40 Winter Salads You'll Actually Want to Make and Eat

Winter is synonymous with comfort foods. Think spaghetti and meatballs, chili and brisket. And also salads. Wait—salads? Yes, you heard that right. They’re not just for summertime. When done right, salads can offer you just as much comfort on a cold winter’s day, as roast chicken and mashed potatoes.

In fact, TikToker Justine Doiron (who describes herself as a recipe developer, highly dedicated eater and overall carb queen) says that you should bake your salads to help winterize them. She swears it’s not odd to switch from raw to baked this time of year. She also explains that a warm salad is where everything in it is baked. It’s not just a roasted vegetable bowl. To her, fall and winter vegetables are yearning to be served warm and we happen to agree, which is why we've compiled this list of 40 best winter salads that include warm (and room temp) options). Time to eat your greens!

Related: 22 Easy Pasta Salad Recipes

What Are Winter Salads?

Winter salads are fresh and tasty, usually made with seasonal fruits and vegetables like carrots, turnips, cauliflower, beets, onions, cabbage, potatoes, broccoli and celery. In-season winter fruits include apples, grapefruit, bananas, kiwi and pears.

Why Should I Eat Seasonal Produce?

It’s smart to go for seasonal produce because it’s full of more nutrients, fresher and cheaper than when you eat fruits out of season. (I’m talking about paying $7.99 for a box of strawberries that taste anything but fresh in the dead of winter.)

How Do You Eat Salad in the Winter?

The leafy greens of your salad should be a leaf that can be warmed like spinach, kale or veggies. Stick with in-season vegetables like tomatoes, onions and carrots. Then add some protein like chicken, fish, beans or eggs. Choose carbs like potatoes and quinoa, then top with fats like nuts, avocados and seeds.

What Are the 5 Basic Salads?

Salads fall into five main categories: green salads, vegetable salads, salads of pasta, legumes or grains, mixed salads with meat, poultry or seafood and fruit salads.

Good Winter Salad Fixings

The sky's the limit when it comes to salad toppers. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Eggs: hardboiled, poached

• Seeds: sunflower, sesame

• Seafood: tuna, salmon, shrimp)

• Meat: steak, pork

• Dried fruit: cranberries, cherries, raisins

Related: 22 Best Cold Summer Salads

40 Best Winter Salads

Winter Chicory Salad with Oranges, Pomegranates and Creole Mustard Vinaigrette

If you can’t find blood oranges, try another variety, such as Cara Cara or regular navel oranges.

Get the recipe: Winter Chicory Salad with Blood Oranges, Pomegranates and Creole Mustard Vinaigrette

Warm Kale Salad

Vitamin C-rich kale and beta carotene-packed butternut are the stars of this winter salad that has bits of bacon to add smoky flavor without driving up fat and calories.

Get the recipe: Warm Kale Salad

Kale Bacon Salad with Candied Walnuts

This salad is simple to put together. You can even make it hours in advance.

Get the recipe: Kale Bacon Salad with Candied Walnuts

ABC Winter Salad

This basic slaw of grated raw apples, beets and carrots is a bright delight on the darkest days of the year. The citrus and ginger make it so refreshing, you’ll find yourself craving it in summer, too.

Get the recipe: ABC Winter Salad

Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad

If you don’t love arugula, use kale. Just make sure to massage the kale with some olive oil and salt before tossing it up in the salad.

Get the recipe: Harvest Honeycrisp Apple and Feta Salad

Citrus Strawberry and Avocado Salad

Filled with seasonal oranges, avocado slices and strawberries, the salad is topped with tangy goat cheese and a drizzle of sweet and savory poppy seed dressing. It boasts flavor, color and texture in every bite.

Get the recipe: Citrus Strawberry and Avocado Salad

Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette

Combine quinoa, kale, delicata squash, chickpeas, apples, parmesan cheese and pumpkin seeds to enjoy a salad inspired by the flavors of the season.

Get the recipe: Harvest Salad with Pumpkin Vinaigrette

Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad

This warm salad is comforting, but we promise it's still light and fresh like a salad should be.

Get the recipe: Roasted Vegetable Winter Salad

Related: 22 Best Roasted Veggies Ever for Easy Dinners

Warm Honey Mustard Salad

Doiron says this salad is an ideal set-it-and-forget-it recipe. Plus, it’s an affordable and easy lunch, especially if you’re working from home and want a healthy meal in between Zoom meetings.

Get the recipe: Warm Honey Mustard Salad

Baked Cabbage Salad

This baked cabbage salad boasts Doiron’s two favorite vegetables, savoy cabbage and delicata squash. Both are thinly sliced, making them an ideal texture for a baked salad.

Get the recipe: Baked Cabbage Salad

Citrus Cabbage Salad

This napa cabbage salad showcases colorful winter produce. It’s sweet and tangy with plenty of veggie crunch.

Get the recipe: Citrus Cabbage Salad

Winter Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette

This salad is overflowing with winter produce. Mix things up with different nuts and cheeses.

Get the recipe: Winter Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette

Warm Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

This salad features sautéed kale and balsamic dressing. It's a perfect lunch or dinner recipe for any night of the week.

Get the recipe: Warm Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad

This salad is made even better by warming it up. Cooked quinoa is tossed with kale, carrots and bell peppers in a hot skillet here.

Get the recipe: Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad

Winter Salad with Roasted Vegetables

Take your salad up a notch with roasted veggies! Then try using the optional pomegranate seeds and pecans for toppings.

