We tend to think of salads as the preserve of balmy days, the act of chopping simple tomatoes and basil or light, zingy citrussy flavours into a bowl before dousing them liberally in good olive oil one that goes hand-in-glove with languorous lunches under the sun. And yet traybakes, roasts, pies and jacket potatoes can, after a while, feel a little much, even as the weather turns colder. If, like us, you feel the urge for something lighter and yet still hearty enough to be warming, we say the occasion calls for a nourishing winter salad. The good news, too, is that you can bundle in plenty of fresh, seasonal veg – and sometimes fruit too – into them, which should help to ward off winter colds while also being pleasing to the microbiome. If you’ve ever asked yourself, should you eat salad in the winter, the answer is a resounding yes, as these delicious recipes attest.

Main image: Delicious Magazine

Hummus, Beetroot And Avocado Salad


Delicious Magazine
Houmous, Beetroot And Avocado Salad

This vividly coloured salad is ideal for winter. We love the drama of the beetroot, the crunch of the carrot, paired with the softness of the avocado and the delicious, textured hummus, while the feta packs in a zingy flavour punch too. Even better, this is an easy one to knock up quickly at home or even transport to work (though we’d recommend chopping the avocadoes at the very final moment). Healthy, Omega-3 rich and absolutely delicious: it’s one of our desert island dishes. Find the recipe here.


Roquefort Salad With Warm Croutons And Lardons


Jamie Oliver
Roquefort Salad With Warm Croutons And Lardons

As salads go, this is as ample and nourishing as they come. As Jamie trumpets, it’s the ‘ultimate walnut and blue cheese salad, loaded with lovely quality ingredients.’ We love the gentle flavour of the lambs’ lettuce, offset by the tang of the Roquefort, the salt of the lardons, the crunch of the walnuts and the sourdough croutons, the latter of which are cooked in the same pan are the meat. Filling and gorgeous, it’s perfect for an any day dinner, or to serve to guests alone or as one of a medley of salads. Find the recipe here.


Squash, Roasted Tomato And Black Bean Salad


Anna Jones
SQUASH, ROASTED TOMATO AND POPPED BLACK BEAN SALAD

For those who love concocting feasts and pottering about the kitchen, the magic surely lies in the power of transformation. This salad illustrates that elegantly: the tomato, which is so refreshing in the summer in its raw state, gets a wonderful wintry makeover here after a quick blast in the oven. What was fresh and zingy becomes soft, warm, fleshy and sweet. Also tossed into the incomparable Anna Jones’ salad are roasted squash, black beans, flaked coconuts cardamom and fresh ginger. Perfectly delicious and ideal for fighting off seasonal bugs thanks to its plentiful supply of vitamins and antioxidants. Find the recipe here.


Pear, Chicory And Blue Cheese Salad


Olive
Pear, Chicory And Blue Cheese Salad

If you like your salads to look the wintry part as well as to taste it, then this is a guaranteed showstopper. The jewel-like red chicory is a knockout, as is the red onion. Meanwhile, beautifully contrasting flavours come courtesy of the creamy blue cheese (ideally dolcelatte), the in-season pears and walnuts, and the fresh flatleaf parsley. Eat alone or as a tasty accompaniment to a main dish. Find the recipe here.


Sweet Potato, Chickpea And Feta Salad With Tahini Dressing


Delicious Magazine
Sweet Potato, Chickpea And Feta Salad With Tahini Dressing

One of the things we love about salads – whether in summer or winter – is how easy it is to pack in the big flavours. This wonderful recipe exemplifies that truth. There is the warmth of the sweet potatoes, there is heat of the harissa, there is the tang of the feta, and there is the lifting freshness of the chopped mint, parsley and dill. And that’s before we get to the lemony yogurt and tahini dressing and the red onion. We might even toss a few pomegranate seeds in there for good measure. Extremely delicious and healthy, too. Find the recipe here.


Ultimate Winter Salad


The Pioneer Woman
Ultimate Winter Salad

Blogger, The Pioneer Woman, brings us the seasonal gift of what she calls the ultimate winter salad, by way of Natalie Perry of Perry’s Plates. We are on board fully; after all, who can argue with the inclusion of all the winter greats – think kale, sprouts, squash, apples, cabbages, carrots, pecans and pomegranate – tossed in a dressing of red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and maple syrup? If you’re looking for ways to up your veg intake, this salad is inarguable. Find the recipe here.


Winter Panzanella


BBC Good Food
Winter Panzanella

We are huge fans of the classic Panzanella salad in the summer months, and mourn its loss when winter beds in. There is, however, no need; all the simple recipe needs is a seasonal twist. Keep the signature toasted bread (the longer past its prime, the better), and then substitute the tomatoes and cucumber for altogether more wintry cauliflower, radishes, capers, anchovies, chillies and chopped flat leaf parsley. Warming heaven in a bowl. Find the recipe here.

By Nancy Alsop
November 2021

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