Lifestyle

12 Easy Fall Salad Recipes for a Quick Weeknight Meal

Every season is salad season! And fall is no exception. Fall salad recipes make the most of the late summer and pre-winter bounty, often vegetables in rich jewel tones, like purple radicchio, deep-green kale, and ruby-hued beets. That means your composed veggies dishes are about to be so gorgeous, full of nutrients, and satisfying on a chilly night. Plus, they’re all easy to execute (and even easier to enjoy). Explore this list for all the essential salads to make this fall.

Bitter Greens and Beet Salad

Victor Protasio


Bright and bold, this radicchio and beet salad was made to stand out on your table. The toasted pecans add a crunchy texture and earthy taste that balances the salad’s rich and bitter flavors. A sweet and tangy honey-mustard vinaigrette ties it all together.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Heami Lee

Brussels sprouts are an excellent autumnal salad base, and you don’t even need to cook them! Thinly sliced sprouts work like crunchy lettuce and absorb vinaigrette so well—the leftovers are like a slaw! Top this salad with your protein of choice for a complete dinner.

Baby Kale and Chicken Caesar

Caitlin Bensel

Baby kale can be found year-round in plastic clamshells at most grocery stores, and is a great ingredient for simple salads—no chopping required! Mix up the Caesar salad as a starter to a big baked pasta meal or as the main course. You can also swap out the chicken for avocado or shrimp if you prefer.

Superfood Lentil Salad

Victor Protasio

Lentil salad is a versatile dish that can be made once and repurposed for various meals, such as lunch, dinner, or a side to serve alongside salmon or another entree. Opt for pre-cooked lentils if you want to speed up the process. Golden raisins add a bright sweetness to the salad, while sunflower seeds carry in the earthy flavors to mellow it out.

Miso Caesar Salad

Caitlin Bensel

Add savory umami to your Caesar salad with some miso in the dressing. It’s so good that you’ll be making this recipe through the winter. It’s also quick, so you can make it a full meal with a topping of chicken nuggets, fish sticks, or crispy tofu.

Make-Ahead Holiday Salad

Greg DuPree

This tender kale salad isn’t just for holidays, but a great weekday hack to have a marinated, healthy salad ready to grab and go for days. Make an even bigger batch of vinaigrette to whip up a second salad once the first one is all gone. Not only is it colorful and gorgeous, but it’s also full of nutrients and protein.

Grapefruit, Beet, and Radish Salad

Greg DuPree

This colorful salad is a feast for the eyes and the stomach. The tangy nature of grapefruit and beets bode excellently well with spicy radishes. This fall salad is best served with grilled fish or chicken. Olive oil, salt, and pepper are all you need to bring this bright medley together.

Grilled Honeynut Squash Salad

Christopher Testani


This fall salad is bursting with seasonal flavors. Honeynut squash and napa cabbage are marinated in a miso-and-spicy brown mustard dressing before hitting the grill. Roasted salted pepitas a mint leaves are sprinkled on top. While salad is delicious, the colorful presentation will have you snapping pictures before digging in.

Roasted Carrot Salad

Greg Dupree


Make sure to get your carrot fix while they are in season. Roasted with shallots, these rainbow carrots are seasoned to perfection and come out of the oven juicy and tender. This salad can be served warm or at room temperature. Use the carrot greens to top the salad and reduce food waste.

Old-School Taco Salad

Fred Hardy


There’s nothing like a warm salad to warm up your belly, and this taco salad with all the toppings is sure to do just that. You’ll just need 10 minutes to cook up the ground beef that is easily flavored with a packet of taco seasoning. Then, you’ll throw the rest of the ingredients together, which includes velvety avocado, tangy radishes, and crunchy tortilla strips for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

Winter Citrus with Nut and Honey Crunch

Victor Protasio


Winter citrus hits the in-season market in late fall, so don’t waste any time getting this vitamin C-packed salad on the table. A variety of winter citrus, including grapefruit, Cara Cara oranges, tangerines, and blood oranges, tops a bed of cooling yogurt. Then, it’s all topped with a drizzling of sweet orangy syrup and a sprinkling of candied nuts.

Crunchy Salad With Chicken and Ginger

Fred Hardy


Bell pepper, matchstick carrots, cabbage, and sliced almonds give this salad its rightful name. Freshly grated ginger adds a subtle kick throughout. The dressing is bright and citrusy, thanks to the orange juice in the mix. Warm chicken thighs complete the salad, adding protein and warmth.


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