29 Tasty Winter Salad Recipes

Salad is traditionally seen as a light and refreshing dish, perfect for hot summer days, while the winter is perfect for hearty, filling dishes to keep you warm on cold nights.

However, sometimes we find ourselves craving salad during the winter season, especially when we have been indulging in sweet treats over the holidays.

So, we have created a list of our favorite salad recipes that are perfect for winter.

These recipes are easy to follow and will keep you warm until the spring! If you’re interested, read on for more.

Here are 29 of our favorite winter salad recipes!

1. Roasted Beet And Kale Salad With Candied Walnuts

This winter salad has a wonderful blend of flavors and textures, from crunchy and sweet candied walnuts to soft and tangy goat’s cheese, this is the perfect winter salad for vegetarians and meat lovers alike!

Not to mention, the roasted beets add some variety to the dish. It is best to peel them before placing them in the oven to give them more crunch.

Overall, this recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and 40 minutes to cook, providing four servings.

2. Goats Cheese Salad With Pears, Candied Pecans, And Maple-Balsamic Dressing

If you’re not a fan of kale but love the nut and goat’s cheese combo then this is the ideal winter salad for you!

Not only that, but it also includes fresh pears and a maple-balsamic dressing which is very easy to make.

The pears make for a great substitute for apples in this salad since they’re sweeter and are a great contrast to the tangy goat’s cheese.

Overall, this recipe will take just 10 minutes to make and makes 11 cups.

3. Curried Lentil Salad

It wouldn’t be winter without hearty lentils, and this hearty lentil salad is the winter salad recipe of your dreams.

The green lentils are flavored with garlic, cardamom, cumin, and ginger, for a warm curry flavor, while turmeric is added to tasty roasted cauliflower for the perfect winter combo.

Top it all off with cubes of paneer and you’ll have a favorite dish to make all year round.

4. Kale Salad With Lemon Dressing

This is a wonderfully refreshing salad perfect for a light lunch after a morning of eating all of your holiday chocolate.

Kale is a great superfood to have in your diet, it is filled with antioxidants and vitamins that are sure to make you feel ready to tackle the cold winter day!

What’s more, the fresh lemon dressing adds a sharp, tangy twist you’re sure to love. This recipe takes just 20 minutes to make and provides 4 servings..

5. Mixed Baby Green Salad With Pomegranate, Pecans, And Gorgonzola

If you like dried cranberries in your salad, then you need to try pomegranate! These seeds are bursting with flavor and provide a lovely contrast to the mixed baby greens.

This is a colorful salad reminiscent of decorated Christmas trees and is perfect for holiday parties.

Overall, it takes just 5 minutes to make and provides 4 cups.

6. Kale Salad With Apples, Cranberries, And Pecans

This is a winter salad recipe that truly understands the balance between healthy and sweet.

It is made up of the superfood kale, but its occasional bitterness is balanced out with sweet fruits like cranberries and apples. To top it all off, this recipe calls for pecans for that perfect crunch.

Overall, it takes just 20 minutes to make this delicious winter salad, and you will get 4 servings.

7. Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad With Walnuts, Parmesan & Lemon-Mustard Dressing

Who said Brussels sprouts are just for Christmas dinner? We think the opposite, and that’s why we love this winter salad recipe!

Brussels sprouts and kale provide the necessary nutrients, while parmesan cheese makes this recipe creamy and filling – perfect for a long winter day!

The lemon-mustard dressing is the highlight of this recipe, it ties everything together and it is so easy to make! This recipe provides between 6 to 8 servings.

8. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad With Bacon And Honey Lemon Dressing

You may not expect sweet potatoes and salad to work well together, but they’re actually an amazing winter salad combo!

When combined with the rich honey lemon dressing, these sweet potatoes provide a lovely contrast to the bitter rocket and salty bacon.

This recipe is sure to tantalize your taste buds and takes just 45 minutes to break. It provides 2 meal-sized servings or 4 servings as a side dish.

9. Greek Kale Salad With Lemon Olive Oil Dressing

Greek salad often replaces romaine lettuce with kale, so you get extra health points while still tasting the delicious traditional flavors of feta cheese, olives, and red onion.

