Yahoo Lifestyle Here Are Thanksgiving Salads You’ll Actually Want to Eat
They say the hardest decision is often choosing sides—and when it comes to Thanksgiving, I have to agree! But all too often, there's one side that's easy to skip: the salad.
I mean, when you've got creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, sweet cranberry relish, and tender turkey all piled up next to each other, why make room for a semi-wilted pile of out-of-season greens with a barely red tomato on top?
This year, let's take our salad-making as seriously as we take the rest of the Thanksgiving menu. Let's use in-season greens (oh, hello kale, radiccio, and Brussels sprouts). Let's fill it out with flavorful seasonal veggies. Let's add some necessary crunchiness to those plates, and a dressing that helps cut through all those other rich foods.
In short, let's make some salad that people will want to eat!
Here, we've assembled nearly three dozen ideas for Thanksgiving salads that are sure to go with any Thanksgiving menu, whether you're hosting the feast yourself or attending a Friendsgiving potluck.
More Great Stories and Recipes:
Harvest Salad with Pickled Pomegranate Seeds
Sweet, crunchy apple, creamy crumbled goat cheese, a tangy cider vinaigrette, rich roasted squash. And to top it all off? Quick-pickled pomegranate seeds.
You can pickle them in just about the time it takes to make the rest of the salad, and the result takes this salad from good to give-me-that-recipe great.
Get the recipe for Harvest Salad with Pickled Pomegranate Seeds.
Pecan, Kale, and Parmesan Salad
Here, hearty kale is gently bruised with oil to make it soft, then covered in an absolutely delightful dressing of maple syrup, apple vinegar, mustard, and bacon. Topped with crunchy pecans, creamy avocado, and peppery radishes, it'll practically upstage the main dish!
Get the recipe for Pecan, Kale, and Parmesan Salad.
Radicchio Pumpkin Salad with Tahini Dressing
Want a salad that's hearty enough to hold its own among the stuffing, sweet potatoes, and other sides? This is the one.
Get the recipe for Radicchio Pumpkin Salad with Tahini Dressing.
Roasted Fennel-and-Beet Salad
The real secret to this lick-your-fork salad is the vanilla-honey-citrus vinaigrette. Trust us: This dish is no Thanksgiving plate-filler!
Get the recipe for Roasted Fennel-and-Beet Salad.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Warm Apple Cider Dressing
Skip the roasted sprouts side this year, and serve 'em up as a salad instead. Trust us: One bit of this tangy, richy, cider-and-bacon laced dish and the family won't let you make them any other way.
Get the recipe for Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad.
Leek, Mushroom, and Escarole Salad
Calling all mushroom lovers! Your favorite mix, liberally drizzled in a delicious vinaigrette, is the reason to make this.
Get the recipe for Leek, Mushroom, and Escarole Salad.
Escarole Salad with Oranges, Pistachios, and Pickled Onions
We can't get over how well-balanced this wintry citrus salad is, with sweet slices of fruit, tart pickled onions, and earthy nuts topping the mildly bitter greens.
Get the recipe for Escarole Salad with Oranges, Pistachios, and Pickled Onions.
Roasted Pear, Sweet Potato, and Radicchio Salad
Here's a salad that'll stand up to all the other sides on your plate. Crunchy seeds and rich blue cheese make this a real flavorful addition.
Get the recipe for Roasted Pear, Sweet Potato, and Radicchio Salad.
The Casa Wedge Salad
Want to make salad it's own course at the Thanksgiving feast? A wedge salad is a classic choice. We love this version, which has a kicky Creamy Avocado Dressing.
Get the recipe for The Casa Wedge Salad.
Big Green Winter Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Come holiday time it's easy to get focused on the main dishes and heavier sides—your turkey, your stuffing, your casseroles—and forget about the salad. With sweet golden beets, lightly toasted pine nuts, and a kicky vinaigrette all on a bed of hearty kale, this recipe is here to change all that.
Get the recipe for Big Green Winter Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.
Thanksgiving Kale Salad with Cranberries and Quinoa
This beauty takes a little work, but you can make most of the elements a few days—or even a week—ahead. And the "oohs" and "ahhs" you'll get from the table will be worth it.
Get the recipe for Kale Salad with Cranberries and Quinoa.
Acorn Squash Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette
Fun fact: Salad doesn't necessarily mean raw.
Case in point: This rustic roasted squash sensation, peppered with baby kale and drizzled with a dip-worthy dressing.
Get the recipe for Acorn Squash Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette.
Winter Citrus Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
Three kinds of citrus give this crunchy salad a ton of fun flavors!
Get the recipe for Winter Citrus Salad.
