hit, I appreciate you making it!
This was a perfect fall salad! I added a bit of apple butter to the vinaigrette because why not, and I added some chicken to make a meal of it. It was the perfect dinner for what turned into a rainy fall day!
Hi Valerienne,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks for trying this recipe and letting me know it went well!
I was weary to try this recipe because of the reviews, but I just wanted to hop on here and say that we had the exact opposite experience to the reviews. My husband followed the recipe exactly as written – we made it at about 9pm, and ate it at about 2pm the next day. It was delicious! We brought it to a football party, and it was a huge hit.
Hey Lakyn,
Thanks for making this recipe! Love hearing it turned out just right. Have the best week!
Whew, I hate to leave this review because we tried REALLY hard on this recipe. Luckily I had seen the reviews before I started making this because the reviews helped make it edible. As written it would be inedible for my family. I roasted the Brussels sprouts with the prosciutto. If they had been just lightly wilted it would have been super weird. The kale I also wilted on the stove with some oil and salt. I’m glad I did that.
For the vinaigrette I used apple cider VINEGAR and I halved the recipe. The cinnamon would have made it inedible in that amount. I used a quarter the amount and it still tasted too strong. Cinnamon was the wrong flavor profile for this meal.
The crisp apples and pomegranates were nice. Overall, all the ingredients should work together but it just doesn’t. I wish I had followed others advice and used couscous.
Overall a serious dud. However, the 30 or so recipes I have made and adored this is random occurrence. Avoid this recipe and make literally any other one as they are all brilliant.
Hi Sarah,
Thank you so much for your feedback regarding this recipe. I am so sorry to hear it did not turn out for you. Thanks for trying so many others, it means a lot to me!
Family favorite now. I used pecans and pepitas. I substituted white cheddar for Manchego. All the flavors blended beautifully when tossed. A keeper!
Hi Mary,
Thanks for making this recipe! Love hearing it turned out just right. Have the best week!
Is there a reason the update tracking has disappeared from the top of the page? These recipes are constantly changing and it’s frustrating not knowing when or what changed. Having the date there at least helped me look through my past versions of the recipe to find the difference. I wish you would highlight changes in a different color or something because it really is challenging sifting through to identify what’s new. (And please don’t say the recipes don’t change. They do. Almost every single one. I’ve been a follower for a long time.)
Thanks for sharing your feedback, Mary. A lot has to do with website design, and apologize that sometimes we do have to go back and edit a recipe. I hope you love this salad!
I wish I would have read the reviews before posting, this was such a waste of ingredients. And the dressing was awful – I’m unsure why it is called vinagrette when there is no acid in it to make it a vinegarette. Words mean things! So frustrating.
So sorry, Brenda. I really love this recipe, so I apologize that it did not turn out for you. I hope you have a nice Sunday!
Made this with the only change of substituting pecans for hazelnuts. This was a hit. Delicious, flavorful and beautiful. Thanks Tieghan.
Hey Judy,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a bunch for making this salad, I’m so glad it turned out well for you:)
I agree with the others who posted. I made this salad once before looking at the reviews. Then remade it, with some changes. As a longtime fan and user of your recipes, it just didn’t seem balanced in flavour the first time. The second time I made it, I reduced the sugar significantly, used apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider and subbed in quinoa for the orzo, as I felt the orzo work and thought quinoa’s nutty flavour may be a better match. It was better the second time but won’t be a favourite among many others on your blog. I’ve upped my cooking by making so many brilliant recipes of yours. Thanks so much.
Thanks so much, Terri! I appreciate you making this salad and so many others. Thanks for sharing your feedback and what worked well for you!
I don’t see any vinegar in the vinaigrette recipe? Is it missing or is this not actually a vinaigrette?
Hi Christy,
The recipe is correct as written:) Please let me know if you give it a try!
I’m so mad at myself for making this without reading the comments. This was a bust. I’m also frustrated because I had to go to the store 3 times to get all the ingredients. The list at the top of the page wasn’t right. (Actually, it’s still not, but doesn’t matter to me because I’m not making this again.) it honestly was gross.
So sorry to hear this, Mary. Thanks for sharing your feedback regarding the recipe. I hope you have a nice weekend!