The lemon and olive oil dressing is another classic and is made with just 3 ingredients, plus salt, pepper, and oregano.

It will take 15 minutes to make this recipe and 4 servings are provided.

10. Apple Fennel Salad

If you love refreshing salads but want to skip over the tangy flavors of lemon, then we have the perfect winter salad recipe for you!

This winter salad contains thinly sliced apples which are crisp and refreshing, perfect for busy winter days.

On top of that, you will taste a slightly sweet, earthy flavor of fennel mixed with crunchy walnuts.

It’s a wonderful salad to make all of your colleagues, friends, and family jealous! It takes just 15 minutes to make and serves around 5 people when made as a side dish.

11. Wheat Berry Salad

This aromatic, savory salad is the perfect side dish. However, thanks to the hearty roasted squash and filling wheat berries, it is a meal all on its own!

Mix with an apple cider vinaigrette to tie all of the flavors together like a Christmas present, and you’ll have a wonderful winter recipe ready to serve in 45 minutes.

12. Roasted Butternut Squash And Apple Salad

If you’re missing fall, then we have the perfect salad recipe for you!

This delicious salad contains many classic fall flavors, including apples and butternut squash, to allow you a sense of nostalgia on those dark, cold winter nights.

Serve this salad with a roast turkey to relive thanksgiving all over again. This recipe takes 1 hour and 20 minutes to make and provides 4 servings.

13. Roasted Cauliflower Salad With Creamy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Salads and vegetables don’t have to be boring – and they certainly won’t be with this roasted cauliflower salad recipe!

The cauliflower is roasted with olive oil, garlic, paprika, and smoky chipotle until it is crispy, and the result is heavenly.

Mix it with avocado, leafy greens, and sweet feta cheese for the recipe you’ll want to make every week. Best of all, it takes just 45 minutes to make this recipe. Serves 6.

14. Warm German Potato Salad

You may think potato salad can only be served cold…but in winter, this is a dish meant to warm you up!

German potato salad does not use mayonnaise as its base, making it different from the traditional potato salad we all know.

Instead, it uses a bacon vinaigrette. This is a very easy recipe to follow and takes just 40 minutes to make and serves 6.

15. Pomegranate Rice Salad

You don’t always need leaves upon leaves to make an excellent salad. Take this pomegranate rice salad recipe as an example.

It contains basmati, brown, and wild rice as its primary ingredients, and is topped with garlic, scallions, nuts, and pomegranates for additional bursts of flavor, no leaves required!

This salad takes just 40 minutes to make.

16. Winter Citrus And Pomegranate Fruit Salad

Salad can be a dessert as well as a main or side, and this fruit salad will become your go-to dessert recipe for the winter months ahead.

Filled with tangy citrus and juice pomegranates, this is the perfect pick-me-up salad for when you’re missing the summer days. It can be made with just 3 ingredients and provides 4 servings.

17. Crunchy Romaine Salad With Quinoa

Calling all vegetarians and vegans, we have the perfect winter salad recipe for you!

This tasty, crunchy salad is filled with quinoa, which is a great substitute for meat because it is filled with protein.

However, the highlight of this meal is the cilantro dressing.

It is the perfect blend of refreshing and sweet, you don’t want to miss out! This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and provides 4 servings.

18. Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Too cold outside to grill chicken? Not to worry! Use a stovetop grill pan or indoor grill to whip up this delicious Mediterranean chicken salad!

This recipe uses a lemon and herb mix as a marinade and dressing.

The chicken will take just 30 minutes to marinade, and you can prepare the other delicious ingredients, like avocado, olives, and tomatoes, in the meantime. This recipe serves 4.

19. Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad

If you have a lot of Brussels sprouts left over after Christmas then you need to make this shaved Brussels sprouts salad.

This is a recipe you can make in advance so it is perfect for busy days! It is a very simple recipe to follow, too.

All you need to do is save your sprouts and mix them with pine nuts, olive oil, lemon juice, grated cheese, plus a few other ingredients for the perfect after-Christmas lunch.

This recipe takes 15 minutes in total.

