25 Winter Salad Recipes

This jewel-toned salad features some of the season’s best bounty: lush kale, bitter radicchio, Brussels sprouts, squash, and sweet, juicy pomegranate seeds. I love to make it for the holidays, but it’s a great one to have in your back pocket all winter long.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.