Winter salads don’t need to be boring. This time of year calls for robust ingredients, heartier textures, and delicious combinations. Here are a few of my favourite winter salads that strike the perfect balance between wholesome and indulgent. They pair well with roasts, grilled meat, cosy mains, or can stand proudly on their own. Many of them make a great starter option when followed by hearty comfort food.
I love adding a fruity component. Citrus, avocado, pears and apples are in season and work so well together.
Pear, blue cheese and walnut salad with maple vinaigrette
This is a classic combination and an old favourite around here. The maple vinaigrette is such a stunning dressing and adds a pop of sweetness to contrast with the blue cheese.
Roast carrot and barley salad with pickled sultanas
This is one of the heartier salads on my website, and I love making it in winter. Pickled sultanas (and currants are my latest obsession), and I always have jars in the fridge. I have taken to adding them to my chicken and tuna salads. They are flavour bombs.
The best BLT pasta salad
I don’t have many pasta salads on my website, but this is my favourite of all time. The creamy anchovy dressing is a game-changer.
I made a green goddess variation with avocado, which is also so good.
Avocado and orange salad with fennel
With avocados and oranges in peak season over winter, this is a bright and delicious salad. Fennel gives it structure and balance. This is quite a versatile and pairs really well with chicken or fish.
I made a similar recipe using fresh tuna, which is packed with protein and so good with blood oranges.
Radicchio salad with roasted butternut and blue cheese
This winter radicchio salad with roasted butternut, blue cheese, apple, and pear is finished with a blood orange vinaigrette and topped with nuts and seeds. I also added fennel, pickled sultanas, toasted walnuts, and pumpkin seeds to make it a very robust wintery treat.
Ottolenghi’s roast chicken and 3 rice salad
This is a complete meal, but it is technically a salad, so I will include it here. It’s utterly delicious, a lovely winter salad option, and a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken. Or buy a chicken just to make the salad.
Panzanella salad with white anchovies, fennel, and capers
This recipe by my friend Fiamma Swainston is such a delicious salad that works very well as a starter. It’s great all year round. Since visiting Spain 2 years ago, I have been in love with white anchovies (boquerones).
Greek Panzanella salad
Oven baked, crunchy croutons are the best for a panzanella and this Greek rendition is so delicious at any ttime of year. The tomato and oregano salad dressing is one of my all-time faves.
Fennel, apple and celery salad with walnuts and Parmesan
The fennel, apple and celery bring in the crunch with this salad along with roasted walnuts. Parmesan adds a salty umami falvour to balance everything out.
Kale salad with Pecorino, walnuts and sultanas
Thsi kale sald could turn any kale hater into a lover. Its laced with Pecorinao, sultanas, roasted walnuts to make it so delicous.
Crispy noodle slaw with a soy, honey & ginger dressing
This is a family favourite and everyone loves it. Toasted two-minute noodles, sesame, sunflower and flaked almonds make this a textural adventure. The sweet honey, ginger and soy dressing ties it all together.
Moroccan carrot and fennel salad with sultanas and pistachios
I love carrot salads and this rendition with fennle, pistachios and sultanas has a Morroccan twist.
Roasted butternut and chickpea salad with quinoa and spinach
This is loaded with plant protein, so it is a meal on its own, but also works well with any protein. It’s a good one for meal prep. I air-fried the butternut and chickpeas to get them crispy.
A very delicious caponata
I guess this is technically a salad, but it’s more of a relish. I thought I would include it here because the punchy, sweet and salty Mediterranean flavours are so good to brighten up winter. Serve on bruschetta, a few cheeses or just with crusty bread and a glass of red.
New potato salad with fennel and radish
My favourite salads for a braai/BBQ
I keep this roundup post of the best saads for a braai/BBQ continusously updated and if you ever need inspiration save this one.
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