15 Winter Salads For Hearty & Wholesome Eating

Dark greens, florets and savoury cheeses — these winter salad recipes make for warming and wholesome servings.

Salads aren’t often the first port of call for the winter season. It’s cold! Our minds wander to the cosiness of oven bakes or the lusciousness of slow cooks.

But these salads offer a promise of comfort too. They are delicious and versatile, easily plated as a warming main or served alongside a showstopping centrepiece.

To dress up various vegetables, the recipes make use of crunchy textures (think toasted nuts, crispy noodles and snappy seeds) and creamy dressings (comprising yoghurt, blue cheese and peanut-butter satay). Plenty of these are fresh, but for particularly stormy days we’d recommend the oven-fresh ones.

Cauliflower and potato salad

Dashes of turmeric and cayenne pepper make this bowl a warming serving

Warm cauliflower and lentil salad

This salad, which can be served straight from a hot oven, is best drizzled with a lemony, tamarind dressing.

Lentil and buckwheat salad

This warming bowl is full of satisfying textures, from toasty, crunchy pumpkin seeds to creamy avocado.

Dukkah, lamb rump, beetroot and blue cheese salad

These juicy lamb rump pieces are smothered in oil and rolled in dukkah, before being seared on all sides.

Beetroot and halloumi salad with sesame dressing

Snaps of edamame and the crunch of sesame seeds make this halloumi a toothful serving.

This super-green bowl makes the most of seasonal vegetables (and includes the recipe for a deeply savoury satay, featuring garlic, peanut butter and maple syrup).

Beetroot and red cabbage salad

Crumbles of feta add tang to this earthy and sweet salad.

Herb-crumbed lamb cutlets with bean and halloumi salad

These crunchy lamb cutlets sit atop a refreshing toss of beans, halloumi, green olives and Italian parsley.

Brussels sprouts and cauliflower salad with miso glaze

This warming side dish, with a mix of peak season vegetables, is full of moreish umami flavour.

Quinoa and broccoli salad

This throw-together salad is served with a generous glug of olive oil and a crush of blue cheese.

Chickpea and vegetable salad

This breezy recipe is full of flavourful garlic and soy sauce and is an easy lunchbox meal.

Warm courgette and mozzarella pasta salad

Pull-apart mozzarella and full leaves of basil make this comforting salad bowl a treatish serving.

Barbecued lamb, green bean and mushroom salad with yoghurt sauce

Pops of green olive add a bite to this plate (while a tahini yoghurt sauce supplies creamy texture).

Crunchy chicken, spinach and pine nut salad

A topping of crispy noodles always makes a meal feel special. In this simple recipe, they are mixed with leafy greens and tender shreds of chicken.

Halloumi and chargrilled vegetable salad

If you have an indoor hotplate or grill, you’ll be able to recreate the stunning char on this cheesy salad. However, cast iron or oven-tray is an easy alternative cooking method.