20. Quinoa Salad With Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries, And Pecans

If you want a winter salad full of protein that still manages to be hearty and filling, then you need to try this quinoa salad.

It also contains roasted squash and pecans, which are sure to fill you up all the way to dinner.

Mix these ingredients with sweet, dried cranberries and you have a salad worthy of a Christmas buffet!

This recipe takes just 30 minutes to make and provides 4 servings.

21. Roasted Beet Salad With Goat’s Cheese

If you want a simple side salad that tastes gourmet, then you need to make this roasted beet salad with goat’s cheese!

Roasted beets and goat’s cheese is an amazing combo, and the pomegranate dressing elevates the flavors to make this a salad worthy of Michelin stars.

It takes just 1 hour to make and works amazingly as a side to salmon or baked fish.

22. Citrus Salad With Fennel And Avocado

If the dark afternoons of winter are getting you down, brighten them up with this colorful citrus salad!

Not only is this a bright, colorful salad thanks to its mix of avocado, grapefruit, satsumas, and more, but it is also light and refreshing thanks to its fennel and fresh mint.

This joy in a bowl will be ready in 30 minutes and serves 6.

23. Sweet Potato Salad

This salad recipe is ideal for the winter because it will fill you up while still being healthy – perfect for when you’re sick of holiday candy.

It is best to roast the sweet potatoes until they are tender at the center and caramelized on the outside.

This way, along with the creamy avocado, they take the edge of the bitter arugula. Top it all off with a nutty tahini dressing and this recipe will be ready to serve in just 25 minutes.

24. Simple Green Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

This is a wonderful side dish for a winter casserole or pasta dish.

It consists of simple greens that you can easily find at your local grocery store or supermarket and is filled with delicious toppings like baby tomatoes, carrots, pomegranates, and sunflower seeds so your little ones will love to eat it, too!

This recipe takes just 10 minutes to make and provides 4 servings

25. Roasted Cauliflower Salad

This may be a roasted cauliflower salad, but this wonderful winter recipe shares the spotlight with delicious dried apricots, toasted nuts, and salty olives!

It is a recipe that is both vegan and gluten-free, perfect for those of you who are trying new things as part of your New Year’s Resolutions!

This recipe will be ready in just 45 minutes and serves 4.

26. Apple Salad With Raisins And Walnuts

The three words we would use to describe this tasty winter salad recipe are sharp, crunchy, and sweet, all rolled into one!

This is the perfect winter side dish for any leftover chicken breast in the refrigerator.

If you’re tired of Christmas roasts, then this is a great twist! This recipe takes just 15 minutes to make and provides 4 servings.

27. Sweet Crunch Winter Salad

Much like the recipe above, if you have leftover veggies from your Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, then toss them together to make this delectable sweet crunch salad.

It’s a fantastic way to use up your carrots, broccoli, and cabbage.

This is a great recipe to make in between heavy winter dishes, it is light, healthy, and easy to make, taking just 20 minutes.

28. Broccoli Bacon Salad

Broccoli and bacon are two ingredients you don’t think will go together, but once you try this meal you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

The key to this recipe is to cut up the ingredients into tiny pieces and mix them well with a sweet mayo dressing.

You get so many different flavors in every mouthful that you’ll be reaching for second helpings before you know it! This recipe takes just 25 minutes to make.

29. Winter Salad Bowl

Salad bowls are amazing because you can add whatever salad you want!

We love all of the ingredients in the recipe, from the potatoes and quinoa to the green beans and red wine vinegar dressing, but what we love most of all is that this is a totally customizable recipe – perfect for picky eaters or for making salad bowls with friends!

Overall, this recipe takes 30 minutes to make and serves 6.

Are any of the vegan dips on your list suitable for incorporating into a winter salad?

Are any of the vegan dips on your list suitable for incorporating into a winter salad? While most vegan dips include hummus, there are alternative options available. Try experimenting with vegan dips without hummus like avocado spread or roasted red pepper dip. These flavorful alternatives can add a unique touch to your winter salad and make it even more enticing for a plant-based diet.

Final Thoughts

Many people only eat salads in the summer, but these 29 delicious salad recipes show that salad can be enjoyed throughout the winter, too!

Frequently Asked Questions