30 Thanksgiving Salad Recipes That Are Full of Fall Flavors
Don't forget the salad—it's a MUST for a perfect Thanksgiving meal.
Yes, we're absolutely all in on classic Thanksgiving dishes like green bean casserole, gravy, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, etc., but we can admit that they do tend toward the, shall we say...heavier side of things. May we suggest adding a bit of balance to your meal in the form of salad? Whether you’re looking for simple leafy green options or more elaborate salads full of seasonal produce, we’ve got options for you here. Check out our best 30 Thanksgiving salads for ideas—trust us, no holiday table is complete without them.
Too often, salad falls by the wayside during Thanksgiving. We totally get it—if you’re running low on time and it’s between salad and something like biscuits or pie, we know what’s getting ditched. To avoid this, we’ve included a number of crazy simple salads here. They take almost no prep and can be either thrown together days ahead of time or in less than 15 minutes. If you want to get ahead of the game, try our three-bean salad, our farro salad, our broccoli bacon salad, or our cranberry apple quinoa salad. They can all be made up to 3 days before the big day and can be served warm or cold. If you had grand plans, and now the clock’s running out, check out our super-easy arugula salad, our kale salad, our apple salad, or our spinach salad. They prove you can pretty much pair any green with a simple vinaigrette, something crunchy (nuts or apples are good), and a little cheese to great effect, without a ton of effort.
Simple or not, salads are best when they’re chock-full of quality, fresh, and seasonal ingredients. There’s no better time of year for this than fall, when everything from sweet potatoes to Brussels to carrots are at their peak. Try adding them to any of your fall salads, or make them the entire focus, like in our sweet potato salad, our Parmesan Brussels sprouts salad, or our Moroccan carrot salad. If you’ve got the time, they can take otherwise simple salads over the top too, like in our roasted beet & goat cheese salad, our mandarin orange salad, or our crispy butternut squash spinach salad.
You know what goes great with salad? Another oft overlooked Thanksgiving staple—soup! Check out our holiday favorites, as well as our top Thanksgiving pies, appetizers, and drinks.
Pear Salad
This simple yet satisfying cold weather salad packs a flavorful punch with slightly smoky seared pears, creamy blue cheese, and ultra-crunchy candied pumpkin seeds. Tied together by a sweet-sour honey vinaigrette, it’s the perfect holiday side (or add some protein to make it a main!).
Get the Pear Salad recipe.
Green Bean Salad
If your family Thanksgiving doesn’t feature a big bowl of this salad beside the platter of turkey, you’re missing out. Fresh green beans are tossed with cherry tomatoes, olives, and feta in a simple red wine vinaigrette for a Greek-inspired side that'll add a lovely fresh touch to your table.
Get the Green Bean Salad recipe.
Italian Antipasto Brussels Sprouts Salad
Selfishly, we want to enjoy the flavors of antipasto in as many ways as possible, so we made a showstopping salad inspired by an antipasto platter that is fit for a special occasion. Shredded Brussels sprouts are a great hearty option as the greens in this salad. The mini cabbage-like veggie pairs well with the antipasto mix-ins, and they offer a crisp and crunchy texture.
Get the Italian Antipasto Brussels Sprouts Salad recipe.
Harvest Caesar Salad
If you thought kale Caesar was over, you’ve clearly never topped it with crispy frico squash croutons. Featuring butternut squash and crispy baked Parmesan frico, this autumn spin on the classic Caesar salad will have you wishing it was fall all year round.
Get the Harvest Caesar Salad recipe.
Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad
We don’t believe in boring salads at Delish, and crunchy apples and tart cranberries bring a lot of life to this one. The slightly sweet and lemony dressing is easy to make, so do yourself a favor and make extra to pour over everything.
Get the Cranberry Apple Quinoa Salad recipe.
Fennel Salad With Apples & Radishes
When you're looking for a side dish that tastes extremely fresh even in the depth of winter, look no further than fennel salad. It’s crunchy, slightly sweet, and perfectly light and refreshing, especially if you serve it alongside heavier cold weather comfort foods.
