Kitchn and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
If you haven’t seen Jennifer Garner’s latest Amazon Prime series, The Five-Star Weekend, then you’re missing out. In the series, we see Garner take on the role of a famous chef. Even though it’s just the fictional character she plays in the show, it’s pretty accurate to who she is in real life, too.
I am a big fan of Garner’s “Pretend Cooking Show” series on Instagram. I’ve made quite a few of the recipes she’s posted there before, including her flank steak and rice bowls. We trust what she has to say in the kitchen, whether it’s as her character on TV or just in her home. So when she shared an exclusive recipe with The Kitchn for her signature fall salad, I knew I just had to make it. It’s so easy and so delicious. Here’s how you can make it at home too.
Get the recipe: Jennifer Garner’s Signature Fall Salad
What Makes Jennifer Garner’s Signature Fall Salad So Amazing
I’ve seen the photos for this salad recipe so many times in the magazine and on our website, but I never realized how easy it was to make. All you do is roast your veggies and dump them together in a bowl with the salad dressing. How easy is that? The only thing you have to remember is when to add each of the vegetables to the oven, as some of them take a little more or less time to cook.
The salad dressing really impressed me. I think the star ingredient is the maple syrup. I never add sweet ingredients to my salad dressing, but I think Garner might have convinced me to change that. When I made this recipe, I was actually just returning from a trip to Vermont, so I put some extra-special Vermont-tapped Maple Grove Farms maple syrup into the dressing. It pairs perfectly with the acidic apple cider vinegar, bright Dijon mustard, and smooth olive oil. Guess I’ve always been missing a little sweetness in the mix without knowing it. And don’t forget garlic — it adds a world of flavor.
I loved the combination of vegetables used in this recipe. While they are all roasted and soft, they aren’t soggy or chewy. I know some people have a problem with roasted carrots for this reason, but it’s really not an issue with this fall salad. In fact, I loved how the veggies weren’t so stiff and tough. They actually soak up more of the delicious dressing because they are cooked. The crisp kale was super-special. I’ve never had it in a salad before, and I loved it. You can also dress this salad right when you make it and not worry about it getting soggy. I will definitely be making this recipe again, whether for Thanksgiving (when Garner likes to serve it) or just as an easy meal prep option.
How to Make Jennifer Garner’s Signature Fall Salad
Roast the carrots and sweet potatoes. Chop your sweet potatoes and carrots and add them to a large bowl to coat with olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Once coated, pour the vegetables onto a baking sheet and add to the oven for about 15 minutes.
Add the Brussels sprouts, red onion, and broccoli. Slice your Brussels sprouts in half, roughly chop the red onion, and cut up half of a head of broccoli. Add the vegetables to the same large bowl and coat with more olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Pour this bowl onto the same tray and mix to combine. Roast for another 15 minutes.
Add the kale. Roughly chop half of a bunch of flat-leaf kale. Massage with a little olive oil in the large bowl. Add the kale on top of the veggies in an even layer and cook for 10 minutes.
Make the dressing. Whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Combine. Add all of the roasted vegetables to a large bowl with half of the salad dressing. Toss to combine and then serve with more dressing on the side.
Get the recipe: Jennifer Garner’s Signature Fall Salad
Further Reading
The Ina Garten Recipes We’re Cooking for Fall
We Tested 4 Famous Chocolate Cake Recipes and Found a Clear Winner
The Brilliant Hack That’ll Make Storing Your Foil and Parchment Paper a Million Times Better