Get the recipe: Winter Salad with Roasted Vegetables 

Related: 30 Best Tortellini Pasta Salads

Warm Winter Salad with Vegetables

This recipe combines both cooked and raw veggies to give it even more textures and flavors. Adding seeds makes this salad even more special.

Get the recipe: Warm Winter Salad with Vegetables

Warm Winter Salad with Rice and Tahini Sauce

Make a big batch of this salad and eat it for days. It's coated in a rich and creamy cilantro tahini dressing.

Get the recipe: Warm Winter Salad with Rice and Tahini Sauce 

Winter Salad with Pears, Pomegranates and Walnuts

This salad is made with some of winter’s stars like pomegranates, pears and oranges. They're piled on a bed of fresh greens and topped with walnuts, feta and dressing.

Get the recipe: Winter Salad with Pears, Pomegranates and Walnuts

Butternut Squash Salad

Here, squash pairs with apple, cranberries and a dressing. All the best flavors of winter ingredients work in harmony.

Get the recipe: Butternut Squash Salad

Winter Salad with Tangy Homemade Vinaigrette

This salad is full of rich, earthy textures and flavors. A tangy homemade vinaigrette adds a tart finish.

Get the recipe: Winter Salad with Tangy Homemade Vinaigrette

French Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

This recipe is made with French green lentils. They are ideal for salads because they hold their shape when cooked.

Get the recipe: French Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Chicken Caesar Salad

This salad certainly isn't typical, but that's just what you need in the winter.

Get the recipe: Buffalo Ranch Pretzel Chicken Caesar Salad

Warm Kale Salad

Eat this as a side dish or main meal. This simple recipe has Parmesan and red pepper flakes, plus leafy kale.

Get the recipe: Warm Kale Salad

Warm Kale Salad with Butternut Squash

Here, you'll massage the dressing directly into the salad. Swap butternut squash for sweet potato if that's all you have on hand.

Get the recipe: Warm Kale Salad with Butternut Squash

Layered Taco Salad

This layered taco salad couldn’t be easier to make. The heat is supplied by a layer of chili and the spice by chili peppers or salsa.

Get the recipe: Layered Taco Salad

Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts

This healthy salad is tossed in a maple balsamic dressing and includes roasted beets, maple candied walnuts and goat cheese. If you make it for friends, they'll definitely ask for the recipe.

Get the recipe: Roasted Beet and Kale Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts

Winter Citrus and Pomegranate Fruit Salad

These fruits are soaked in their own juices. That creates a syrup that you’ll want to drink from the bowl. Enjoy it for breakfast, brunch or dessert.

Get the recipe: Winter Citrus and Pomegranate Fruit Salad

Lentil and Pancetta Warm Salad

Lentils offer a great source of fiber and B vitamins. Plus, they absorb flavors well, especially salty pancetta juices.

Get the recipe: Lentil and Pancetta Warm Salad

Warm Winter Sheet Pan Salad

This entree salad is made on a sheet pan. It boasts roasted cauliflower, carrots, fennel and chickpeas, plus it's vegan, gluten-free and low-carb.

Get the recipe: Warm Winter Sheet Pan Salad

Get the recipe: Warm Winter Vegetable Salad

Warm Winter Vegetable Salad

Use whatever root vegetables you can find here. Options include carrots, potatoes, beets, turnips, parsnips and sweet potatoes.

Get the recipe here

Best Winter Salad

Make this salad in advance or get it on the table in 30 minutes. All you have to do is roast, whisk, toast and serve.

Get the recipe: Best Winter Salad

Warm Salad with Creamy Dressing

This recipe has a 3-step process: oven-bake the vegetables, whisk together the salad dressing and toss it together. All that takes less than 30 minutes.

Get the recipe: Warm Salad with Creamy Dressing

Hot Skillet Salad

Enjoy a salad and a stir-fry at the same time. Leafy greens kale and bokchoy are steam-fried along with cabbage and carrots in this oil-free kale salad.

Get the recipe: Hot Skillet Salad

Related: 34 Best Kale Recipes

Warm Balsamic Kale Salad

Feel free to make the salad your own. The recipe creator suggests fresh basil, dried cherries, feta or brown rice.

Get the recipe: Warm Balsamic Kale Salad

Winter Salad with Kale and Pomegranate

The flavors and colors here can sit proudly alongside even the most cheesy of potato dishes. It's sure not to be overlooked.

Get the recipe: Winter Salad with Kale and Pomegranate

Roasted Broccoli Salad with Feta, Barley and Pomegranate

Roasted broccoli is something special. The florets become tender and the edges that touch the pan caramelize and become crispy.

Get the recipe: Roasted Broccoli Salad with Feta, Barley and Pomegranate

Warm and Roasted Winter Salad Bowl

Enjoy a warm bowl of comfort on even the coldest winter day.

Get the recipe: Warm and Roasted Winter Salad Bowl

Roasted Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Pecans

You'll be coming back for more. This salad is loaded with bacon, pecans, red onion and a sweet dressing.

Get the recipe: Roasted Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Pecans

Lemon Parmesan Quinoa Salad

This easy-to-make salad is warm and filling. Serve it as a side, or add a protein for a quick and easy dinner idea.

Get the recipe: Lemon Parmesan Quinoa Salad

Pretzel Panzanella Salad

A Panzanella salad has stale bread mixed with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and other veggies. It's tossed in a vinaigrette dressing and the vegetables and bread soak up the dressing.

Get the recipe: Pretzel Panzanella Salad

Up next: 30 Best Summer Salad Recipes and Easy Ideas