Variety of Thanksgiving salads for the perfect feast

Tasty and healthy salad recipes to try

Get inspired by our selection of Thanksgiving salads and enrich your feast with healthy and tasty options. Here you’ll find a collection of balanced and simple recipes that combine both traditional and innovative ingredients to provide your guests with a varied entrée.

Pumpkin Seed Salad

Thanksgiving Slaw

Simplest Kale Salad

Thanksgiving Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Salad with Butternut Squash & Wheat Berries

Thanksgiving Salad with Maple Syrup and Cranberries

Leftover Thanksgiving Ham Cobb Salad

Arugula with Plums and Parmesan

Scrunched Cabbage Salad with Grapefruit and Chiles

Pumpkin Seed Salad

Very simple, very fresh, adventurous saladWorking time: about 10 minutesTotal time: about 15 minutesIngredients for 4 people:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 medium shallot (finely chopped)
8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp or to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp or to taste
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large head red leaf butter or bibb lettuce (cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces)
4 oz cooked beets (thinly sliced)
6 oz herbed goat cheese (thinly sliced or crumbled)Toasted pumpkin seeds and dressing from aboveSpices to taste (salt, pepper, paprika, red pepper flakes)Preparation:First, prepare your dressing: Combine and prepare all ingredients (1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 medium shallot finely chopped, 8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes).Place in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.Heat a pan over medium-low. Add oil and then pumpkin seeds seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until toasted.Allow to cool completely and then add them to the salad. Decorate by layering lettuce in a salad bowl and sprinkling with a pinch of salt and pepper.Add sliced goat cheese. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve with balsamic thyme vinaigrette.

Thanksgiving Slaw

Very easy, very crunchy, refreshing Thanksgiving slawWorking time: about 30 minutesTotal time: about 30 minutesIngredients for 4 people:

For the salad:

1 small head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds, or about 10 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix)
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepperFor the dressing:

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 medium red onion, finely choppedPreparation:Prepare your salad. Cut the cabbage into eight wedges through the core, then cut the core from each piece. Thinly slice the cabbage wedges crosswise to shred.Then make the dressing. Whisk and mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add the red onion and stir to combine.Add the shredded cabbage, almonds, cranberries, and parsley to the dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper as you wish.

Thanksgiving Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Thanksgiving Salad with Balsamic VinaigretteVarious, flavorful, delicious Thanksgiving salad with balsamic vinaigretteWorking time: about 20 minutesTotal time: about 20 minutesIngredients for 4 people:For the salad:Seeds from 1 large pomegranate3 medium D’Anjou pears, ripe yet firm, thinly slicedJuice of ½ lemon, or more, as needed16 oz salad greens as desired8 oz Brie, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces1 ½ cups pecan halves, toastedFor balsamic vinaigrette:2/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil1/4 cup of good-quality balsamic vinegar1 tbsp Dijon mustard, or to taste1 tsp honey1 tsp lemon juice1 clove garlic, pressed or finely mincedSalt and black pepper, to tastePreparation:First, prepare the balsamic vinaigrette by combining all ingredients together, mixing until well blended. You can also use a blender.Slice the pears and place them in a large plastic baggie, then squeeze fresh lemon juice over them. Close the bag and gently shake it.In a large salad bowl, mix together the greens, pear slices, pieces of Brie, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pecans.Just before serving, stir in the balsamic vinaigrette and toss until salad ingredients are evenly coated.

Thanksgiving Salad with Maple Syrup and Cranberries

Thanksgiving Salad with Maple Syrup and CranberriesVery simple, very fancy Thanksgiving salad with maple syrup and cranberriesWorking time: about 20 minutesTotal time: about 30 minutesIngredients for 4 peopleFor the Dressing:1 tbsp French mustard1 tbsp maple syrup3 tbsp olive oilSalt and pepper to tasteFor the Salad:1.1 lbs sweet potato1 tsp ground cinnamon1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil1.76 oz Pecans, roughly chopped1.76 oz Pistachios, roughly chopped2.47 oz vegan bacon bits (optional)1 tbsp pumpkin seeds7.05 oz green leaves, collard greens or cavalo nero work well2 tbsp pomegranate jewels1 tbsp dried cranberries1 sweet apple½ lemonSalt and pepper to tastePreparation:Prepare your ingredients. Cut the sweet potato into small pieces (about 0.8 inches). Season with ground cinnamon and oil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until it becomes soft. Then add the bacon and pumpkin seeds and cook again for five minutes, until it gets a crispy structure and golden color. Turn off the oven, but keep it warm while you are doing other tasks.Boil water. Steam your greens for about 1/2 minute, then drain and place in a large bowl. Add apple and lemon juice. Also add cranberries and pomegranate. Finally, add ingredients from the oven.Mix everything together with the dressing and ingredients. Season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Thanksgiving Salad with Butternut Squash & Wheat Berries

