25 Winter Salad Recipes

Ward off cold weather with these vibrant winter salad recipes! Flavorful and fresh, they use seasonal produce like citrus, root veggies, and hardy greens.

Winter salad recipes

Let’s hear it for winter salad recipes! In a season that’s packed with cozy soups and comfort food, they’re a reminder that fresh, seasonal produce is still out there. Asparagus and sweet corn might be months away, but winter greens, root veggies, squash, and citrus are here in full force. A winter salad is the perfect way to show them off.

Below, you’ll find 25 of my favorite winter salad recipes. They include something to satisfy any and every salad craving—sweet and savory salads studded with citrus and pears, refreshing green salads, quick slaws, grain salads, lentil salads, and more. Whether you’re looking for a light side dish or a hearty lunch, you’re bound to find a salad you love.

Winter Kale Salads

I love prepping these kale salads for lunch in the winter. A punchy dressing and fun toppings give each one a satisfying mix of textures and flavors. Bonus: Unlike tender lettuce, kale won’t wilt if you dress it ahead. Assemble these sturdy salads in advance for healthy grab-and-go meals!

Pouring dressing over winter salad recipe

Ultimate Winter Salad

This jewel-toned salad features some of the season’s best bounty: lush kale, bitter radicchio, Brussels sprouts, squash, and sweet, juicy pomegranate seeds. It’s a winter essential. Find the recipe at the bottom of this post!

Kale Salad Recipe

Kale Salad

The best part of this rainbow kale salad isn’t the toasty seeds, creamy avocado, or crispy roasted chickpeas. Nope—it’s the carrot ginger dressing! You’ll love it on this salad…and on just about everything else, too.

Kale Caesar salad

Kale Caesar Salad

If you’re a Caesar salad fan, you have to try this version with kale! For my money, it’s even better than the classic. Douse it in my vegan Caesar dressing or Greek yogurt Caesar salad dressing to take it over the top.

More Green Winter Salad Recipes

Kale isn’t the only great base for a winter green salad! Try these recipes with fresh spinach, arugula, and/or lettuce too:

Spinach salad

Spinach Salad

This salad comes highly recommended: it’s my mom’s favorite! A tangy apple cider vinegar dressing balances the sweet apples, dried cranberries, and candied pecans here.

sweet potato salad recipe

Sweet Potato Salad

I could eat this salad for lunch every single day! It’s simple and delicious, topped with avocado, feta cheese, roasted sweet potatoes, and my go-to tahini dressing.

Roasted Beet Salad

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

Tip: Cook the roasted beets ahead of time to make this salad quick and easy to assemble.

pear salad recipe

Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts

Pass this simple, elegant salad as a side dish with dinner, or pair it with butternut squash soup for a light and healthy lunch.

roasted butternut squash salad

Butternut Squash Salad

Goat cheese + pomegranate arils + roasted butternut squash? Yes, please! But wait—there’s even more to love about this winter salad. It’s got crunchy toasted pistachios, sweet Medjool dates, and a lightly creamy, aromatic dressing. Trust me, you don’t want to miss it!

Best winter salad recipes - Simple Green Salad

Simple Green Salad

Who says side salads have to be boring? This one is fresh and bright, featuring shaved Parm, a zippy lemon vinaigrette, and tamari almonds for crunch.

Winter Citrus Salads

Sweet, juicy tomatoes might be out of season, but citrus fruit is in! Oranges, grapefruit, mandarins, and more brighten all kinds of winter salad recipes.

Winter citrus salad recipe

Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado

This gorgeous salad is worthy of any special occasion meal, but it’s so bright and flavorful that you’ll want to serve it all winter long.

Cabbage Winter Salad Recipe

Citrus Cabbage Salad

Who else keeps clementines on hand in the winter? They’re not just good for snacking—try them in this recipe! You’ll whisk their juice into the dressing and add more sliced clementines to the salad for a double citrus punch.

Pomegranate rice winter salad

Pomegranate Rice Salad

An orange and lemon dressing adds a zesty kick to this aromatic rice salad.

Fennel salad

Shaved Fennel Salad

I love adding fresh orange segments to this shaved fennel salad. Sweet and juicy, they offer the perfect contrast to the crisp veggies and salty cheese.

Golden beets recipe with arugula, feta, and pistachios

Roasted Golden Beets with Arugula and Feta

Not a beet person? This recipe might just win you over. A spiced lemon dressing loads the roasted roots with flavor. You’ll go back for bite after bite!

Slaws

These winter salad recipes all use minimal ingredients and come together in minutes. Make one whenever you need an easy, last-minute side dish!

