20 High Thanksgiving Salad Concepts

November 14, 2025

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These vibrant Thanksgiving salad concepts that includes seasonal produce like apples, pears, butternut squash, and pomegranate. These recent, flavorful salads steadiness wealthy vacation dishes completely!

In the case of facet dishes, the star of Thanksgiving doesn’t need to be the gravy, stuffing, or mashed potatoes. Enter: the Thanksgiving salad! As a substitute of brown and mushy, the salad might be one of the scrumptious issues in your vacation plate.

Over years of internet hosting, I’ve discovered that daring taste mixtures like roasted squash, crunchy apples, pomegranate jewels, and tangy dressings will make everybody attain for seconds. So listed below are my high Thanksgiving salad recipes that commemorate seasonal produce: from candy to savory, gentle to hearty, there’s one thing each eater shall be enthusiastic about!

My high Thanksgiving salad concepts

Crisp Apple Salad

My very favourite Thanksgiving salad that I've made for years is that this Crisp Apple Salad! Crisp tart apple slices pair with pops of pomegranate seeds, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy, cinnamon-spiced pecans. Toss them throughout recent greens with a zingy maple and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Candy Potato Salad

This candy potato salad is right for Thanksgiving! Make roasted candy potatoes, then toss with child arugula, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and a bit crumbled goat cheese or feta. Honey Mustard or Balsamic Dressing give it a tangy pop. The savory, candy, tangy, creamy and crunchy contrasts are so satisfying.

Pear Salad with Pecans

Right here’s a dreamy Thanksgiving salad: this good Pear Salad with Pecans! It’s a research in contrasts: recent, juicy pear in opposition to funky gorgonzola cheese; brilliant pomegranate in opposition to savory shallot. Throw in some toasted pecans and canopy it in tangy poppy seed dressing.

Brussels Sprout Salad

One other salad that screams Thanksgiving (for my part), is an efficient Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad! The uncooked greens of this in style veggie aren’t bitter in any respect: they’re candy and feathery. Mix them with a candy and tangy Djion mustard dressing, apples, and dried cherries.

Butternut Squash Salad

This stand-out Thanksgiving salad stars everybody’s favourite ingredient: butternut squash! Hearty candy squash pairs with crisp apple, chewy cranberries and a citrusy orange French dressing. You may as well substitute roasted candy potatoes for the squash.

Wild Rice Salad

This hearty wild rice salad recipe mixes crunchy veggies, pecans, cranberries, and feta cheese crumbles with the chewy grains of rice. That is one other private favourite of mine, particularly the maple Dijon French dressing dressing that infuses a tangy taste all through.

Pomegranate Salad

One among my favourite Thanksgiving salads is a pomegranate salad! Crunchy pomegranate seeds make a wonderful confetti excessive of leafy greens. Add tart inexperienced apple slices, toasted pecans, goat cheese or feta crumbles, and an apple cider vinegar dressing or pomegranate French dressing.

Beet Salad with Balsamic Dressing

There's one thing concerning the sweetness of roasted beets that simply works for Thanksgiving, and this Beet Salad is my favourite solution to serve them! They're paired with child greens, creamy goat cheese, and a tangy balsamic beet dressing. The colours alone make it a showstopper.

Apple, Goat Cheese & Balsamic Salad

Typically the best salads are those company can't cease consuming, and this Apple Goat Cheese Salad proves that time fantastically. Crisp apple slices, creamy goat cheese, and fluffy arugula come along with a tangy-sweet balsamic dressing that takes perhaps 5 minutes to whisk collectively.

Endive Salad with Parmesan & Orange

If you wish to impress with one thing a bit extra subtle, this Endive Salad brings elegant complexity to the desk. The bitter endive leaves distinction the juicy, candy orange segments and a sweet-tart purple wine French dressing. Savory Parmesan shavings and crunchy almonds add the ultimate touches.

Kale Slaw

This Kale Slaw is just like the cooler cousin of conventional coleslaw! Hearty kale holds up fantastically to the zingy maple apple cider vinegar dressing, and crisp apple slices and candy carrot ribbons add coloration and crunch.

Delicata Squash Salad

I like delicata squash for Thanksgiving salads since you don't need to peel it: simply slice and roast, and the pores and skin turns into tender and candy. This Delicata Squash Salad comes collectively merely with squash, pomegranate seeds, crunchy pistachios, and a tangy honey mustard dressing.

Fennel Salad with Parmesan

Even fennel skeptics love this Fennel Salad as a result of the uncooked vegetable is thinly shaved and paired with candy apple slices, zingy lemon juice, and savory Parmesan cheese. The fragile fennel fronds make a feathery, elegant garnish that provides to the salad's visible attraction.

Watercress Salad with Apple

Right here's a tasty Thanksgiving salad: Watercress Salad with Apple! Pair this bitter leafy inexperienced with lemon, apple and savory Parmesan shavings and also you gained’t have the opportunity to withstand one other chunk! The candy apple, zingy citrus and flaky salt steadiness out the spicy watercress, making for a recent and vibrant facet dish.

Apple Slaw

Whenever you need one thing creamy and tangy however nonetheless recent and crunchy, this Apple Slaw hits all the proper notes. Shredded cabbage, crisp apples, and candy carrots dress in a creamy poppy seed dressing. It's a enjoyable twist on conventional slaw that feels proper at residence on a Thanksgiving desk.

