20 Warm Salads That Will Help You Power through Winter’s Chilliest Days
You’re craving greens but it’s painfully cold out, and you can’t deal with another bowl of soup or sheet pan meal right now. Try one of these 20 warm salads that are filling, creative and cold-weather appropriate. Many of these star winter produce like kale, carrots and Brussels sprouts, so all the veggies will be at peak deliciousness. But most importantly, these salads will keep you cozy, because no one wants to eat a bowl of ice cold romaine in the middle of January.
RELATED: 80 Cold Weather Recipes That Will Warm You Right Up
1. Warm Ginger-Scallion Pork & Kale Salad
You already know kale is a nutritional powerhouse—but it can be a chore to eat raw. Here, it's lightly sautéed in honey-ginger dressing for a softer texture.
2. Warm Sesame Noodle Salad
You only need 20 minutes to prepare this mouthwatering mashup of lettuce, cucumber, herbs and gluten-free pasta. Make a double batch of the peanut butter dressing to use on future salads.
3. Roasted Delicata Squash Salad
Don't peel the sweet, nutty delicata before roasting it. Its striped skin is gorgeous and 100 percent edible.
4. Caesar Pasta Salad
When you're really craving a crisp Caesar salad but want it to feel a bit more comforting, lean on warm pasta. You can even heat the zingy dressing before mixing it in.
5. Fall Roasted Vegetable and Lentil Salad with Pine Nut Cream
It's hearty, nourishing, gluten-free and oh so autumnal. Feel free to swap cilantro for dill and parsley in the pine nut cream, or use cannellini beans or chickpeas instead of lentils.
6. Falafel Salad with Spicy Yogurt Sauce
The base of the salad is raw, but the mini falafel patties on top help warm and wilt the greens. (And if that's not hot enough for you, wait 'til you try the sriracha yogurt sauce.)
7. Sweet and Spicy Plantain Salad
Here's that tropical getaway you've been pining for. This 15-minute beauty calls for fried plantains, sweet mango, tender avocado and protein-packed black-eyed peas.
8. Roasted Squash Salad with White Beans, Bread Crumbs and Preserved Lemon
Brace your taste buds for a mélange of flavor sensations and textures. We're talking buttery white beans, tender winter gourd (choose from kabocha, acorn or butternut squash), crisp sourdough bread and a briny citrus dressing.
9. Crispy Goat Cheese Salad
Hot, crispy goat cheese medallions encrusted in chopped pistachios are just fatty, warm and creamy enough to cut through refreshing fennel and peppery arugula.
10. Warm Cauliflower and Israeli Couscous Salad
We’re a bit infatuated with cauliflower, especially when it's roasted alongside briny kalamata olives. (You likely have all the dressing ingredients in your kitchen already, BTW.)
11. Warm Freekeh Salad
Complete with tender roasted butternut squash and Insta-worthy pomegranate arils. Go ahead, get your freekeh on.
12. Warm Radicchio, Brussels Sprout and Fennel Salad with Tahini Granola
As wonderful a pairing as these two make, we'll *definitely* be reserving some of the granola (which is loaded with pepitas, hazelnuts, walnuts and sesame seeds) to have with milk in the morning.
13. Curry Roasted Cauliflower Sweet Potato Salad
Vegetables are only as tasty as their seasoning, so this Whole30, vegan and gluten-free gem is bound to be a home run. (Think curry powder, red cayenne and anti-inflammatory turmeric.)
14. Warm Winter Salad
Yup, sheet pan salad is a thing—an ingenious, delicious thing. The tahini sauce and dukkah (aka an Egyptian spice blend) on top drive the Middle Eastern inspiration home.
15. Warm Quinoa Roasted Veggie Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette
Zucchini and sweet potatoes and broccoli, oh my! A flourish of feta cheese gives this salad just the right dose of salty decadence (although adding crumbled sausage wouldn't hurt).
16. Warm Butternut Squash and Chickpea Salad
When tahini and lemon juice are involved, you know the dressing is going to be irresistible. Might we suggest smushing the salad with a potato masher to turn it into a sandwich spread?
17. Warm Balsamic Kale Salad
Sautéing kale in butter and zippy balsamic vinegar not only makes it flavorful, but also more tender. Feel free to crown your plate with grilled salmon, chicken or beans to make it more filling.
18. Charred Broccolini, Feta and Pistachio Salad
If you've never ventured into the world of broccolini, you're in for a treat. It's sweet, earthy flavor is just the match for grated garlic, salty cheese, crunchy nuts and tender beans.
19. Warm Spinach Salad with Roasted Grapes and Sweet Potatoes
You'll want to add this recipe to your to-eat list stat if you've only ever tried raw grapes. Roasting them in olive oil, maple syrup and fresh herbs concentrates their sweetness big time.
20. Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad
Much like peanut butter and jelly, Brussels sprouts and bacon are absolute soulmates. Spruce up this crowd-pleaser with dried cranberries, cherries or blueberries if you'd like.