Shaved Brussels Sprout Slaw

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

Love roasted Brussels sprouts? Try them raw next! Finely shredded and tossed with lemon, dried cranberries, and pecorino cheese, they make a refreshing, delicious winter salad.

Carrot salad

Carrot Salad

Crisp, colorful carrots are one of my favorite winter vegetables. In this easy salad, I pair them with Medjool dates and a honey lemon dressing to highlight their natural sweetness.

Cabbage salad

Cabbage Salad

If you like peanut sauce, you’ll love this salad. Its creamy, tangy peanut dressing will make you want to eat it straight from the serving bowl!

Kohlrabi slaw recipe

Kohlrabi Slaw

Tossed in a 5-ingredient mustard dressing, this sweet and tangy slaw is easy to make in just 15 minutes! Try pairing it with a grilled cheese sandwich for a crave-worthy winter meal.

Coleslaw Recipe

Creamy Coleslaw

Creamy coleslaw may be a summer picnic staple, but there’s no reason you shouldn’t make it in the winter, too! It’s filled with all-season veggies like cabbage and carrots. A bold homemade coleslaw dressing packs this version with flavor.

Winter Broccoli salad recipe

Best Broccoli Salad

I’m not usually a raw broccoli person, but I love it in this crunchy slaw. I chop it really finely, so it softens and soaks up the lightly creamy dressing. To take it over the top, I toss it with sharp red onion, dried cranberries, and smoky roasted nuts.

Grain and Lentil Winter Salad Recipes

Like the kale salads above, these winter salad recipes are some of my go-to lunches. Because they’re made with whole grains or lentils in addition to fresh produce, they have enough staying power to keep me full till dinnertime.

Farro salad

Farro Salad

Tip: Replace the farro with brown rice to make this recipe gluten-free.

Wild rice pilaf

Wild Rice Pilaf

I love this recipe as written, but it’s a great one to riff on, too. Add roasted butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes, use finely chopped kale instead of Brussels sprouts, or toss it all with my apple cider vinegar dressing for extra depth of flavor.

Winter lentil salad recipe

Curried Lentil Salad

This hearty lunch or dinner salad is perfect for meal prep! The lentils soak up the dressing in the fridge, becoming more flavorful with time. I top this salad with roasted paneer cheese for extra richness, but baked tofu is an excellent dairy-free substitute.

Wheat Berry Winter Salad Recipe

Wheat Berry Salad

Roasted shallots and sage fill this winter salad with savory, aromatic flavor.

Roasted cauliflower with pickled onions, lentils, olives, and tahini dressing

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Filled with sweet dried apricots, briny olives, toasted nuts, and tangy pickled onions, this winter salad checks all the flavor boxes. A creamy lemon tahini sauce ties it all together.

More Favorite Salad Recipes

If you love these winter salad recipes, check out these 51 best salad recipes to make throughout the year!

Winter salad recipe

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Winter Salad

rate this recipe:
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Serves 4 to 6
The ultimate winter salad recipe! It's filled with winter greens, roasted squash, pomegranate seeds, and a tangy vinaigrette.

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cubed butternut squash
  • ½ medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ bunch curly kale (4 to 6 leaves), stemmed, leaves torn
  • Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
  • ½ small radicchio, thinly sliced
  • 6 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
  • ¾ cup candied pecans, or toasted pecans
  • cup pomegranate arils, or dried cranberries
  • cup shaved Parmesan or pecorino cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place the squash on one side of the baking sheet and the onion wedges on the other. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 35 minutes, or until tender and golden brown around the edges. Remove the onions before the squash if needed. Pull apart the onion layers.
  • Place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with some of the dressing. Use your hands to massage the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half. 
  • Add the radicchio, Brussels sprouts, roasted squash, onions, and remaining dressing. Toss well, then top with the pecans, pomegranates, and cheese. Gently toss. Season to taste and serve.

4 comments

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  1. Pat Heffron-Cartwright
    01.20.2024

    I made this salad for a work luncheon. It was a hit…so beautiful and so delicious. Thank you!

  2. Sabrina from newkitchenlife.com
    01.08.2024

    another great resource to have, I love these salads, so much more creative than a lot of mine and really like the textures of some of them too. My favorite has to be the pear balsamic!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.09.2024

      thanks Sabrina!

  3. Amanda Blain
    01.24.2021

    Oh My GOODNESS!! Some of these salads are just what I have been looking for. I will be making the citrus with fennel one tomorrow. Thank you so much for sharing 🙂

A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.