October is my favorite month. I know I’m not alone in that sentiment – what’s not to love? Gorgeous fall colors, beautiful weather, and a bountiful harvest. It doesn’t get any better! I spent last week in The Bay Area (more on that later!) and really enjoyed experiencing a week of California-style October weather and sun. It was marvelous! Today I’m sharing a vibrant, fresh Fall Frisee Salad made with colorful, healthy ingredients that can be found in grocery stores and farmers markets during October.
If you’ve been following along with the #EatSeasonal hashtag on social media, you have probably seen some pretty fantastic fall recipes made with seasonal ingredients created by some of your favorite food bloggers. If you haven’t, then you’ll definitely want to check it out and be inspired. You can find a full list of October seasonal produce on The Vintage Mixer.
Frisee is one of my very favorite salad greens. It looks like something from under the ocean, but it’s really a member of the Chicory family and is also called Curly Endive. It has a pleasant bitter flavor that goes well with the earthy beets, juicy sweet pears, and tart pomegranate seeds. I found some spiced pumpkin seeds at Trader Joe’s to sprinkle on top, but any nut or seed you love would work just fine.
A good salad has an array of textures, colors, and flavors. This frisee salad has a nice balance of all of those. The vinaigrette is as simple as can be and is very light. It doesn’t overpower or mask the flavor of the veggies and fruit. It’s a great lunch or starter salad before a dinner of comforting fall soup or stew.
Find more fall recipe inspiration here:
Beet Braised Lentils with Thyme and Apples by Simple Bites
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese Sliders with Gorgonzola & Arugula by Climbing Grier Mountain
Kale and Ricotta Stuffed Shells with Butternut Squash Sauce by Completely Delicious
Warm Spinach Salad with Mushroom-Bacon Vinaigrette by Mountain Mama Cooks
Apple Bread with Brown Butter Glaze by Two Peas and Their Pod
Mini Chicken Pot Pies by My Name is Yeh
Microwave Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal by Project Domestication
Pumpkin Butter Smoothie by Kitchen Confidante
Fried Green Tomatoes Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Foodie Crush
Carrot and Date Bran Muffins by Vintage Mixer
Fall Frisee Salad
Raw, thinly sliced beets and pears are tossed with pleasantly bitter frisee and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 2 1x
Ingredients
- 1 head frisee, rinsed well and spun dry
- 1 medium beet, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 1 medium firm ripe pear, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), chopped
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (arils)
- 1 medium shallot, very thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon white balsamic or wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Separate frisee into individual leaves and place in a bowl.
- Add the sliced pears, beets, and shallots.
- Whisk together oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salad and gently toss to coat.
- Sprinkle pumpkin and pomegranate seeds over the salad. Serve immediately.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Category: Salad
