Incorporating different types of salads into your life is a great way to stay healthy and maintain a balanced diet, especially if you follow a Weight Watchers plan or simply want to choose more nutritious options. Salads are packed with nutrients and low in calories, making them an ideal weight-loss choice. Although you can make a salad with virtually any type of lettuce, many of these options below contain spinach or kale as the base. This is beneficial because both contain tons of vitamins and minerals.
For instance, Healthline states that kale is heavy in vitamins C and K, while spinach has tons of Vitamins A, K, and folate. Then, of course, all the salad toppings you add play a major role in making the meal satisfying and healthy too. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of 15 delicious salad recipes perfect for autumn due to their delicious seasonal components. From the Roasted Pumpkin and Chestnut Salad to the Pork, Apple, and Mint Salad, these light and healthy options will satisfy your hunger while keeping you on track with your weight loss goals.
1. Fall Harvest Salad with Cider Vinaigrette
Try this Weight Watchers autumn-inspired salad next time you have a small gathering! This recipe makes six servings. It has unique components such as mixed greens, shallots, fresh apples, celery, and pecans. A small amount of blue cheese and the homemade dressing give it a nice tangy touch. The dressing has Maple syrup, apple cider, vinegar, and Dijon mustard! When you serve it, add some freshly ground black pepper on top to complete the meal!
2. Chopped Spinach and Pear Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
Here is a simple salad recipe that only takes 15 minutes to assemble. This recipe is suitable for fall because it has pears and pomegranate seeds! Some of the flavors in the dressing include Sherry vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and other seasonings. The pomegranate seeds give this salad a bright, speckled look that will surely catch your eye and remind you of upcoming holidays! However, our favorite part is the crispy, juicy apples.
3. Kale and Roasted Squash Salad
This hearty salad is perfect for dinner time in the fall. The reason why it’s so satisfying is because it has kale as a base. Moreover, it also has tons of butternut squash, red onions, and fresh sliced pears. Top it off with some low-fat balsamic vinaigrette dressing to make it easy! You can also use green pumpkin seeds or pepitas. The most time-consuming part is roasting the veggies, but they come out with a deep, delicious flavor!
4. Crisp Autumn Salad with Spiced Blueberry Dressing
Everyone loves the crisp autumn air during this time of year, so how about creating a salad that is crisp too? This wonderful Weight Watchers recipe has kale, carrots, apples, celery, and radishes. Don’t worry. There’s more, though. You will find sliced chicken, dried currants, pecans, and a homemade dressing to complement the salad ingredients. Although this recipe seems quite complex, it is ultra-easy to make and only takes 10 minutes!
5. Roasted Cauliflower & Apple Salad with Pepitas & Curry-Lime Vinaigrette
Here is another salad recipe that has apples! We don’t blame Weight Watchers for including the fruit in so many different salads because apples are delicious this time of year! You will need cauliflower, spinach, apples, carrots, and shallots to make this recipe. It has many different seasonings, and the homemade dressing has lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, and curry powder! Overall, the salad has a lovely, zesty flavor.
6. Chicken, Peach, and Fig with Ricotta Salad
You won’t be able to get enough of this incredible salad! Fortunately, it is easy not to overindulge with this recipe since it only makes one serving. With this recipe, you can enjoy flavors of mixed greens, peaches, figs, chicken, and basil. It also has crumpled cheese and low-fat balsamic vinaigrette! With sweet peaches, chewy figs, and juicy chicken, this salad is simple but has a gorgeous balance of flavors and textures.
7. Lentil, Beet, Clementine & Kale Salad
Don’t get us wrong. You can enjoy this salad no matter what time of year it is. However, it is quite fitting for autumn because it has comforting ingredients like lentils and goat cheese. This recipe by Weight Watchers also has kale, clementine pieces, beets, scallions, and low-fat balsamic vinaigrette! This is another recipe that only makes one serving, so if you make it for a family, make sure to adjust the amounts!
8. Maroulosalata: A Refreshing Greek Salad
Our recipe for Maroulosalata is versatile and can be enjoyed any time of year. Although it is nice and refreshing for summer, it is also suitable for the fall when you want something lighter. This recipe has a simple composition with lettuce, chives, chicory, and ricotta cheese. For the dressing, you can drizzle a blend of canola oil, lime juice, fennel, and other seasonings atop the crunchy lettuce! This is a low-point recipe that you will absolutely love!
9. Arugula, Roasted Green Bean & Mushroom Salad with Herb Vinaigrette
Who knew that you could make salad into a comfort food? This recipe has savory garlic, tender green beans, umami mushrooms, and more. The homemade dressing has water, oil, parsley, mustard, and other seasonings! You can either toss this salad to evenly coat all of the components or simply drizzle it on top when serving.
10. Pork, Apple, and Mint Salad
Pork and apples are certainly one of the best combinations out there! You can make a fusion of their flavors by creating this Weight Watchers salad. You only need green apples, pork medallion, celery, pecans, and mixed salad leaves. You’ll also need some seasonings, fresh mint, and lemon to give it a zesty kick. For best results, toast the pecans beforehand to have a deeper, nuttier flavor and make them turn extra buttery!
11. Roasted Pumpkin and Chestnut Salad with Orange-Cranberry Vinaigrette
With hints of orange, cranberry, roasted pumpkin, and chestnuts, this salad is the epitome of autumn! The base of the dish has chicory variety lettuce and pecorino Romano cheese. The homemade dressing has seasonings with Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. You can use either European chestnuts or water-packed jarred chestnuts to make it easier! You will also want to use fresh pumpkin rather than canned.
12. Lentil and Salmon Salad
Choose this recipe when you want a meal that’s on the heavier side, but is still healthy! WW posted this recipe with 99% fat-free yogurt, horseradish sauce, lentils, and celery. However, the fresh parsley and red salmon are the most substantial ingredients. You can use canned red salmon to make it easier. Just make sure to remove the skin and flake it. This recipe makes four servings, so it’s great for a small family!
13. Roasted Pumpkin, Kale, and Couscous Salad
This certainly isn’t your average salad. As you can see from the photo, it is bursting with color! Not only that, but it bursts with whole, nourishing ingredients that your body will appreciate. This easy recipe requires couscous, coleslaw mix, pumpkin, coriander, and orange juice! Make sure to use no-added-sugar orange juice so that it remains as low point as possible. The salad works for lunch or dinner!
14. Spinach, Mushrooms, and Bacon Salad with Warm Onion Dressing
Have you ever eaten salad with a warm dressing? Although it might sound bizarre at first, it is delicious. It’s perfect for autumn when there are chilly days, and you don’t necessarily want to eat a super cold meal. To make this salad, get ready to measure some red onions, orange zest, mushrooms, thyme, and spinach. The warm onion dressing has apple cider vinegar and unsweetened orange juice, providing the perfect acidity and sweetness.
15. Roasted Pumpkin & Feta Salad with Soy-Roasted Seeds
Last but not least, this incredible WW salad has a beautiful fall essence. In every bite, you can taste butternut squash, chickpeas, feta cheese, chives, and more. Although you only need a small amount of lemon zest, chives, yogurt, soy sauce, and cumin seeds, they make all the difference in how flavorful this salad really is.
