Air Fryer Roasted Vegetables + Best Harvest Salad Recipe


I love roasted vegetables and have found an easy way to roast them quickly in the air fryer. 

And then… I throw them all together in the most delicious harvest salad. 

This healthy side dish is super easy, and most of it can be made a day ahead. Not only is it delicious, but it is a pretty dish that would be a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. 

If you do not own an air fryer, I may have you convinced to buy one by the time you are done reading this post. I was very leery initially, as I did not want another large appliance on the counter like the instant pot. 

But Christmas came, and so did the air fryer, and I am in love. This little machine is a powerhouse and the perfect way to whip up a meal on those busy weeknights. 

A beautiful harvest salad is prepared in a wooden bowl. The salad is topped with feta cheese, fresh peaches, and pears with fresh dill.

As an Amazon Associate, I sometimes use affiliate links, meaning a small commission is earned if you purchase via the link. The price will be the same whether you use the affiliate link or go directly to the vendor’s website using a non-affiliate link.

Today is our Pinterest Challenge, and we are having our own Thanksgiving feast, and you are invited. We are sharing recipes that are easy to make and will be great additions to your Thanksgiving table.

Thank you to my dear friend Cindy @countyroad407 for hosting us. If you have come over from my friend CoCo’s @thecrownedgoat, I am sure you are still dreaming of her delicious gooey bars.

Pinterest image

What is Air Frying?

Air frying is a cooking method that involves circulating hot air around food at a high speed to cook it. It is considered healthier than traditional deep-frying for several reasons:

  • Reduced Oil Usage: Air frying uses significantly less oil than deep frying. In traditional deep frying, food is submerged in a large quantity of hot oil, which can make it high in calories and unhealthy fats. Air frying typically requires only a light coating or spray of oil on the food’s surface, which reduces the overall fat content.
  • Lower Calorie Content: Because of the reduced oil, air-fried foods generally contain fewer calories than their deep-fried counterparts. This makes air frying a better option for reducing calorie intake.
  • Less Saturated Fat: Deep-fried foods often absorb a lot of oil during cooking, making them high in saturated fats and harming cardiovascular health. Air-frying results in foods that are lower in saturated fats, making them a better choice for heart health.
  • Crispy Texture: Despite using less oil, air frying can still produce foods with a crispy and golden-brown texture, similar to deep-fried food. This is achieved by circulating hot air that creates a Maillard reaction, browning the food’s surface.


Is it Better to Roast Vegetables in an Oven or Air Fryer?

Whether it’s better to roast vegetables in an oven or an air fryer depends on your preferences and priorities. Here are some considerations to help you decide:

I have roasted vegetables both ways, and my vote is for air fryer vegetables. 

Oven-Roasted Vegetables :

  1. Even Cooking for Large Batches: Ovens have larger cooking capacities, making them suitable for roasting larger quantities of vegetables at once, which is ideal for family gatherings or large meal prep.
  2. No Special Equipment Needed: Most people already have ovens in their kitchens, so you don’t need to invest in an additional appliance.
  3. Minimal Supervision: Roasting vegetables in the oven often requires less hands-on attention once in the oven, as you can set a timer and let them cook.

Air Frying Vegetables:

  1. Faster Cooking: Air fryers cook faster than ovens using high-speed convection heating. This can be a time-saver, especially for smaller batches of vegetables.
  2. Crispy Texture: Air fryers produce crispy vegetables, so an air fryer is a good choice if you prefer your roasted vegetables to be very crispy.
  3. Energy Efficiency: Air fryers generally use less energy than ovens, making them more energy-efficient for smaller cooking tasks.
  4. Less Heat Generated: If you’re cooking in hot weather or want to avoid heating up your kitchen, an air fryer generates less heat than a conventional oven.

What Types of Vegetables are Good in the Air Fryer? 

You can air fry almost any variety of vegetables. Here is a list of my favorites. Be sure to choose fresh, firm vegetables from your local farmers market or grocery store. 

  • Root Vegetables
  • Squash, yellow squash, and zucchini.
  • Brussels sprouts 
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Baby potatoes
  • Red onion
  • Green beans
  • Butternut squash
  • Carrots
  • Vegetable Medley
  • Red bell peppers
  • Beets
  • Broccoli Florets

For my Harvest Salad, we will roast beets, carrots, butternut squash, and Brussels sprouts. 

How do you Air Fry Vegetables?

Roasted beets with seasonings ready to be cooked in the air fryer basket.

