5 Italian Fall Salads With Persimmons, Pumpkin, and Radicchio

Fall salads balance sweet fruit with sharp cheese, citrus dressings, and bitter greens. Start with a fruit-filled side, or choose oven-baked radicchio to serve as a main.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad pairs sweet fruit with the sharpness of pecorino and Dijon mustard. Serve it as a side when your fall menu needs a sweet-tart contrast. Lamb’s lettuce gives the colorful fruit a delicate green backdrop.

Pro tip: you can dress the salad with balsamic vinegar if you don’t like mustard.

Persimmon, Arugula, and Fennel Salad balances sweet fruit with peppery greens and crisp fennel. Choose this citrus-dressed salad for a fall side that skips the cheese. Orange and lemon juices bring a bright finish, with honey lending a little sweetness.

Pro tip: you can add pomegranate seeds or apple slices for another layer of fruit.

Chestnut Salad brings earthy sweetness and sharp Roquefort to a bed of greens. Put it on your menu for cool autumn days, or serve it beyond the season. Honey softens the mustard and lemon dressing, while dried chile adds a touch of heat.

Pro tip: you can swap Gorgonzola for the Roquefort.

Mixed Bean and Pumpkin Salad combines earthy beans with sweet pumpkin and the crunch of walnuts. Three kinds of beans—cannellini, black-eyed peas, and borlotti—give this autumn side variety. Rosemary and thyme add herbal notes, while lemon juice brings brightness to the mix.

Pro tip: you can add cubes of aged cheese or caciotta, a mild cheese, for a variation.

Gratinated radicchio, hazelnuts, and scamorza salad brings bitter leaves and smoked scamorza, a melting cheese, together in the oven. Serve it as a main dish or alongside another autumn entrée. Hazelnuts add crunch, with sage and nutmeg rounding out the smoky cheese.

Pro tip: you can replace the hazelnuts with another nut.