22 Simple Fall and Winter Salads

spinach, butternut squash, cranberries, and pecans
Photo: Allrecipes Magazine

If there's a season, there's a salad! While fall and winter typically channel comfort food, heartier produce like butternut squash, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, apples, and cranberries are the perfect pairing with a leafy green and tangy dressing. Try out our 21 top fall and winter salad recipes and serve them up as an appetizer course, or add some protein like chicken, steak, or shrimp to make them a meal.

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Roasted Acorn Squash Salad

Roasted Acorn Squash Salad on a white plate with a fork
Kevin J. Flynn

"This is a great, hearty and flavorful salad!" —Sabrina Sperry

02 of 22

Pomegranate Spinach Salad

Pomegranate Spinach Salad
Allrecipes Magazine

A so-simple homemade vinaigrette with crunchy almonds and pomegranate arils will have even the veggie-haters reaching for seconds. This Allrecipes Magazine recipe is based on Jamie's Cranberry Salad.

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Apple, Pomegranate and Pecan Salad

apple pomegranate salad

A seasonal salad with homemade dressing that is to die for! Balsamic, dijon, pomegranate juice and honey. Add some oil and you've got a vinaigrette that's out of this world.

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Spinach and Persimmon Salad

Spinach and Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese and Pomegranate
Photo by Kim's Cooking Now. Kim's Cooking Now

Creamy goat cheese accompanies tart and slightly sweet persimmons and pops of pomegranate flavor. Twist our arm!

05 of 22

Roasted Butternut Squash with Onions, Spinach and Craisins

spinach, butternut squash, cranberries, and pecans
Allrecipes Magazine

"A delicious deviation from the typical squash preparation, this recipe has kind of a nutty flavor with or without the nuts. Good as-is, but of course each person can salt and pepper their own serving to taste." —Marcia

06 of 22

Arugula Salad with Bacon and Butternut Squash

Arugula Salad with Bacon and Butternut Squash on a white plate

Rave Review: "This is just a quick salad I came up with from leftovers and loved! I liked the way the arugula paired with the bacon and squash. Add a baguette or a bagel, and it's a great lunch all on it's own!" —sarah.antoinette

07 of 22

Butternut Squash Caprese Salad

Butternut Squash Caprese Salad
Kim

"We have some vegetarians in the family. This salad is great to add vegetables to our holiday meal!" —MSLIB5

08 of 22

Curried Carrot Salad

Curried Carrot Salad
Photo by Alli.

"Curry and raisins add a spicy and sweet element to this sweet and savory carrot apple salad with a fresh bite from parsley," says Alli Shircliff

09 of 22

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Feta

roasted sweet potato salad with feta

"Here's a beautiful salad recipe. Filling and delicious, the roasted sweet potatoes work perfectly with the salty feta cheese." —Melanie Booth

10 of 22

Autumn Waldorf Salad

A Waldorf salad with dried cranberries and walnuts in a glass bowl
lutzflcat

A lightened up version of your traditional Waldorf salad, using yogurt instead of mayo. This dish features cranberries along with the apple chunks for tartness and chew.

11 of 22

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
Chef Sous Chef

Rave Review: "Creamy, tangy, and crunchy, our Brussels sprouts Caesar salad starts with the raw crispiness of the Brussels sprouts smothered in a creamy, mayo Caesar dressing, topped with bacon and croutons. If you've never liked Brussels sprouts, you're going to now--you're welcome." —Chef Sous Chef

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Holiday Apple Side Salad

holiday apple side salad

Rave Review: "This is a cold salad/side dish recipe that has been served in my in-laws home for Thanksgiving and Christmas since the 1950s." —sharon

13 of 22

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Bacon and Onions

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Bacon and Onions
Christina

"Roasted butternut squash sautéed with onions, then tossed with crumbled bacon, toasted pecans, raisins, and chopped romaine lettuce and drizzled with maple syrup dressing to make for a tasty, warm salad." —Marcia

14 of 22

Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

"This is a great starter for Thanksgiving dinner that is both delicious and festive." —Cynthia

15 of 22

Apple, Pecan, Cranberry and Avocado Spinach Salad with Balsamic Dressing

apple pecan cranberry and avocado spinach salad

Apples are plentiful during the autumn months. For salads, choose varieties that are sweet and crisp. Popular salad apples include Red Delicious, Fuji, and Winesap. Buy firm apples that smell fresh and have smooth skins.

  • How To: Prepare Avocados
16 of 22

Panzanella Salad

panzanella salad

We all know that fall and winter are comfort food seasons, so let's ease up the guilt by consuming a bread salad! Yes, there's green in there, we promise.

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Oregon Fall Salad

oregon fall salad

Nothing says fall quite like a green salad topped with slivered hazelnuts, apple shavings and Cheddar cheese.

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Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad

Wondering what to do with those persimmons from the farmers market? Slice them like an apple and top a salad for crunch and sweetness.

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Roquefort Pear Salad

Close up of pear, mixed green, and pecan salad
chibi chef

"This is the best salad I've ever eaten and I make it all the time," says Michelle Krzmarzick. "It is tangy from the blue cheese, fruity from the pears, and crunchy from the caramelized pecans. The mustard vinaigrette pulls it all together."

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Tangy Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Tangy Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

"Romaine, blue cheese, chopped pears, walnuts, and red onions, combined with a tangy dressing, make this salad unforgettable," says LARAL. "It is a sure hit worth trying!"

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Apple Almond Crunch Salad

Apple Almond Crunch Salad

"This easy-to-assemble salad combines the great crunch of apples and almonds with the sweetness of golden raisins and the unique texture of feta cheese," says SKETTYMAKER. "The tanginess of the raspberry dressing works really well with the crispy ingredients."

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Cranberry Pear Salad

Cranberry Pear Salad

"This delicious salad works well as a side or on its own. Especially good in fall and winter months when fresh summer salad fare is harder to come by." —ChrissyCoole

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