Fall Harvest Apple Grain Salad
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year because of all the delicious vegetables and fruit! I love to go apple picking during the months of September or October and then come up with new recipes using all the apples I’ve picked. This time of year, apples are extra sweet and juicy; I could eat them all day long! At the farmers market last weekend, I found some beautiful kale and butternut squash which was how I came up with this recipe. The combination of the sweet apples, tangy goat cheese and earthy grains is truly perfect— this dish hits all the right notes! When tossed with Marzetti® Tastefully Dressed™ Honeycrisp Apple Dressing this salad becomes next level. It is full of such bold flavors that all complement each other really well. I love this dressing because the new line of Marzetti® Tastefully Dressed™ Dressings has a UV-Blocking label that maintains bold flavors within while reducing the amount of preservatives. The dressing is filled with real, simple ingredients which is what I look for when I use store-bought dressing. You can taste the fresh Honeycrisp apples in the dressing which make the apples in the salad pop! This grain salad can be used with almost any grain- farro or brown rice would work great as well! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family has and make sure to pick a bottle of the new Marzetti® Tastefully Dressed™ Honeycrisp Apple Dressing. I found mine at Walmart in Dallas but you can find where you can purchase locally here. The salad won’t be the same without it! Happy fall!
thank you Marzetti® for sponsoring this post
Fall Harvest Apple Grain Salad
- Prep Time: 40m
- Cook Time: 10m
- Total Time: 50m
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 c barley, preferably quick cooking
- 2 small Honeycrisp apples, about 1.5 cups sliced
- 4 c Lacinato kale, finely chopped
- 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups
- 5 oz goat cheese
- 1/3 c Marzetti® Tastefully Dressed™ Honeycrisp Apple Dressing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the cubed butternut squash on a baking sheet. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Mix everything together to combine then bake.
- Cook the squash until it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Depending on how big the cubes are, this should take between 28-35 minutes. When the squash is done, remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the squash is baking, cook the barley. There are a couple different types of barley. I am using quick cooking barley which is a 2:1 ratio. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the barley. Add in a big pinch of salt and cover with a lid. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 10-14 minutes until the barley is tender. You may need to drain the barley if there is still excess liquid when it is finished cooking. Pour the barley onto a paper towel lined baking sheet and let it dry out.
- When the squash and barley have cooled, toss in a large salad bowl with the chopped apple, kale, and goat cheese. Pour in the Marzetti® Tastefully Dressed™ Honeycrisp Apple Dressing and mix everything to combine. Taste to adjust any necessary seasonings. Serve and enjoy!
xo, Rachel