Easy Air Fryer Vegetable Recipe

  • Remove the air fryer basket and line it with foil. 
  • Place vegetables in the fryer basket in a single layer. 
  • Sprinkle a little oil (I like Olive Oil) or use a cooking spray with vegetable oil. 
  • Season vegetables with salt and black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, or Herbs de Provence.
  • Add fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme or tarragon. 
  • We added a few teaspoons of brown sugar to the butternut squash. 
  • I added honey and a few drops of orange flavoring to the carrots. 
Yield: 1 Cocktail

Smoked Old Fashioned Cocktail

Smoked Old Fashioned

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Rye bourbon
  • 0.5 oz simple syrup directions in post to make at home
  • 3 - 4 dashes orange bitters
  • orange peel garnish
  • 2 Maraschino cherries (muddled )
  • Large Ice Cube

Instructions

  1. Muddle two Maraschino cherries in the bottom of a highball glass.
  2. Pour two oz. Of bourbon into the glass.
  3. Add 0.5 oz simple syrup (directions in post).
  4. Add 3-4 dashes of biters into the glass.
  5. Add a large ice cube.
  6. Rub the rim with the orange peel and place it into the glass.
  7. Stir to mix all of the ingredients together well.

Notes

You can choose the bourbon of your choice, I happen to like Makers Mark.

What Temperature Do You Air Fry Vegetables?


Roast your vegetables at 375 degrees, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Check the cooking process and remove them when you have tender veggies. 


Harvest Salad Recipe with Air Fryer Veggies

This fantastic recipe is delicious and looks beautiful when you serve it for Thanksgiving dinner or for those warm summer months. 

Providing balance in a salad is crucial to ensure that it is not only visually appealing but also delivers a harmonious combination of flavors and textures Achieving balance in a salad enhances the overall eating experience and makes it more satisfying. Here’s why and how to provide balance when making a salad:

Roasted vegetables and other salad toppings like nuts and cheese are prepared to assemble a Harvest Salad.

Flavor Balance:

  • Sweet: Incorporate elements like fruits (e.g., berries, pomegranate seeds), dried fruits (e.g., cranberries), or sweet dressings (e.g., honey mustard) to add sweetness.
  • Salty: Introduce a salty component using ingredients like olives, goat cheese, or feta cheese.
  • Sour: Include citrus fruits (e.g., oranges, grapefruits) or vinegar-based dressings to provide acidity.
  • Bitter: Add bitter greens (e.g., arugula) or fresh herbs like fresh dill. 

Texture Balance:

  • Crispy: Include elements like lettuce, cucumber, or crispy nuts and seeds for a crunch.
  • Creamy: Add ingredients such as avocados, cheese, or yogurt-based dressings for a creamy texture.
  • Chewy: Incorporate items like dried fruits or croutons.
  • Tender: Use cooked vegetables or grilled proteins for a soft and tender texture.

Color Balance:

  • Aim for a visually appealing salad by incorporating various colorful ingredients. Different colors indicate diverse nutrients, so a salad full of healthy vegetables is usually very colorful. 


 Salad Ingredients

  • 6-8 carrots
  • 1 lb. of Brussels sprouts
  • 1 lb. of beets
  • 1 fresh butternut squash  (or you can purchase cut-up squash). 
  • Enough fresh spinach to fill your bowl (I used one lg. and one sm. plastic container from the grocery store).
  • 1 Container of crumbled feta cheese 
  • 1 Container of pomegranate seeds 
  • 1 Fresh peach 
  • 1 Fresh pear
  • 1 Bag of spicy pecans from Trader Joe’s
  • 1 Bunch of fresh dill

If there is something on the list that you do not care for, you can substitute it with an ingredient that you prefer. 

Salad Dressing Ingredients

  • ½ cup olive oil  (extra virgin)
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • Two tablespoons honey
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Two tablespoons of Dijon mustard
Salad dressing ingredients

DIRECTIONS FOR MIXING THE DRESSING

  • Combine all ingredients and mix well with a whisk.
  • Keep dressing in the refrigerator.

Directions for Making Harvest Salad with Air-Fried Veggies

  • Roast your veggies (one kind at a time) and set aside. You can do this the day before and store them in an airtight container overnight. 
  • Wash and dry your fresh spinach. 
  • Place the spinach in a large bowl. 
  • Place 1/2 of the feta cheese in the middle of the spinach. 
  • Place the vegetables around the cheese.
  • Sprinkle the container of pomegranate seeds over the salad. 
  • Cut up one fresh bunch of dill and sprinkle on top. 
  • Slice one pear and one peach, and place them on the salad. 
  • Sprinkle the other half of the feta cheese on the salad. 
  • Add one bag of spicy pecans on top. 

