20 Winter Salad Recipes

This winter salad with raddicchio and pear is one of my favorite winter salads! Bitter bright purple radicchio leaves are balanced by the sweetness of ripe pears, the satisfying crunch of toasted almonds, the creamy tang of goat cheese, and a zesty citrus vinaigrette that ties it all together.

Here the mix of crisp apples, crunchy walnuts, chewy cranberries and a sweet-tart dressing makes a delicious contrast of textures and flavors. It’s perfect as a side dish, but add protein and it also works as a main meal! You can swap out the dressing and mix-ins to make dozens of variations on the theme, making it endlessly versatile for any occasion.

Here’s a fresh and tasty winter salad starring everyone’s favorite ingredient: Butternut Squash Salad! This one is all about color and flavor: hearty sweet squash pairs with crisp apple, chewy cranberries and a citrusy orange vinaigrette.

Here’s a hearty winter salad that mixes wild rice with crunchy veggies, pecans, cranberries, and feta cheese crumbles A maple Dijon vinaigrette dressing infuses a tangy flavor throughout, punctuated by bursts of fresh parsley. It’s simple to put together, and easy to make ahead. 

This pretty little salad tastes as good as it looks! It’s a celebration of flavors and textures, with juicy pears, funky cheese, dried cherries, and maple pecans glazed quickly in a skillet. It’s all tossed in our go-to balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

This arugula beet salad stars jewel-toned roasted beets with baby arugula, all covered in a zingy citrus vinaigrette. Add thin-sliced shallots and toasted walnuts, and it tastes sophisticated with minimal effort. It's quick to make it with the precooked beets you can find in many stores, or you can roast your own beets.

This salad is equal parts refreshing, tangy, bitter, crunchy, and tangy! Bitter endive pairs perfectly with juicy orange and a sweet tart red wine vinaigrette. Top it off with savory Parmesan shavings and crunchy almonds. Each bite is crunchy, sweet, savory and citrusy.

Crunchy pomegranate seeds make a beautiful confetti over the top of leafy greens, alongside tart green apple slices, toasted pecans, and goat cheese crumbles. This one has a few different dressing choices: ,y favorites are apple cider vinegar dressing or pomegranate vinaigrette. 

This healthy side dish is one of my top picks for winter salads. The contrast of garlic roasted sweet potato cubes, feathery baby arugula, cranberries and creamy goat cheese are so satisfying! Top it with my quick and tangy honey mustard dressing.

Citrus is available in the winter, so it's perfect for winter salads! This salad stars all the beautiful, vibrant citrus: tangy grapefruit, navel oranges, and sweet blood oranges. They’re drizzled with a zingy dressing, then topped crushed pistachios and fresh mint. This healthy side dish is perfect with salmon or to offset the richness of pasta.

Tuscan kale has the power to transform the minds of kale haters everywhere. If your complaint is that kale tastes bitter: it’s true! But after you taste this kale salad you’ll agree that the dark green leaves smothered in a lemony, garlicky Parmesan dressing can only be one thing: delicious.

Here’s a simple way to turn apples into a beautiful side dish: my favorite Apple Salad recipe! Crisp tart apple slices pair with pops of pomegranate seeds, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy, cinnamon-spiced pecans. Toss them all over fresh greens with a zingy maple and apple cider vinegar dressing.

There’s nothing better than a classic Caesar salad: except this Kale Caesar Salad! The fluffy, ridged texture of the leaves are ideal for coating in Caesar dressing. This spin on the Kale Caesar is our go-to, with a fresh, creamy homemade dressing and crunchy breadcrumbs in every bite.

Winter is all about Brussels sprouts! One of my favorite ways to eat them is crispy roasted and the other is raw in salads! Thinly slicing the sprouts into feathery ribbons makes them taste like a sweeter version of cabbage! Add a pop of tart cherries, the bright crunch of the apple, and cover everything in a lightly sweet vinaigrette.

Here’s a bright, beautiful salad recipe that works in almost any season: this refreshing Grapefruit Salad! It pairs the juicy citrus fruit with nutty toasted almonds, salty feta cheese and a zingy poppy seed dressing. The delicate, zingy, and creamy textures and flavors complement each other perfectly!

Another great winter salad? Fennel orange salad! It highlights all the beauty of sliced raw fennel and its subtle licorice essence. Add to that a famous pairing: juicy oranges, with their vibrant color and citrusy flavor! Throw it over greens with a zingy homemade citrus vinaigrette.

This beet salad has all the right elements: roasted beets, baby greens, creamy goat cheese and a tangy balsamic beet dressing. The sweet, earthy flavor of beets pairs perfectly with the tang of a balsamic dressing. Here, I've used my favorite Best Balsamic Dressing: which takes just 5 minutes and 5 ingredients.

If you’re in the market for a simple winter salad that makes eating vegetables delicious, here’s one for your back pocket: kale slaw with apples! This colorful mix of fresh veggies is simple to put together and tastes refreshingly sweet tart. It stars hearty kale, crisp apples, sweet carrot, and a zingy maple apple cider vinegar dressing.

Want to add sophistication to your meal? Try a crunchy and refreshing frisee salad! Frisée is a leafy green with a frilly texture and subtly bitter flavor, ideal for adding flair and elegance to salads. This one pairs it with the burst of juicy orange, aged Manchego cheese, and crunchy almonds, covering it all in a zingy white wine vinaigrette. 

Last up in my winter salad recipes is this delicata squash salad! It stars our favorite squash: the delicata, brilliantly sweet with edible skin (no peeling necessary!). Roast up that squash in just 20 minutes, and in the meantime prep those refreshing pomegranate seeds, crunchy pistachios, and tangy honey mustard dressing.