Autumn Salad with Goat’s Cheese
This recipe is inspired by a side salad I once had at Daylesford Farm, a lovely organic farm shop with three rustic restaurants in the heart of the Cotswolds. For about three years, my husband and I lived in south-west Birmingham, which gave us great access to the area. We visited a few places over the years and sampled food in many of the region’s quaint restaurants, but Daylesford quickly became our firm favourite. Every time we went, we picked up some organic produce and tried at least one new dish.
I don’t remember the exact ingredients in the Daylesford salad anymore, but I do remember its crunchy–sweet–tangy combo of kale, apples, cranberries, and pecans. I used that as a starting point for my own version but wanted to make it hearty enough to serve as a standalone meal.
To bring everything together, I whipped up a quick dressing that lifts the whole dish. I strongly recommend doubling the ingredients — once you try it, you’ll want to drizzle it on everything. And if goat’s cheese isn’t your thing, the salad also works well with fried halloumi, or you can keep it vegan by skipping the cheese altogether.
Prep time: 30 minutes | Serves: 3-4 | Plant points: 10
Ingredients
Salad
200g kale, tough stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
250g cooked puy lentils
80g bulgur
2 apples, cored and sliced into thin matchsticks
25g dried cranberries
50g pecan nuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped
A few slices of goat’s cheese
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1–2 tsp tahini paste (I use two as I like its nutty flavour)
1 tsp miso paste
½ tsp maple syrup
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Put the bulgur into a bowl and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 120ml of boiling water, stir, and cover with a plate. Leave to soak for about 20 minutes, until cooked and tender.
Meanwhile, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Place the kale in a large salad bowl and drizzle with a little olive oil. Using your hands, massage the oil into the leaves for a couple of minutes, until they soften slightly. Add the apples, dried cranberries, and pecans, and toss to combine.
When the bulgur has absorbed all the water, fluff it with a fork and transfer to a small pot along with the puy lentils and a splash of water. Heat gently until the lentils are warmed through.
Add the warm bulgur and lentils to the salad bowl and toss everything together.
Serve with a generous drizzle of the dressing and a few slices of goat’s cheese on top.
Why it works
This salad delivers the perfect balance of autumnal textures and flavours — crunchy kale, sweet apples, earthy lentils, nutty bulgur, and tangy cranberries. Warming the grains and lentils makes the salad feel hearty and satisfying, even on chilly days, while the creamy dressing ties everything together with minimal effort.
It’s nutritious, naturally protein-rich, and packed with plants, yet still comes together in under 30 minutes. It also keeps well, which makes it ideal for lunchboxes and busy days when you need something wholesome to grab and go.
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