Even though I tend to crave hearty soups and stews during the winter months, sometimes it’s nice to serve something a little lighter for dinner. Since winter also marks the holiday season, I also tend to overindulge in sweet treats a little more often than usual. These easy salad recipes are just what I need to get back on track. From a filling kale salad with Brussels sprouts to one with grilled chicken and butternut squash, these simple dishes are a great way to make the most of the season! Let’s get salad making!
1. Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Candied Walnuts
The flavors in this salad can’t be “beet!” The kale has that nutty, earthy taste, and coupled with the sweetness from the walnuts and beets, it’s the perfect contrast. Oh, and let’s not forget the goat cheese! It gives this salad such a creamy, lovely texture that melts in your mouth. Mmm!
2. Salad with Goat Cheese, Pears, Candied Pecans, and Maple-Balsamic Dressing
This salad is reminiscent of the first one, however, since the recipe calls for mixed greens, it has a slightly less bitter taste than kale. If you’re a fan of apples in salads, you’ll love switching things up with pears for a change. But the real star of the show in this dish is the maple-balsamic dressing. Trust me, you’ll want to put it on everything!
3. Apple Salad with Raisins and Walnuts
Between the crunch from the walnuts and the sweetness of the apples and raisins, you’ll get an explosion of flavors in your mouth with this recipe! I love serving this for dinner with some leftover chicken breast on top, or as a side dish paired with a delicious roast.
4. Kale Salad with Fresh Lemon Dressing
Just thinking about taking a bite of this salad makes me feel healthier! This is a favorite of mine to help combat the after-effects of eating too many goodies on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since the dressing is made with fresh lemon juice, it’s great for detoxing the body. It also provides such a nice contrast to the bitterness of the kale. I like to make a big batch of this dressing so that I can top different salads with it all week long!
5. Simple Green Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
This is another salad that light and easy on the waistline. I’ll either have it for lunch, or I’ve made this often as a side dish to go along with a heavier main course, like pasta or casserole. Since it isn’t loaded with toppings, it shouldn’t be too hard to get the kids to eat it, too.
6. Mixed Baby Greens with Pomegranate, Gorgonzola, and Pecans
If you’ve never had pomegranate in a salad before, boy, are you missing out! I’m telling you, the seeds give a crunch and burst of flavor that you just can’t get with anything else. If you’re a fan of dried cranberries in a salad, give pomegranate a try for a change. You’ll be sold after the first bite!
7. Kale Salad with Apple, Cranberries, and Pecans
This one is a certified crowd-pleaser, even for the pickiest of eaters. Since not everyone is a huge fan of kale, the sweetness from the apple and cranberries in this dish masks the flavor of the sometimes bitter greens. The pecans add a much-needed crunch, for a salad that’s so filling, it eats like a meal.
8. Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Parmesan & Lemon-Mustard Dressing
Hands down, this is one of my absolute favorite winter salads. In fact, I love it so much that I make it all-year-round! Brussels sprouts and salad go together, well, as vegetables and salad should. And if the parmesan isn’t enough to take the flavor over the top, the lemon-mustard dressing is the icing on the cake. It ties the whole thing together perfectly.
9. Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Lemon Dressing
Sweet potatoes in a salad? Yes, indeed! You won’t believe how good they are on top of a bed of arugula. The sweetness from the potatoes is the perfect complement to the peppery greens. Add goat’s cheese or feta on top, and if you really want to make this salad indulgent, add some bacon crumbles as well!
10. Greek Kale Salad with Lemon Olive Oil Dressing
It doesn’t matter where I’m dining out. If there’s a Greek salad on the menu, I’ll always order it. This recipe offers a nice switch from the traditional romaine by using kale instead. You’ll still get all of those wonderful Mediterranean flavors, but with an extra kick!
11. Apple Fennel Salad
I know, I know — fennel has a slightly licorice flavor. But hear me out on this one! It’s topped with walnuts and celery, and the thinly-sliced apples are so tart and refreshing. This recipe works well as a light lunch or even as a larger dish to take to a family gathering.
12. Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Salad
If you could package all the flavors of fall into one dish, this butternut squash and apple salad would be the result. It’s satisfying, healthy, and it’s even better served alongside roast turkey. Have Thanksgiving dinner any time of year with this scrumptious salad.
13. Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Creamy Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Cauliflower is being used as a substitute for everything from rice to pizza dough to mashed potatoes these days, so it’s about time we appreciated it in its more natural form. Roasting brings such a warm, earthy flavor to the vegetable, while the honey mustard dressing gives this salad a pinch of sweetness. It’s to die for!
14. Warm German Potato Salad
Yes, you read that right. This potato salad is served warm instead of cold! German potato salad is a nice change from traditional potato salad, in that it doesn’t have a mayonnaise base. Made with a bacon vinaigrette instead, you may never go back to American potato salad again after trying this recipe.
15. Winter Citrus and Pomegranate Fruit Salad
The oranges and grapefruit in this dish will make you feel like you’re on a tropical island, even if it’s below freezing outside! The pomegranate adds a healthy dose of antioxidants, plus a nice crunch, too! Make this salad for a pick-me-up when you’re feeling blue and need a dose of sunshine.
16. Crunchy Romaine Salad with Quinoa
If you haven’t hopped on the quinoa bandwagon just yet, now’s a perfect time. It’s a healthier alternative to rice, plus, it adds some protein if you’re avoiding meat. And this salad doesn’t have “crunchy” in the title for nothing. The texture is fantastic!
17. Lemon Herb Mediterranean Chicken Salad
Take a culinary trip to Greece with this divine lemon-herb Meditteranean chicken salad. If it’s too cold to grill the chicken outside, you can always use an indoor grill or grill pan on the stovetop. Combined with the veggies and creamy avocado, this salad is as good as it gets! It’s great for lunch, dinner, or anytime you’re craving something delicious.
18. Quinoa Salad With Roasted Squash, Dried Cranberries, and Pecans
Here’s another salad that makes quinoa the star of the show! This one is a bit heartier than the last since it includes roasted squash. It’s a satisfying meal for sure. The dried cranberries and pecans bring the perfect mix of salty and sweet. This one is sure to be a hit with the entire family!
19. Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese
Beets and goat cheese are a combo that can’t be topped. This salad comes together so quickly, but given the myriad of textures and flavors, it feels like a gourmet meal. I love having this as a side with grilled or baked fish, or even a nice piece of salmon.
20. Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries and Feta
This recipe had me at “feta,” but the butternut squash takes it to a whole other level! The warm color makes it even more gorgeous, and then the cranberries are the finishing touch. Here’s a tip: buy block feta and cut it yourself instead of using crumbles. It tastes so much better!
21. Winter Salad Bowl
This roasted winter salad bowl is hearty, healthy, and will make everyone so happy! It has potatoes, green beans, and quinoa, so it’s actually much more filling than your average salad. This is really more like a burrito bowl than a plate full of greens, but it’s still just as nutritious. Make extra of this one because you’ll want to have it for lunch the next day.
22. Grilled Chicken and Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Tahini Dressing
Here’s another Mediterranean-inspired dish that everyone will gobble up. By far, the best part of this whole salad is the homemade tahini dressing. But the savory flavor of the chicken combined with the sweetness of the squash is worth mentioning, too! Oh, and how about the toasted pine nuts on top? Perfection!
23. Beet, Carrot, and Pomegranate Seed Salad
In case you haven’t guessed, I have a thing for beets and pomegranates this time of year. It’s almost like they bring a warming element, even if the salad isn’t served warm. The carrots in this dish add a good bit of crunch, plus a subtle hint of sweetness. I make this all the time!
24. Sweet Crunch Winter Salad
Made with broccoli, cabbage, carrots, onions, and a maple tahini dressing, this is really like a cross between slaw and salad. It’s another one of my go-to recipes when I want to start eating healthier but don’t want to sacrifice taste or satisfaction. There’s something about all that crunch that makes me feel like I’m having something sinful! Try this recipe ASAP. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
25. Broccoli Bacon Salad
If you think that broccoli and bacon don’t work well together, you’re mistaken! If nothing else, this recipe proves that everything truly does taste better with bacon. Plus, since you’re eating broccoli, you can at least feel like you’re indulging in a healthy sort of way, right? That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
26. Apple Pecan Feta Spinach Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette
I know I’m talking about winter salads today, but honestly, this one really screams “fall,” too. Apples. Pecans. Maple Cider Vinaigrette. If that doesn’t make you want to take a picnic to a pumpkin patch, I don’t know what will. Of course, I can’t hold back from mentioning the feta. Like bacon, it makes anything and everything 100 times better! Click on a star to rate it!
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