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.
Winter salad hummus bowls topped with seedy power sprinkle in two bowls.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell

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 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 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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  • Photo by Ed Anderson
    17/37

    Apple and Kohlrabi Coleslaw

    You might think of slaw as a barbecue side dish, but it's the perfect sort of salad for pairing with any of your favorite winter dishes, especially braises or stews.

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  • Photo by Kevin J. Miyazaki
    18/37

    Maui Kale Salad With Sweet Onion Dressing

    With a simple sweet onion dressing, roasted peanuts, and crunchy potato chips, this salad is an easy favorite. As the salad sits, it becomes even more flavorful.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Andy Baraghani
    19/37

    Marinated Beans with Celery and Ricotta Salata

    Don't forget about bean salads! This side dish is so fast and easy, you can make a big batch and have it for the whole week. It starts with a simple marinade that will fancy up any type of canned beans, and it's a great dish to have around for easy lunches, too.

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  • Photo by Christopher Testani
    20/37

    Herby Barley Salad With Butter-Basted Mushrooms

    Any chewy grain, such as wheat berries, farro, or even brown rice, can replace the barley in this hearty grain salad.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    21/37

    Beet Salad With Pickled Mushrooms and Caramelized Shallots

    Sweet beets love tangy pickled mushrooms in this Ukrainian salad. This is also a great make-ahead salad for busy weeks.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    22/37

    Radicchio Salad with Sour Cream Ranch

    Looking to try new bitter greens? Pale yellowish-white Castelfranco radicchio is usually tender and mild, but Chioggia (round) or Treviso (spear-shaped) varieties also work in this recipe.

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  • Photo by Peden + Munk
    23/37

    Fennel and Celery Root Salad

    Yes, it's absolutely worth it to get a mandoline so that you can make sophisticated shaved-vegetable salads like this one.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Laura Rege
    24/37

    Crispy Scallop Salad

    This seafood dinner is the ideal combination of fresh and comforting, bringing together creamy avocado, crisp bitter lettuces, and sweet scallops double-dredged in an Old Bay–seasoned cornmeal mixture.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
    25/37

    Sheet-Pan Roasted Squash and Feta Salad

    Just because it's a salad doesn't mean it has to be cold. In this recipe, creamy feta and bread get roasted alongside winter squash, then tossed with pleasantly bitter greens for a salad that’s equal parts warm and cool, soft and crunchy, and sweet and savory.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
    26/37

    Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

    If you're as desperate as we are for something green, Tuscan kale and shredded brussels sprouts are here for you. Almonds and pecorino add richness to this big bowl of veg.

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  • Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
    31/37

    Pan-Roasted Salmon With Grapefruit-Cabbage Slaw

    This dish can help generate a little sunny feeling in the darkest days of winter. Make the most of citrus season by pairing supremed grapefruit with avocado, thinly sliced Savoy cabbage, fresh cilantro, and a quickly cooked fillet of salmon.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Grace Parisi
    32/37

    Italian Kale Caesar Salad

    You'll make more dressing than you need for one batch of salad with this recipe, but that's a good thing.

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  • Hirsheimer & Hamilton
    33/37

    Collard Green and Radish Slaw with Crispy Shallots

    One of the secrets to making great winter salads is taking some ingredients that you might usually cook and leaving them raw. Collard greens are a great example—and this recipe is a delicious place to start.

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  • Gentl & Hyers
    34/37

    Wilted Escarole Salad

    Escarole is a go-to winter green because it stands up well, retaining its crunchy personality. Dressing it with a warm dressing softens and sweetens it just a bit.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Mariana Velasquez
    37/37

    Warm Winter Vegetable Salad With Halloumi

    One bowl and one baking sheet is all you need to achieve sweet, creamy squash, crispy pita chips, and chewy, charred cheese. Fresh mint and a splash of vinegar perk up the final dish. It's one of those winter salads that truly makes a great dinner all on its own.

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