Drizzle Salad dressing and serve. 

Roasted Vegetable Harvest Salad

Yield: 8- 10 Large Servings

Roasted Vegetable Harvest Salad

A vibrant salad in a wooden bowl, featuring pear and peach slices, a generous amount of crumbled feta cheese in the center, cherry tomatoes, spinach, beetroot, air fryer roasted vegetables, pecans, and a sprinkle of fresh dill on top.

Indulge in the vibrant flavors of autumn with our Roasted Vegetable Harvest Salad. This delightful combination of tender roasted vegetables, fresh spinach, and a luscious balsamic vinegar dressing brings together the best of the season's bounty. Each bite offers a symphony of textures and tastes, as the roasted vegetables provide a warm, earthy contrast to the crisp, refreshing spinach, all drizzled with a tangy-sweet balsamic vinegar dressing featuring fresh fruit accents. It's a wholesome and inviting salad that celebrates the rich flavors of the season.

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

  •  Salad Ingredients
  • * 6-8 carrots
  • * 1 lb. of Brussels sprouts
  • * 1 lb. of beets
  • * 1 fresh banana squash  (or you can purchase the cut-up squash) 
  • * Enough fresh spinach to fill your bowl (I used one lg. and one sm. plastic container from the grocery store)
  • * 1 Container of crumbled feta cheese 
  • * 1 Container of pomegranate seeds 
  • * 1 Fresh peach 
  • * 1 Fresh pear
  • * 1 Bag of spicy pecans from Trader Joe's
  • * 1 Bunch of fresh Dill.
  • If there is something on the list that you do not care for, you can substitute it with an ingredient that you like. 
  • Salad Dressing Ingredients
  • * ½ cup olive oil  (extra virgin)
  • * ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • * Two tablespoons honey
  • * a pinch of salt
  • * 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • * Two tablespoons of Dijon mustard

Instructions

  1. DIRECTIONS FOR MIXING THE DRESSING
  2. Combine all ingredients and mix well with a whisk.
  3. Keep dressing in the refrigerator.

DIRECTIONS FOR MAKING THE ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

  1. Roast your veggies (one kind at a time) and set aside. This can be done the day before and stored in an airtight container overnight. 
  2. Wash and dry your fresh spinach. 
  3. Place the spinach in a large bowl. 
  4. Place 1/2 of the feta cheese in the middle of the spinach. 
  5. Place the vegetables around the cheese.
  6. Sprinkle one container of pomegranate seeds over the salad. 
  7. Slice one pear and one peach, and place them on the salad. 
  8. Cut up one fresh bunch of Dill and sprinkle on top. 
  9. Sprinkle the other half of the feta cheese on the salad. 
  10. Add one bag of spicy pecans on top. 
  11. Drizzle Salad dressing and serve. 

 FAQ’s

Why are my vegetables not crispy from the air fryer?

If your vegetables are not turning crispy in the air fryer, there are several potential reasons for this outcome:

  1. Too Much Moisture: Excess moisture on the vegetables can prevent them from crisping up. Make sure to pat the vegetables dry before seasoning and air frying them.
  2. Overcrowding the Basket: Crowding the air fryer basket can restrict the airflow, leading to uneven cooking. Ensure there’s enough space for air to circulate around each piece of vegetable.
  3. Too much oil: Air fryers cook with hot air, not oil; too much oil can leave the vegetables soggy and not crispy.
  4. Frozen vegetables:  These can contain a lot of moisture, which can cause them not to get crispy.

That about wraps it up for me. Now it is time to move on to Laura’s home @decortoadore for another fabulous recipe with my favorite cranberry compote. You can also see all of my other friends fabulous recipes by clicking the links below.

Bon Appetite!

signature

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


I hope you enjoyed this post! If you want to stay up-to-date on all my latest content, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest!

Other Delicious Recipes

Pin It
Finished Cornucopia basket with pumpkins and gourds.
Fall Crafts | Thanksgiving

How to Make a DIY Cornucopia with Rope for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to gather and give thanks. Make this DIY cornucopia with rope, a symbol of a bountiful harvest for your table. I’m excited to be joining a few other bloggers to give you some Thanksgiving inspiration. If you have come over from Missy @sonatahomedesign, welcome. I am sure you enjoyed her colorful…

Similar Posts

40 Comments

  1. Niky | The House on Silverado says:

    I love roasted veggies, and this salad creation looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it!

