What to Cook This Weekend

37 Winter Salads That Actually Make Sense for the Coldest Months

Tired of beans? Tired of soup? It’s time for the freshest, brightest winter salads you can imagine.

January 7, 2022

Winter salad hummus bowls topped with seedy power sprinkle in two bowls.

We love a cozy plate of pasta or a soothing braise, but at a certain point each year we need winter salads. Something crisp. Something crunchy. A big pile of green vegetables, with snappy texture and vibrant flavor. Below you’ll find our favorite winter salad recipes, including hearty main-dish salads, crisp, refreshing slaws, citrus salads, and fortifying ways to enjoy kale, radicchio, endives, escarole, and lots of winter root veg—plus ways to eat staples like broccoli and cauliflower without roasting them every single night. Check out the list to stay inspired at least until asparagus season arrives.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
1/37
Endive, Romaine, and Orange Salad for Two
Winter salads lend themselves to stunning plating: serve this vibrant combo of bitter greens, citrus, and gouda on a big platter to share.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
2/37
Dinner Salad With Radicchio and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Hard-boiled eggs, roasted sweet potatoes, and a creamy cashew dressing make this salad recipe a full meal, not a sidekick.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
3/37
Winter Salad Hummus Bowls
Kale and brussels sprouts get massaged in a sweet-and-tangy dressing, then served over hummus and topped with savory granola. It's just the kind of winter dinner that makes sense: hearty, satisfying, crunchy, easy, and quick.
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Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
4/37
Ice Water Salad
If you're really looking for the crunchiest salad, find some fennel, radishes, turnips, beets, and/or carrots, then slice them thin on a mandoline. Soak 'em in ice water for at least 15 minutes or up to 6 hours for an extra-refreshing dish.
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Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
5/37
Broccoli Caesar
Sometimes, when you can't find great salad greens, the best move is to think beyond the leaf. This broccoli version just might replace your standard Caesar salad recipe.
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Photo by Alex Lau
6/37
Citrus and Avocado Salad with Orange Water
Citrus is one of winter's brightest spots. Mix together tangerines, grapefruits, blood orange, and any other citrus you can find in this sunny salad.
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Christopher Testani
7/37
Hearty Greens With Kumquats
Speaking of citrus, don't pass up kumquats if you see them. Slice them—rind and all—into this salad, and just feel the vitamin C rushing into your system.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
8/37
Salad Pasta
Sometimes you want salad and you want pasta–why not have both in one dish? Here, a whole salad’s worth of greens are folded into pasta to make a complete dinner in one bowl. The chickpea pasta adds a little protein, and the garlicky anchovy sauce complements it especially well.
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Photo by Alex Lau
9/37
Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Charred Scallion Dressing
Charred scallions add smoky depth to the creamy, double-acid (lemon and rice vinegar) dressing that pulls this salad of store-bought chicken, Bibb lettuce, avocados, and radishes together.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
10/37
Simplest Kale Salad
Memorize the recipe for this classic, cheesy kale salad and make it your go-to side for any family dinner.
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Photo by Benito Martin and Jess Johnson
11/37
Iceberg With Dried Oregano Dressing and Creamy Sheep’s Milk Cheese
There is something really good about crunchy lettuce and a bright shallot dressing filled with the flavor of dried oregano completed by creamy feta.
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Austin Bush
12/37
Het Paa Naam Tok (Isaan-style Forest Mushroom Salad)
Mushrooms are everywhere in Thailand, and echo the texture and even the umami-rich flavor of the meat that's frequently used in this Isaan-inspired salad. The flavor profile is spicy, tart, aromatic, salty, and umami-rich: everything you need right now.
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Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
13/37
Antipasto Salad
The star of this salad is the long sweet pepper. Look for long sweet yellow, sweet banana, Hungarian Sweet, or Cubanelle peppers. Or, if you don't have any luck finding those, you can substitute two medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (don’t use the green ones).
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Photo by Luisa Brimble
14/37
Deconstructed Falafel Salad
Get all the flavors of falafel with crispy roasted chickpeas, crunchy crouton-like pita chips, crisp cucumber, and a lemon-tahini dressing.
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