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Food

23 Winter Salads So You Can Eat a Vegetable For Once

Your body needs something green and fibrous, or things are gonna start getting weird.

Winter is a doozy when it comes to our eating habits. When it's cold outside, it's too easy to order pizza with a big side of garlic knots and not a green thing in sight, or to fill up our days stuck inside with big projects like baking a big tray of cinnamon buns. Vegetables? It's been months!

We'll admit that winter produce shopping isn't the most inspiring—and we wouldn't dare buy a tomato at this time of year—but there are ways to keep your winter vegetable game going. Let these winter salads free you from the drudgery of constant comfort food, because if your body doesn't get something green and fibrous soon, things are gonna start getting weird.

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Parmesan Chicken Cutlets with Tricolore Salad Recipe

Let's be honest: the bulk of this easy salad is the parmesan-crusted chicken cutlets. But top 'em with three kinds of greens and a little cheese, and you've got a full meal that's perfect for any season of the year.

Kale and Radicchio Salad Recipe

Kale and Radicchio Salad Recipe

Winter is peak hearty greens and citrus time, so this kale and radicchio salad with miso-lemon dressing is fit for the season. A salad this wholesome calls for a decadent touch—like crispy fried red onions, because all things in moderation, folks.

Cabbage and Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe

Cabbage is the perfect winter vegetable because it's versatile (eat it cooked or raw), always in stock, and it goes a long way. We sliced it thin for this simple cabbage salad and mixed it with crushed ramen noodles, a pantry staple that's useful for more than just a midnight snack.

Brussels Sprouts, Kale, and Citrus Salad Recipe

Brassicas like Brussels sprouts and kale are hearty winter greens and citrus is also at its peak, making this salad totally seasonal. Nutritional yeast adds a salty contrast to the maple vinaigrette and oranges, while the creamy avocado and crunchy walnuts balance the textures perfectly.

Winter Endive and Citrus Salad Recipe

A lot of summer salad stars aren't at their best this time of year—but not citrus, which is at its peak. Let citrus shine in this perfect winter salad; against the slight bitterness of endives, the orange slices are like the surprise ray of sunshine on an otherwise gray and gloomy day.

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Cucumber and Citrus Salad

At any time of year, this is the kind of salad you can easily throw together a big batch of at the beginning of the week for a not-so-sad desk lunch. But again, 'tis the season to take advantage of citrus. Whether you leave the CBD oil in, however, is your call—we don't know your workplace.

Butter Lettuce, Zucchini, and Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

Courgette, or zucchini, isn’t at all in season right now, but thanks to our global food trade, your grocery store is bound to have it anyway. In any case, this warm salad of roasted zucchini topped with goat cheese and a drizzle of melted butter makes for a cozy treat on a cold day.

Radish and Pear Slaw Recipe

Radish and Pear Slaw Recipe

Good news! It's not all oranges here—pears are also in season during the winter. Toss them with radishes and our other winter friend, cabbage, for a chopped winter slaw to rival your go-to, pre-cut salad chain.

Avocado and Mixed Greens Salad Recipe

Cro-Mags frontman John Joseph gave us a peek into his vegan lifestyle as a touring musician, and generously bestowed upon us this perfectly simple yet delicious salad that you can make any season of the year. If it can fuel a thrash set, it can definitely fuel your way-less-punk day.

Fall Harvest Salad Recipe

Fall Harvest Salad Recipe

With bourbon in the dressing and brandy-soaked cherries, this hearty salad is actually not that boozy, because most of the alcohol will get cooked off before the greens are dressed. But with maple roasted squash and toasted pumpkin seeds, it’ll still warm you right up.

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Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds, and Parmigiano-Reggiano Recipe

Thought celery was boring? Think again. Straight from Portland-based chef and vegetable whisperer Joshua McFadden, this super simple salad turns celery into a salty, crunchy, cheese-covered star of any winter meal.

Artichoke Salad with Radishes and Salted Yogurt Recipe

Salted yogurt, soft artichokes, and crunchy radishes and sweet potato chips come together for a truly perfect bite in this salad from Asheville, NC chef Katie Button. Potato chips! On your salad! You deserve it!

Herb and Vegetable Salad Recipe

If you’re trying to eat more veggies while in the midst of a bleak midwinter funk, let this refreshing salad remind you of brighter spring days to come. Serve this over a bed of warm grains like farro or brown rice, and you’ve got yourself a lovely dinner.

Collard Green Salad with Buttermilk Vinaigrette Recipe

The best thing about this collard green salad is that it barely takes any time to pull together. Collards have a reputation for taking a long time to cook, but if you cut them into thin ribbons and massage them with dressing, they quickly become nice and tender. Make this all year-round.

Radish, Endive, and Apple Salad Recipe

Black Radish, Red Endive, and Apple Salad Recipe

Yotam Ottolenghi, the famed Israeli chef and vegetable expert, threw this radish and apple salad together in just 15 minutes during a visit to the MUNCHIES Test Kitchen, so you have no excuse to not eat your veggies tonight.

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Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Nuoc Nam Recipe

Nuoc nam is usually served as a dipping sauce, but we used it as a dressing to turn quick-roasted cauliflower into a flavorful, savory veggie dish. Toss this cauliflower into a grain bowl for a warm salad, or use it to top greens and keep it in the fridge for this week's meal prep.

Roasted Carrots and Avocado in Cilantro-Lime Dressing Recipe

These sweet, spice-roasted carrots with caramelized edges are perfectly paired with creamy avocado and tangy lime juice. This will definitely bring you out of your winter doldrums.

Radicchio and Roasted Beet Salad with Bagna Cauda Recipe

Winter is the absolute best time for salads with a warm, rich dressing. You’ll want to eat pretty much any vegetable if it comes drizzled with this warm anchovy bagna cauda sauce, but especially these beautiful roasted beets.

Kabocha Squash and Grilled Onion Salad Recipe

Pomegranate and winter squash—kabocha is our favorite—are a match made in heaven. Paired with a garlicky yogurt spread, this winter salad has all the flavor you need after months of butter and mac and cheese.

Roasted Cauliflower with Tahina, Halloumi, and Pomegranate Seeds Recipe

This whole-roasted cauliflower with a spicy zhoug could be sliced and served to a few people, but we wouldn’t blame you if you went for it and ate the whole thing yourself. Salad's a flexible term anyway.

Red Cabbage Wedge Salad Recipe

Cabbage really is the unsung hero of winter vegetables, because it can do so much. Here, chef Matt Jennings chars wedges of red cabbage in bacon fat, and serves them with apples, pears, and a mustard-maple vinaigrette for the perfect warm salad. Sorry for drooling.

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Japanese-Inspired Caesar Salad Recipe

Japanese Caesar Salad Recipe

This is an unconventional Caesar salad for sure, but you’re going to appreciate making such a big batch of this umami-kick of a dressing. Trust us, you'll want to put it on everything.

Easy Bok Choy Salad Recipe

Easy Bok Choy Salad Recipe

Some people put on a sweater, some people drink tea, and some people enjoy a giant spoonful of spicy chili oil to help themselves warm up a little. If you're a sucker for spice, this easy bok choy salad is perfect for you.

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