These 13 Winter Salad Recipes Show Off In-Season Produce

A trip to the Mediterranean sounds pretty refreshing! This hearty winter salad recipe will almost make that possible, right from the comfort of your own kitchen. Spread hummus on each plate, pile on a mountain of cold-weather greens, then garnish with a simple red wine vinaigrette and toasty chickpea falafel patties. (We suggest heating up store-bought for a fast fix, but if you want to DIY, try our Weeknight Falafel.)

Related: Bonus Healthy Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Escarole and radicchio are two winter greens that pack a lot of flavor per calorie. That duo acts as a beautiful base for this winter fruit salad that includes mildly sweet fuyu persimmon, salty Manchego cheese, and nutty toasted walnuts. Drizzle on the DIY apple cider vinaigrette and the side dish salad is ready to serve.

Test Kitchen Tip: Top with roasted chickpeas to make this a main dish.

Change up your salad game with a grain salad instead of one based around leafy greens. Nutty farro, a fiber-loaded ancient grain, might just steal the spotlight from bacon in this winter farro salad. Yes, really! Complemented with sweet-tart apples and crisp cabbage, the whole grain might just become your new favorite carb. (Although we think it’s nearly impossible to pick just one!)

This showy steak salad has earned five stars from BH&G fans, and while it looks a bit summery, you can absolutely make this meal any day of the year. Simply use a grill pan for the steak and skewered tomatoes and onions to make the winter salad indoors. Grab whatever greens look freshest at the supermarket to use as a bed for the tender, juicy beef and creamy homemade horseradish dressing.

Buy It: Scanpan Grill Pan, $99.96, Sur la Table

You need just seven ingredients to mix up this spinach, apple, and egg salad. Whether you enjoy it for breakfast or dinner, this nutritionally well-balanced warm winter salad doesn't require any additions to make it a meal. 

Test Kitchen Tip: Not big on blue cheese? Substitute crumbled goat cheese.

Kale is most available—and most delicious—during the coldest time of year. Take advantage of that fact, plus in-season citrus and pears, to build this superfood-loaded winter kale salad. Baked chicken and a bit of cheese bolster each serving with 35 grams of protein.

Related: The Best High-Protein Snacks

Make the most of carbs by blending one of your favorite whole grains (here, bulgur) one-to-one with riced cauliflower (in season beginning late fall). The result: a vegan winter salad clocking in at 361 calories and 10 grams protein to qualify as a full meal.

This winter salmon salad would get any dietitian's stamp of approval—and will earn rave reviews from dinner guests. Flaky and rich baked salmon plays nicely with the nutty farro and sautéed squash. To keep it even more seasonal, trade the zucchini for cubes of butternut, acorn, or delicata squash.

Limes, oranges, and seasonal greens are the fresh winter ingredients that act as a tasty base for the flaky poached cod in this light winter citrus salad. At 314 calories and loaded with healthy fats and plenty of protein, this speedy seafood dish will keep you satisfied for hours.

Test Kitchen Tip: If you prefer salmon or haddock to cod, they both work wonderfully here as well.

Nutrient-packed quinoa adds a healthy dose of protein to this salad. Butterhead lettuce, apricots, cashews, and red onion lend texture and tang. Come cold weather, try the winter quinoa salad with grapes instead of cherries (or just defrost frozen fruit to utilize cherries year-round).

Thinly sliced raw Brussels sprouts are the base of this unique winter salad idea. In a hurry and can’t find shaved sprouts at the store? You can use 10 cups of shredded napa cabbage instead.

Test Kitchen Tip: To trim Brussels sprouts, cut off the stems just at the spot where the leaves start to grow. Remove dark green outer leaves until the tender, light green leaves are uniformly exposed.

Savor the flavors of a holiday meal—in way faster fashion. Instead of a full roast turkey, try this winter salad with pears and single-serving skillet-browned turkey tenderloin. Top it all with provolone cheese, then serve over a bed of arugula for a hearty winter salad.

Mix up your greens to mix up the nutrients in this vegetable and whole-grain winter salad recipe. Cauliflower, carrots, and hearty greens are all available even in the coldest weeks of the season. While this dish is packed with nutrition, it has only 4 grams of protein so feel free to top each serving with chicken, pork, or tofu to make this salad entrée-worthy.