Winter Salads That You’ll Love

Citrus, Beet and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons
Photo: Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv

Salads may not seem top-of-mind in winter, but we all appreciate something crisp and tart to balance winter stews and soups. As well, winter salads are a good opportunity to take advantage of seasonal produce like citrus, root vegetables, and pomegranates. Whether you're in need of a filling lunch or a hearty side dish, these winter salads will surely deliver. From a Puntarelle-Citrus Salad with Roasted Beets to Persimmons, Pomegranate, and Purslane with Pepitas, here is our list of our favorite bright seasonal salads. 

01 of 11

Puntarelle-Citrus Salad with Roasted Beets

Puntarelle Citrus Salad with Roasted Beets
Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Puntarelle stays bright and crisp in this salad, while beets bring a tender, earthy sweetness. Puntarelle is a specialty buy — check your local farmers market, or substitute another bitter chicory.

02 of 11

Salad of Pink Radicchio, Citrus, and Mushroom Bagna Cauda

Salad of Pink Radicchio, Citrus, and Mushroom Bagna-Cauda

Gentl & Hyers

In this recipe from Cooking with Mushrooms by Andrea Gentl, melted anchovies and porcini mushroom powder lend a savory depth to nutty brown butter bagna cauda, yielding a powerhouse sauce that's perfect for drizzling on a wintery salad. The sweetness of vibrant Cara Cara oranges mellows the bitter radicchio and adds a pop of color. While this salad is crispy and refreshing, the warmth of the buttery bagna cauda sauce slightly softens the crunchy radicchio leaves and combines with acidic sherry vinegar and orange juice for a balanced bite.

03 of 11

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt Sauce and Pomegranate

Cauliflower Salad with Yogurt Sauce and Pomegranate
Greg DuPree

The perfect salad starts with an entire head of cauliflower. Inspired by her mother’s (much richer) fried eggplant salad, Reem Kassis tops fried cauliflower with toasted nuts, pomegranate arils, and lemon-and-garlic-laced yogurt. 

04 of 11

Beets with Chicories, Yogurt, and Sherry Mustard Vinaigrette

Beets with Chicories, Yogurt and Sherry Mustard Vinaigrette
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn

Roasting beets with the skins intact is a trick chef Nancy Silverton picked up from the restaurant North Abraxas in Tel Aviv, and uses to great effect in this salad. Roasting the beets with the skins on means you get both the bright, colorful flesh and the crinkled papery skin. 

05 of 11

Shaved Beet and Carrot Salad With Citrus-Scallion Dressing

Shaved Beet and Carrot Salad with Citrus Scallion Dressing
Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver

Crisp arugula serves as the base for this bright, earthy salad. This gorgeous salad takes late-winter produce like thinly shaved beets, carrot ribbons, and rounds of juicy clementine and dresses them up for spring with a citrus-scallion vinaigrette so delicious, recipe creator Leah Koenig says, "I sneak it straight from a spoon." 

06 of 11

Citrus, Beet, and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons

Citrus, Beet and Arugula Salad with Halloumi Croutons
Photo by Dan Perez / Food Styling and Prop Styling by Nurit Kariv

Resplendent with mixed citrus and jewel-toned roasted beets, this peppery arugula salad becomes next-level courtesy of crispy halloumi croutons.

07 of 11

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Hazelnuts and Pomegranate

Brussels Sprout Slaw with Hazelnuts and Pomegranate
© Jonny Valiant

This delectable vegetable salad has tons of texture and flavor: crisp shredded brussels sprouts, crunchy hazelnuts, salty shaved cheese and bright, tangy pomegranate seeds. It can stand alone as a lunch, or is a nice accompaniment to grilled meats or fish.

08 of 11

Winter Salad with Avocado, Pomegranate, and Almonds

Winter Salad with Avocado, Pomegranate and Almonds

"Lettuce is one of my favorite foods — people laugh at me because of it," says Cathy Waterman, who created this salad. She combines lettuce with lemons that she preserves herself. With wintery produce like pomegranates in the mix, this salad is a must-make. 

09 of 11

Persimmons, Pomegranate, and Purslane with Pepitas

Persimmons, Pomegranate, and Purslane with Pepitas
Victor Protasio

Suzanne Goin, chef and partner at the famed Lucques in Los Angeles and a 1999 F&W Best New Chef, marked 20 years of business in 2018 with a dinner that celebrated her now-classic blend of French cuisine and California produce. Goin refers to this salad as “The 4 Ps” and says she thinks of it as a persimmon salad with an arugula garnish, rather than the other way around.

10 of 11

Pearled Barley Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds, and Pine Nuts

Pearled Barley Salad with Apples, Pomegranate Seeds and Pine Nuts
© Tina Rupp

Pearled barley cooked with onion and thyme is the base of this grain salad full of wonderful flavor and texture. Toasted pine nuts, tart apple, and deep red pomegranate seeds add crunch and color. Enjoy it in the late fall and winter when pomegranates are in season.

11 of 11

Roasted Beets and Carrots with Goat Cheese Dressing

Roasted Beets and Carrots with Goat Cheese Dressing
© Quentin Bacon

F&W's Grace Parisi makes a simple, creamy dressing by whisking fresh goat cheese with vinegar and oil; she tosses it with a salad of warm roasted beets and beet greens, which brings us to another good rule: Eat vegetables from root to leaf when possible.

Was this page helpful?
Related Articles