There’s nothing better on a warm summer’s day than a refreshing and tasty salad. Not only are they delicious, but they are a great way to get your veggies and nutrients in.
However, not all salads need to be cold. There are an array of warm salads that are perfect for the winter too!
This article will provide you with a list of some of the most delicious green salads packed with healthy goodness, and they’re all incredibly versatile, which means you can change any of the ingredients up, to add your favorite foods!
1. Chopped Salad
Starting this list off, we have a very simple, yet delicious chopped salad. This is perfect as a side dish for your favorite meals, or on its own as a refreshing light lunch or dinner.
This salad is made with a combination of crunchy romaine lettuce, along with cucumber, tomatoes, pepperoncini, and olives, topped with some Parmesan cheese and a mouthwatering homemade Italian dressing.
An added bonus is this salad is completely vegetarian and gluten-free! If you’d like to make it vegan, then just take out the cheese.
2. Classic Caesar
Of course, we had to include a classic Caesar salad recipe in this article. While it’s so easy and tempting to buy a pre-made Caesar dressing and croutons, there’s nothing like making it yourself, and it’s a lot simpler than you might think!
Instead of using the classic mayo and oil for the dressing, this recipe uses Greek yogurt, giving it a healthy spin without missing out on the creaminess.
You’ll also need anchovy paste, but if you’d like to make it vegetarian, you won’t need it as there’s enough flavor already.
If you want to elevate your meal further, the obvious choice would be to add chicken, but why not add some sautéed or grilled shrimp instead? For a veggie option, add some seasoned, crispy chickpeas!
The best part about this is you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time.
The dressing will hold in the fridge for about a week, and the croutons will be even better if they’re made two days in advance, just remember to store the dressing and the salad separately to avoid sogginess!
3. Green Salad With Peaches Feta & Mint Vinaigrette
Refreshing is the one word we’d use to describe this classy salad. It uses a combination of bitter greens such as watercress and arugula, along with soft and sweet peaches, topped with toasted nuts for an extra crunch.
The peaches can also be replaced with melons or dried apricots for some versatility, and the mint vinaigrette gives it a healthy and fresh taste.
To prepare this delicious dressing, all you need to do is mix chopped mint and lemon juice and boil them together.
Steep for around 10 minutes before straining to get rid of the leaves. Then, add some oil, vinegar, honey, and some salt and mix well to combine!
4. Bacon And Brussels Sprout Salad
Just because the title of this article has ‘salad’ in it, doesn’t mean we need to limit ourselves to leafy greens. Using shaved brussels sprouts as a base for your salad will add some amazing texture and flavor!
This recipe combines these shredded Brussels with crispy bacon, shredded cheese, crunchy almonds, and tangy citrus and shallot vinaigrette.
This is the perfect salad to bring to your thanksgiving dinner, and it’s especially good for those who are fussy about eating Brussels sprouts!
5. Warm Goat’s Cheese Salad
Warm goat’s cheese salad is a classic dish that can be had as a starter or a main, that originated in France.
The combination of crunchy leafy greens, crunchy nuts, and the warm molten center of the goat’s cheese makes this salad super comforting and delicious.
Once you’ve made it once, the rest of your household will be dying for you to make more.
The trick is to find Crottin de Chavignol cheese. This cheese is the best for this salad, as it needs to be pan-fried before adding it to the salad.
This will sear the outer layer, giving it some crispness, so you’re able to cut into the oozy center.
You’ll also want some balsamic vinegar and olive oil to drizzle on top. This salad is filled with flavor on its own, so there’s no need for a hefty, fancy dressing!
6. Roasted And Charred Broccoli With Peanuts
Like the previous option, salads don’t have to be cold. This vegetable salad is perfect for the winter, as it includes charred and roasted broccoli with crunchy, roasted peanuts.
All you need to do is roast the broccoli stems and fry the florets separately in a skillet. Once cooked, combine with salt, pepper, nuts and scallions, and you’re done1
7. Green Goddess Salad
Although the green goddess salad is nothing new, it has gone viral on the popular platform TikTok. What gives it the name ‘green goddess’ is the creamy green dressing.
Originally, the recipe involved mixing green onions, parsley, tarragon, mayo, sour cream, anchovies, and chives.
However, this one only utilizes the chives and green onions but adds spinach, nutritional yeast, garlic, rice vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and shallots for the dressing.
The result is a creamy and delicious dressing, that is super healthy too!
The salad component of this dish takes on more of a ‘slaw’ texture and combines sliced cabbage, cucumbers, green onions, and chives all finely diced.
You can add any protein you like to make this a full-on dish, but the favorite way to eat it is scooping some of the green goodness onto some chips like a salsa, and enjoying your meal that way.
Final Thoughts
This article has provided you with a list filled with healthy green salads that you can enjoy no matter what time of the year it is.
From light and refreshing salads to warm and comforting combinations, this list has covered it all.
The best part is you can customize each of these recipes to your heart’s desire, and add all kinds of extras you like!