Simple Green Salad
Some Feta and mild green olives give this light side salad a lot of oomph. Get the freshest greens you can find and dress them simply in lemon and oil.
Get the recipe for Simple Green Salad.
Winter Greens Salad
Rosemary-Parm croutons, a citrus-maple dressing, and all our favorite winter greens—kale, chard, collards—give this salad enough heft that it'll easily hold its own with the turkey and mashed potatoes.
Get the recipe for Winter Greens Salad.
Southwest Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
Looking for a way to add cornbread to the table? This'll do it.
Get the recipe for Southwest Salad.
Grilled Mushroom Panzanella with Tomato Vinaigrette
Bread salad with a variety of toasty mushrooms—make this a part of your grilled Thanksgiving menu.
Get the recipe for Grilled Mushroom Panzanella.
Bibb Salad with Pickled Onion, Fennel, and Plums
Here's a light side salad that's nevertheless long on flavor.
Get the recipe for Bibb Salad with Pickled Onion.
Grilled Corn Salad with Feta, Walnuts, and Shallot
Corn is a Thanksgiving staple, but that doesn't mean that it has to be on the cob!
Get the recipe for Grilled Corn Salad.
Grape Salad
Brown sugar and toasted pecans give this fruity salad some extra flavor and crunch.
Get the recipe for Grape Salad.
Chopped Salad
The purpose of a Thanksgiving salad is to give your guests a break from the heavier fare on the table. That's why we love the idea of dressing yours with a simple, tangy red wine vinaigrette, loading it with crunchy Persian cucumbers, and topping it all off with a smattering of local parsley, basil, and fennel.
Get the recipe for Chopped Salad.
Composed Waldorf Salad
Add color into your family's Thanksgiving dinner with this refined version of the classic Waldorf salad.
Get the recipe for Composed Waldorf Salad.
Crispy Brussels Sprouts Salad with Citrus-Maple Vinaigrette
This may be the ultimate Thanksgiving salad. Crispy roasted sprouts combine with mixed lettuce, crunchy apples, toasted almonds, and nutty asiago cheese, all topped with a sweet vinaigrette. Trust us, the bowl will quickly get emptied.
Get the recipe for Crispy Brussels Sprouts Salad.
Roasted Mushrooms and Radicchio
For those who enjoy bold flavors, this mix of bitter radicchio tamed with earthy mushrooms and a sweet balsamic dressing is the perfect celebration.
Get the recipe for Roasted Mushrooms and Radicchio.
Winter Chopped Salad
We're pretty sure there isn't a more appropriate salad to place on your fall menu than one that's packed with cold-weather vegetables. This one features beets, cauliflower, cucumber, and more.
Get the recipe for Winter Chopped Salad.
Sweet Potato-and-Cauliflower Salad
Searching for a new way to serve sweet potatoes during Thanksgiving dinner? Look no further than this salad that pairs the root vegetable with cauliflower.
Get the recipe for Sweet Potato-and-Cauliflower Salad.
Honey-Drizzled Citrus Salad with Pistachio-Poppy Seed Granola
This gorgeous fruit salad will bring a bright pop of color to the table, as well as offering some tart flavors to help counter the starchier sides.
Get the recipe for Honey-Drizzled Citrus Salad.
Corn Salad with Bacon and Honey
You'll be amazed how great this salad tastes with only six ingredients and 30 minutes of prep time.
Get the recipe for Corn Salad with Bacon and Honey.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Chopped apple, hazelnuts, and Pecorino cheese...plus Brussels sprouts? Sign us up!
Get the recipe for Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad.
Apple-Walnut Spinach Salad
This classic fall salad would fit with any Thanksgiving feast. Apples, walnuts, and a maple vinaigrette make it extra yummy.
Get the recipe for Apple-Walnut Spinach Salad.
Green Salad with Roasted Carrots and Creamy Tarragon Dressing
Complemented by fresh tarragon and crisp butter lettuce, there's no doubt that these roasted carrots will be a real crowd-pleaser.
Get the recipe for Green Salad with Roasted Carrots.
Tossed Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
Of course, one of the best salads is the most classic: Tomatoes, herbs, lettuce, and cucumber in a tangy homemade dressing.
Get the recipe for Tossed Salad with Green Goddess Dressing.
Marinated Mushroom-and-Charred Broccolini Salad
Marinated and grilled, this hot-salad assembly of veggies will help you feel better about digging into all those Thanksgiving sweets after dinner.
Get the recipe for Marinated Mushroom-and-Charred Broccolini Salad.
Farro-and-Acorn Squash Salad
Though we love this picnic-ready grain salad for warm weekends outdoors, it's also hearty and delicious as a make-ahead Thanksgiving salad
Get the recipe for Farro-and-Acorn Squash Salad.
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