Sweet Potato Salad
This sweet potato salad is the perfect way to lighten up any autumnal dinner, and especially your Thanksgiving spread. Feta, dried cranberries, and red onions pair really nicely with the earthy sweetness of the orange superfood. Did we mention it's great warm or cold (which means you can make it ahead!)?
Get the Sweet Potato Salad recipe.
Brussels Sprout Salad
When we want to incorporate this veggie into our Thanksgiving dinner, we turn to this fresh, seasonal salad. With toasted almonds, shaved Parmesan, and pomegranate seeds, this is the holiday side that will convert even the biggest Brussels sprout haters.
Get the Brussels Sprout Salad recipe.
Fried Goat Cheese Salad
A quick pan-fry makes creamy goat cheese a fun, super-crunchy salad topper. It’s a creative take on croutons and makes a simple salad so much more exciting. Hot tip: these are also great on their own (think holiday cheese board with a little drizzle of honey!)
Get the Fried Goat Cheese Salad recipe.
Spinach Salad
We took our favorite things to pair with spinach: crisp apple, sliced red onion, briney feta, and toasted almonds, and tossed everything together for the perfectly balanced bowl. The sharp mustard vinaigrette is the perfect accompaniment to rich Thanksgiving flavors, but you might find yourself making it all year round too.
Get the Spinach Salad recipe.
Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl
Loaded with roast chicken, sweet potato, and that signature balsamic vinaigrette, our copycat version of Sweetgreen’s beloved harvest bowl will make your favorite takeout lunch an anytime reality (even Thanksgiving!).
Roasted Beet Goat Cheese Salad
Beet lovers, rejoice! This is the ideal Thanksgiving salad: creamy goat cheese, roasted beets, avocado, and arugula. The secret is that instead of buying precooked beets, you simply wrap them in foil and bake them like a baked potato.
Lolita's Kale Salad
At Lolita’s, one of Poughkeepsie, New York’s best restaurants, the ultra-creamy kale salad is bound with what is essentially a Caesar dressing amplified by extra lemon juice, then grounded and offset by toasted bread crumbs, pistachios, and Pecorino. It's light and special enough for any meal, including Thanksgiving.
Get the Lolita's Kale Salad recipe.
Best-Ever Farro Salad
With pecans, Parm, green apples, and leafy arugula, this salad is hearty and holds up well—AKA a make-ahead dream. It's got ALL the elements you need: sweet, salty, soft, crunchy, fatty, fresh, but feel free to make it your own with your preferred mix-ins too.
Get the Farro Salad recipe.
Winter Rainbow Panzanella Salad
This winter rainbow panzanella salad is packed with in-season veggies, crisp and crunchy sourdough croutons, and coated in a tangy grapefruit vinaigrette, making it the perfect way to brighten a gray Thanksgiving day.
Coconut Ranch Kale Salad
This vegan coconut ranch dressing here is absolutely irresistible (seriously, you'll want to dip everything in it). But the crunchy chickpeas may just be our favorite part. Who needs croutons?
Get the Coconut Ranch Kale Salad recipe.
Turkey Salad
Making turkey salad is just as quick and easy as making chicken salad or egg salad. And just like all those other salads, you can always add your favorite mix-ins to make this fit your taste. P.S.: You can use leftover turkey in this recipe!
Get the Turkey Salad recipe.
Shredded Brussels Sprouts
We love classic sautéed Brussels sprouts, but sometimes we crave something with a bit more kick. These slightly spicy, salty-sweet sprouts make for a unique and easy Thanksgiving salad that's quick to throw together and sure to impress.
Get the Shredded Brussels Sprouts recipe.
Broccoli Salad
This is how you get broccoli haters to eat the green stuff. Thank you, bacon! Lightly coated in an apple cider vinegar dressing and tossed with almonds, carrots, red onions, and bacon, this salad is loaded with flavor and texture. It's the perfect make-ahead side for Thanksgiving.
Get the Broccoli Salad recipe.
Grapefruit & Goat Cheese Fennel Salad
For this salad, we paired fennel with some other cold weather-friendly ingredients: juicy grapefruit, briny Kalamata olives, creamy goat cheese, and some rich toasted pine nuts. Most things are highly adjustable: swap in your favorites, just keep those toasty nuts!
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