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24 Winter Salads That Are Seasonal, Nutritious and Creative

You can eat an arugula salad crowned with strawberries every day in the summer. But once the weather turns cold, your go-to is out of season. Not to worry: There are countless winter salads out there that use produce at peak deliciousness, and we’ve picked our 24 favorites to get you started. We’re talking carrots, beets, figs, Brussels sprouts and lots of dark, leafy greens. Some of these recipes even feature roasted veggies, goat cheese fritters or warm noodles in order to combat the iciest of evenings.

20 Warm Salads That Will Help You Power through Winter’s Chilliest Days


1. Winter Citrus And Pomegranate Salad

Sharp red onion, crunchy hazelnuts and cooked farro meet juicy oranges and the easiest citrus vinaigrette of all time. Use cara cara oranges for extra sweetness.

2. Warm Ginger-scallion Pork And Kale Salad

We love kale, but it can be tough to chew when served raw. Here, it’s briefly sautéed in a vinegary dressing until it turns tender.

3. Roasted Beet And Citrus Salad

Isn’t she lovely? Chalk the salad’s vibrant appearance up to red beets, golden beets and Valencia oranges. (Grapefruit would work here, too.)

4. Cauliflower, Pomegranate And Apple Salad

Not to be dramatic, but we’d chug the lemon-tahini dressing straight from the bowl. Tart Granny Smiths are the go-to apple choice, but you can substitute another sweet-tart type like Honeycrisps if you’d prefer.

5. Roasted Vegetable And Lentil Salad With Pine Nut Cream

While it pairs beautifully with a roast, this salad is hearty enough to hold its own as a main. Delicata squash, potatoes, beets and protein-rich lentils are bound to keep you full.

6. Salmon And Fennel Dinner Salad

Don’t look now, but we’re making a second batch of this herby yogurt dressing to have with crudités, beef kebabs and chicken wings.

7. Radicchio, Lentil And Apple Salad With Vegan Cashew Dressing

Dairy-free eaters rejoice. Raw cashews are the key to this uber creamy dressing. (Did we mention you can reduce the water in the dressing to turn it into a spread similar to vegan ricotta?)

8. Black Fig, Mozzarella And Basil Salad

We don’t care what veggies are in a salad: If there’s pillowy soft mozzarella cheese on top, your guests will devour it in 30 seconds flat.

9. Meal-prep Creamy Kale Caesar Salad

You may think this 15-minute wonder is played out, but the dressing is uniquely tangy, thanks to a secret ingredient. (OK, we’ll spill: It’s sour cream.)

10. Roasted Butternut Squash Freekeh Salad

This autumn gourd arguably eclipses the almighty pumpkin in terms of edible popularity, so substitute sweet potatoes, acorn squash or kabocha squash if you’re sick of butternut by winter.

11. Citrus, Fennel And Avocado Salad

Buttery avocado is just the foil for peppery arugula, sharp fennel and bittersweet citrus fruit. (Think navel oranges, blood oranges and grapefruit.)

12. Yotam Ottolenghi’s Cauliflower, Pomegranate And Pistachio Salad

Grated cauliflower and roasted cauliflower florets unite for a unique textural experience that won’t disappoint.

13. Kale Caesar Salad

Not a leaf of romaine lettuce in sight—just how we like it. We’ll take extra Parmesan curls on ours, please.

14. Fried Goat Cheese Salad With Grapes And Walnuts

Crispy, gooey cheese medallions are our favorite remedy for a cold winter night. Might we suggest using candied nuts instead of toasted and pickled onions instead of raw for a more intense flavor profile?

15. Julia Turshen’s Radicchio And Roasted Squash Salad

This unexpected winter salad is begging to be served alongside an expertly seared steak. (Although it’d be equally delicious tucked into a grilled cheese sandwich.)

16. Lemon-tahini Salad With Lentils, Beets And Carrots

Psst: You can save a *ton* of time by using precooked lentils instead of dried and canned beets instead of raw.

17. Make-ahead Farro And Brussels Sprout Salad

Brussels sprout leaves are pure magic because they refuse to wilt, even when dressed in shallot vinaigrette. You could shred them instead if you prefer a light, slaw-like consistency.

18. Kale Salad With Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Fluffy quinoa, pretty pomegranate arils, crunchy pecans and salty goat cheese—yup, the gang’s all here.

19. Warm Sesame Noodle Salad

BRB, going for a dip in the drool-worthy peanut butter dressing.

20. Kale Salad With Persimmons, Crispy Chickpeas And Fried Shallots

Put this crowd-pleaser on your holiday table and even the roast turkey will get jealous. We’d prepare a second batch of roasted chickpeas especially for snacking if we were you.

21. Prosciutto And Fig Salad Board

Serving salad on a fancy wooden slab is not only trendy, but also logical. This way, none of the toppings (like crumbled blue cheese) get lost at the bottom, unlike with a large bowl.

22. Falafel Salad With Spicy Yogurt Sauce

If you don’t make an extra batch of falafel patties to use in pitas, gyro bowls and sandwiches all week long, you’re doing it wrong.

23. Kale Salad With Crispy Chickpeas

Proof that simplicity can be downright delicious. You’ll go gaga for the Caesar-inspired dressing, trust.

24. Roasted Winter Vegetable Platter With Miso Aioli And Romesco Sauce

Consider this a deconstructed winter salad (hi, cauliflower, carrots and kabocha squash) with full dippability.


For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.


taryn pire

Food Editor

Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...