  2. I am definitely adding this salad to my Thanksgiving menu! I am so excited to feature this at the Tuesday Turn About Link Party. Thank you so much for sharing! Happy Thanksgiving!

  3. Wendy, this looks amazing! I have never roasted veggies in my airfryer and can’t wait to give this a try. Thank you for sharing. Pinned!

    1. Thank you, Lynne. This salad is so delicious. I will be making it again on Thanksgiving for sure.

    1. Yes, this salad is really full of great ingredients and you could easily change it up. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

  4. Estelle Forrest says:

    That salad sounds so scrumptious! Thanks for sharing on SSPS, hope to see you again next week.

  5. Amazing, love to use my AF, but I have a quick question for you: You mention that you line your AF with foil. Is that correct, as I have read and seen that one should not do it. Just checking.
    I visited you via INSPIRE ME MONDAY #442
    I linked up this week with = 21+22. Come and join us Mon – Saturday at SeniorSalonPitStop as well as #WordlessWednesday #Photography Wednesday – Saturday. You will find the info under BLOGGING

    1. Hi Esme, that is an interesting point. I do line mine with foil and have not had an issue. I will have to look into this. Thanks for the heads up. I will see what I can find on this subject.

    1. Thank you, Mary. I can’t wait for you to try the air fryer; it is so easy, and they come out so crisp. Just the way I like them.

  6. I haven’t done veggies in the air fryer but now I will. This sounds so good and so good for us. Great idea. Thanks,

    1. Thank you, Marty. I hope you give it a try. Have a great day.

  7. Spectacular! (leave it to you to bring the healthy goodness) and it looks beautiful too!!!
    Well done!

    1. Thank you, Diane. We need to have at least one dish that is healthy on the table! lol

  8. Wendy, I literally just roasted vegetables for the first time EVER, about a month ago. They turned out sooo good! I can’t believe I’ve never roasted them in the oven before. We don’t have an air fryer but I bet they turned out great. Thank you for the new recipe!

    Hope you are enjoying your fall,
    Happy fall hugs,
    Barb 🙂

    1. Wow, that is amazing, Barbara. I am sure you loved them. I hope you get a chance to make the salad. Have a wonderful weekend.

  9. I’ve never thought of roasting veggies in the air fryer; brilliant! And since I love roasted veggies and salad, this sounds amazing:) Definitely trying!

    1. Thanks, Lora, I hope you enjoy it. The air fryer does such a great job on the veggies.

    1. Thank you Michele. I will be sharing your yummy pie this Saturday. Have a great week end.

  10. I’ve never thought to roast veggies in the air fryer. It’s genius! My family is going to love this. So glad you joined us. Thanks for sharing this with us. pinned

    1. Thank you Cindy, it is so easy to use the air fryer for your veggies!

  11. An air fryer makes life so much easier! I’m excited to try this salad recipe!

    1. Thank you, Susan, it is quite a meal in one bowl.

  12. Wendy your roasted vegetable salad looks so delicious! This is the kind of comfort food I crave this time of year. So many flavors and so healthy too!

    1. Thank you, Michelle. It is a feast in a bowl. I am so glad you enjoyed the post.

  13. Wendy this looks so good! My hubby asked me the other day if I wanted an air fryer and this recipe makes me want to say yes.

    1. Laura, we love our air fryer. It makes cooking so easy. the one we have is not too large, which I like.

  14. So good Wendy! I’ve been waiting for this one! I’m hoping to make it this week. Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe!

    1. Thank you sweet Susan, I hope you love it as much as we do.

  15. What a gorgeous salad. This is perfect for Thanksgiving. Hugs and blessings to you.

  16. I love roasting vegetables. We do it every meal. Your salad looks delicious. It’s like a healthy vegetable meal in a bowl. And it’s so pretty.

    1. Thank you Carol. All you need to do is add a little Chicken and your meal is complete.

  17. This salad looks amazing, Wendy! I think we’re probably the last people on the planet to get an air fryer. I have no idea why I thought they were so complicated but your post makes everything so simple. I’m excited to try this now! Hugs, CoCo

    1. I was holding out CoCo until Christmas came. The one we have is fairly small and it’s white, so I do not mind it on the counter.
      We use it for everything, I am amazed at how easy and quick it cooks.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *