25+ Winter Salad Recipes
This collection of fresh, vibrant Winter Salad Recipes is sure to brighten the dreariest winter day! They’re packed with winter produce, plenty of flavor and are great for every day and holidays alike!
Salads may not be on a lot of people’s minds during the cold winter months, but I eat them every day despite the temperature outside.
I crave crisp, crunchy fruits and veggies daily this time of year just like I do in the warmer months, and they provide much needed freshness along with comfort foods like beef bourguignon and butternut squash risotto.
I love incorporating winter produce like pomegranate, citrus and kale with varieties that are often underutilized, such as fennel, chicories and cabbage.
This collection of over 25 Winter Salad Recipes offers exciting new ways to enjoy winter produce, and they’re guaranteed to brighten the dreariest days. 🙂
Tips for the best winter salads
- Seasonal winter vegetables and fruits are the best ingredients to incorporate into your winter salads. Because they’re in season, they’re more than likely grown locally and will be much more fresh and flavorful. See the list of seasonal winter produce in the section below.
- Purchase your produce at a farmer’s market or look for signs that say locally grown in your market for maximum freshness.
- Select organic produce as its sustainably grown and doesn’t include harmful pesticides.
- Homemade salad dressings have a fresh flavor that will elevate any salad. See my collection of salad dressing recipes for inspiration.
Seasonal fall produce
The list below includes produce that is available anywhere from early to late spring. This list will vary based on the area that you live in.
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Beets
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Chicories
- Citrus (grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges)
- Collard greens
- Herbs
- Kale
- Kiwi
- Leeks
- Onions
- Parsnips
- Pears
- Pineapples
- Potatoes
- Rutabagas
- Sweet potatoes/yams
- Swiss chard
- Turnips
- Winter squash (acorn, butternut, delicata, kabocha, pumpkin)
More seasonal salad recipes you’ll love:
Winter Salad Ideas
There are over 25 winter salad ideas below that will keep your salad game strong all winter long.
You’ll find plenty of winter green salad recipes, crunchy coleslaws and grain salads that incorporate colorful citrus, root vegetables, winter squash, avocado and so much more.
These easy winter salad recipes are versatile enough for every day, elegant enough for holidays, and perfect for meal prep!
Arugula Beet Salad is as colorful as it is delicious! Peppery arugula is paired with sweet golden beets, juicy orange, tart-sweet pomegranate and creamy goat cheese for one unforgettable sweet and savory salad!
This Asian Black Rice Salad is a delicious blend of forbidden rice, edamame, juicy orange, crunchy veggies and a flavorful ginger orange dressing. It’s an easy vegetarian main dish or meal prep lunch!
I can’t think of a better way to celebrate pomegranate season than with this Arugula Orange Pomegranate Salad! It’s vibrant, refreshing and includes a double dose of pomegranate with tart-sweet arils and a tangy pomegranate dressing. Learn how to deseed a pomegranate easily to make salad prep easier and more cost effective!
This Broccoli Kale Salad is winter’s answer to broccoli salad. It incorporates hardy kale for maximum nutrition, along with crisp apple, tart sweet dried cherries, red onion and a flavorful lemon poppy seed dressing. This crunchy, delicious salad is vegan and great for meal prep!
If you think Broccoli Slaw Salad is just for summer, think again! It pairs just as well with comfort food like roast chicken and bbq turkey meatloaf as it does with grilled burgers and grilled shrimp. This recipe has been a family favorite for years and is my most requested side dish!
Butter Lettuce Salad is a simple winter green salad recipe that is as versatile as it is delicious! Tender butter lettuce pairs beautifully with creamy avocado, crunchy, peppery radish, fresh chives and a tangy lemon dijon dressing. It’s vegan, easily customizable with your favorite ingredients and is clean eating at its best!
Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad is a hearty grain salad that’s the perfect way to utilize roasted butternut squash! It’s a perfect vegan main dish and makes a wonderful meal prep lunch as well. See my instructions on how to cut butternut squash to prep it in advance, or customize it with your favorite winter squash such as delicata squash or kabocha squash.
This Citrus Salad with Fennel and Avocado includes a colorful of array of citrus, crunchy fennel, creamy avocado and a sweet, tangy orange vinaigrette! It’s a show stopping winter salad with no greens, and it’s customizable with your favorite varieties of citrus, including blood oranges, mandarins, grapefruit, cara cara oranges and navel oranges!
Most people think of Classic Coleslaw as a summer side dish, but it’s equally as delicious in the winter as well! I especially love pairing it with air fryer hamburgers or bbq pulled chicken for game day!
Endive Salad Bites are crisp, refreshing and packed with sweet and savory flavor! They’re an easy yet elegant appetizer that’s perfect for dinner parties and holidays!
This Fall Harvest Salad is perfect for fall and winter! It’s packed with hardy kale, tender butternut squash, crisp apple, feta cheese and toasted pecans. It all comes together with a tangy apple cider vinegar dressing and it’s perfect for meal prep! It can be customized with your favorite winter squash or even roasted sweet potatoes.
This classic French carrot salad by The View From Great Island is a fresh, 2 ingredient salad tossed with lemon Dijon dressing for the most versatile side you’ll make all season!
This show stopping Holiday Salad is packed with hardy kale, juicy persimmon, tart sweet pomegranate, creamy goat cheese and crunchy pecans. It’s tossed in a tangy citrus maple dressing for a stunning addition to your holiday meal!
Italian Tricolore Salad is a delicious blend of arugula, radicchio, belgian endive and shaved parmesan cheese. It’s tossed in a tangy red wine vinaigrette and it’s so easy to make!
Kale and Brussels Sprouts Salad is a salad like no other! Ribbons of kale, crunchy shaved brussels sprouts, crisp apple, pomegranate and hazelnuts are tossed in a refreshing lemon vinaigrette. It’s easily customized with your favorite fruits and nuts or seeds, and it’s great for meal prep!
This Kale Apple Salad will be your new favorite fall salad recipe! It’s packed with nutrition, sweet and savory flavor and plenty of texture. It’s tossed in a sweet, tangy apple cider vinegar dressing and makes an elegant addition to any holiday meal!
Kale salad and coleslaw collide in this crunchy, addictive Kale Slaw! Ribbons of kale are combined with broccoli slaw, apples and sweet, tangy honey lime dressing. It’s gluten-free, vegan and great for meal prep!
Simple, delicious Kohlrabi Slaw with cilantro, jalapeño and lime by Feasting at Home. This refreshing salad is healthy, light and full of flavor. Vegan!
This Massaged Kale Salad is a game changer! You’ll learn how to massage kale quickly and easily with my step by step instructions, transforming it from tough and hardy to perfectly tender in 1-2 minutes! It’s a must for all of your kale salads.
Napa Cabbage Salad is crisp, crunchy and utterly addictive! This vegan salad is sweet, savory and tossed in an Asian dressing!
Pear Salad is crisp, fresh and is guaranteed to be a family favorite! It’s a delicious blend of juicy pears, chewy cranberries, feta cheese and almonds, and it’s tossed in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette. Sub with your favorite seasonal fruit!
If you’ve never tried persimmons, this Persimmon Salad is the perfect place to start! It’s a sweet and savory blend of baby spinach, sweet persimmon, creamy feta cheese, tart dried cranberries, crunchy almonds and a tangy apple cider dressing. It’s completely addictive and it’s great for any occasion!
Radicchio Salad with Avocado, Fennel and Orange is a winter salad bursting with sweet and savory flavor and tossed in a tangy citrus vinaigrette!
You can’t beat this Roasted Beet Salad! It’s packed with creamy goat cheese, juicy oranges and is tossed in a flavorful blood orange dressing. Prep a batch of my easy oven roasted beets to have on hand to make salad prep a breeze!
Salade Lyonnaise will transport you to a French bistro! This warm winter salad includes crisp frisée lettuce, crumbled bacon a tangy dijon dressing and is topped with a perfect poached egg. It’s an elegant salad that makes a great lunch or side for special occasions!
Creamy Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad is fresh, crunchy and utterly addictive! It’s tossed with savory bacon, crisp apple and creamy coleslaw dressing for one delicious side dish!
Wild Rice Salad is hearty, nutritious and tossed in an apple cider dressing! This is a versatile dish that works as a vegetarian main dish, holiday side dish or meal prep lunch!
Winter Fruit Salad is fresh, vibrant and tossed in a flavorful citrus poppy seed dressing. It’s a gluten-free, vegan recipe that’s great for brunch, snacks and pot lucks!
Vegan Coleslaw is crunchy and addictive with golden raisins, cashews and a delicious curry coleslaw dressing. It’s the perfect side dish for picnics and barbecues!
