I love a good salad. No matter the time of year, a crisp salad with delicious toppings and a homemade dressing is always a good idea. I really wanted to make a salad to transition my tastebuds into Fall while remaining delicious in summer. And so I did. This harvest salad is fresh and green, topped with roasted sweet potatoes, asparagus tips, and maple-glazed pecans. The maple bacon vinaigrette, which is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, is the cherry on top. It’s just so, so good and would be great as a side, but totally satisfying as a main dish if you add a protein in.

Wood Serving Bowl | Wood Fork & Spoon (similar) | Bowl | Stoneware Bowls | Plaid Towel (similar)

Every time I cook bacon, I save and store the grease to use for later. This dish is no different. However, this time, we’re turning around and using the rendered fat from the crispy bacon and using it for the glazed pecans. The bacon grease adds so much flavor to our pecans, so once you finish cooking your bacon, don’t forget to set it aside.

Other prep work includes roasting the sweet potatoes, cooking the asparagus tips, and glazing the pecans, but I promise it’s all worth it. I decided to add some leftover Salmon I had made for some added protein, which was delicious, but this would also be great with chicken or grilled pork.

In my opinion, homemade dressing is so underrated. Nine times out of ten, it’s better than any store-bought dressing, and in reality, it doesn’t take much time to mix up. This vinaigrette is sweet and tart and brings all the savory flavors of this salad together.

I’m dying for you to try this salad and I hope you let me know what you think.