Thanksgiving Salad with Butternut Squash & Wheat BerriesVery healthy and easy Thanksgiving salad with butternut squash & wheat berriesWorking time: about 10 minutesTotal time: about 60 minutesIngredients for 4 people:3 cups of cooked wheat berriesRoasted butternut squash cubes, from 1 small squash1 cup of shallots (chopped)⅓ cup fresh sage leavesExtra-virgin olive oil, for drizzlingFor the dressing:1 bunch lacinato kale, stemmed⅓ cup toasted walnuts, chopped⅓ cup dried cranberries⅓ cup chopped parsley1 tbsp fresh thyme⅓ cup shaved pecorino cheeseSalt and black pepper to tastePreparation:Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook the wheat berries. Then roast the butternut squash for about 30 to 35 minutes.After that, add the shallots and continue baking for about 20 to 25 minutes. Wrap the sage leaves in foil, drizzle olive oil on top, and place on the baking sheet for another 2 minutes. Unwrap and chop the sage leaves.Prepare the dressing by mixing all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Add the wheat berries, squash, shallots, sage, walnuts, cranberries, parsley, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, lots of pepper, and toss. Transfer to a platter, drizzle with more dressing, and sprinkle with more freshly ground black pepper.Top with the pecorino cheese and serve. Enjoy!

Leftover Thanksgiving Ham Cobb Salad

Leftover Thanksgiving Ham Cobb SaladVery glorious, detoxing ham Cobb saladWorking time: about 10 minutesTotal time: about 10 minutesIngredients for 4 people:5 cups chopped romaine lettuce1 cup diced ham1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and diced2 hard-boiled eggs, diced1/4 cup crumbled goat cheeseFor the Greek yogurt ranch:1/3 cup Greek yogurt1/4 cup buttermilk1/4 teaspoon dill1/4 teaspoon garlic powder1/4 teaspoon onion powderKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to tastePreparation:To make the Greek yogurt ranch, whisk together the Greek yogurt, buttermilk, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper as desired, and set aside.Prepare the salad by placing the romaine lettuce in a large bowl, then top with arranged rows of ham, tomatoes, avocado, eggs, and goat cheese.Serve immediately with the Greek yogurt ranch.

Simplest Kale Salad

Simple Kale SaladSuper simple and very delicious saladWorking time: about 30 minutesTotal time: about 30 minutesIngredients for 4 people:6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice1 Tbsp. honey1 tsp. kosher salt2 bunches curly kale (about 1 lb.), rinsed, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 1″–1 1/2″ pieces2 oz. Parmesan, finely grated (about 1 cup), plus more for servingPreparation:In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and salt.Add the kale and toss to coat. Massage the leaves with your hands until they become shiny and dark green.Mix in the grated Parmesan cheese.Transfer the salad to a platter and top with more Parmesan before serving.

Arugula with Plums and Parmesan

Arugula with Plums and ParmesanPerfect balance between sweet and salty arugula salad with plums and parmesanWorking time: about 10 minutesTotal time: about 10 minutesIngredients for 4 people:16 Italian plums, halved, or 8 small plums, quartered1/3 cup cocktail onions (layers separated)2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil3 oz. arugula (about 5 cups)Salt and pepper to taste3 oz. ParmesanPreparation:In a large bowl, mix together the plums, cocktail onions, lemon juice, and 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil.Add the arugula and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine.Transfer the salad to a platter, top with Parmesan, and drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil before serving.

Scrunched Cabbage Salad with Grapefruit and Chiles

Scrunched Cabbage Salad with Grapefruit and ChilesVery simple, refreshing scrunched cabbage salad with grapefruit and chilesWorking time: about 10 minutesTotal time: about 10 minutesIngredients for 4 people:2 lb of Napa cabbage (1 head)1/4 cup pickled chile vinegar2 Ruby Red grapefruit2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus a bit more for drizzling1 cup mint leaves1 tablespoon pickled hot chiles2 tablespoon sesame salt (or to taste)Preparation:Halve the cabbage, discard the seeds, and shred into thin strips. Place the cabbage in a large bowl.Drizzle the pickled chile vinegar over the cabbage and season with sea salt to taste. Massage and scrunch the cabbage firmly with your hands to soften and season the leaves.Cut and peel the white pith from the grapefruit and cut into quarters. Mix the grapefruit and cabbage in the bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.Transfer the salad to a large platter. Drizzle with more olive oil and garnish with pickled chiles and sesame salt to taste.