Fennel Orange Salad

This elegant salad options juicy citrusy oranges with a well-known pairing: sliced uncooked fennel, which provides a delicate licorice essence. Throw it over greens with a number of garnishes and high with a zingy do-it-yourself citrus French dressing.

Hearty Farro Salad

Right here’s a singular Thanksgiving salad: this Hearty Farro Salad! Farro is an historical grain with a chewy texture and nutty taste. I like pairing this entire grain with earthy mushrooms, feathery arugula, savory pops of cheese, and a zingy French dressing (omit the tomatoes for the Thanksgiving model).

Tuscan Kale Salad

I make this Tuscan Kale Salad year-round, nevertheless it feels particularly good for Thanksgiving with its daring, satisfying flavors. Tuscan kale (additionally known as lacinato or dinosaur kale) has a young texture when massaged with the dressing, and the lemony, garlicky Parmesan dressing makes it completely craveable.

Apple Manchego Salad

This apple manchego salad is made merely of apples and Manchego cheese lower into matchsticks, with a little bit of olive oil and a few sliced chives. The best way the apples and cheese are lower makes it exhausting to distinguish between the 2: making it all of the extra enjoyable to guess what shall be a part of every chunk!

Arugula Beet Salad

Right here’s a Thanksgiving salad concept that’s flavorful and versatile: arugula beet salad! It options jewel-toned roasted beets with child arugula, all lined in a zingy citrus French dressing. Add thin-sliced shallots and toasted walnuts, and it tastes subtle with minimal effort.

Suggestions for Making Thanksgiving Salads

Listed below are a number of suggestions for making these salads a part of your Thanksgiving menu:

Prep forward when doable. You may wash and dry greens the night time earlier than, roast greens prematurely, and make dressings as much as 1 week forward. Then on Thanksgiving day, you simply must assemble the whole lot!
Preserve parts separate till serving. No one desires soggy salad, so I organize all of the toppings within the serving bowl however don’t add the dressing till proper earlier than we eat. And even higher, I make small plated variations of the salad so everybody will get all of the mix-ins.
Make further dressing. It’s good to make extra French dressing thanks assume you’ll want. Plus leftover dressing is rarely an issue: it retains for weeks and works on so many different salad recipes all through the season.
Take into account particular diets. All of those salads are naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, and may simply be made vegan by omitting the cheese.

Storage & Make-Forward Notes

The important thing to storing any salad is conserving parts separate as a lot as doable. Retailer washed and dried greens within the fridge wrapped in paper towels inside a container or bag (and even your salad spinner!): they’ll keep good for a number of days.

Preserve any roasted greens, cheese, nuts, and different toppings in separate containers. This method is particularly useful for Thanksgiving leftovers whenever you wish to serve the salad over the following few days.

Dressings retailer effectively in mason jars or bottles within the fridge. Most vinaigrettes will maintain for no less than two weeks. Simply shake or whisk them effectively earlier than utilizing since they solidify and separate throughout storage.

Steadily Requested Questions

Can I make Thanksgiving salad forward of time?

You may prep all of the parts forward (wash greens, roast greens, make dressing), however don’t assemble the complete salad till shortly earlier than serving. This retains the whole lot crisp and recent. Retailer every part individually within the fridge and toss collectively inside an hour of serving.

What’s the very best dressing for Thanksgiving salad?

I like my Maple French dressing, Dijon Mustard Dressing, or Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing as a result of they praise the flavors effectively. Balsamic French dressing additionally works properly with roasted greens and fall fruits.

How do I maintain salad from getting soggy?

The key is conserving the dressing separate till the final doable second earlier than serving. Add the dressing solely whenever you’re able to serve, or serve it on the facet so company can add their very own.

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Thanksgiving Salad with Apples & Pomegranate

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5 from 3 opinions

This simple apple salad recipe is a delight, starring crisp fruit, greens, cheese crumbles, and a zingy maple French dressing.

Writer: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time: 0 minutes
Whole Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4
Class: Facet dish
Methodology: No Prepare dinner
Delicacies: Salad
Eating regimen: Vegetarian

Substances

For the salad

1 crisp tart apple (like Pink Girl)
8 cups blended greens or tender lettuces (like butter or Bibb lettuce, frisee, and so forth)
¼ cup candied pecans or toasted pecans
¼ cup goat cheese or feta cheese crumbles
¼ cup pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries
Optionally available: chopped recent thyme, for garnish

For the maple French dressing dressing (use 6 tablespoons)

2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
Recent floor black pepper (non-compulsory)

Prepare dinner Mode

Forestall your display from going darkish

Directions

If utilizing, put together the candied pecans prematurely (or use bought).
Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk the maple syrup, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Whisk within the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time till a creamy dressing kinds. (If desired, make prematurely and refrigerate as much as 2 weeks; carry to room temperature previous to serving).
Thinly slice the apple.
Place the greens on a big platter or particular person plates. High with apple slices, candied pecans, goat cheese or feta crumbles, and pomegranate seeds or dried cranberries. High with about 6 tablespoons of the dressing (or extra as desired) and serve instantly. (To make forward, maintain all parts separate with recent components and dressing refrigerated. Toss the apples with lemon juice to forestall browning. Convey dressing to room temperature and add all components collectively immediately earlier than serving.)

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20 High Thanksgiving Salad Concepts

My high Thanksgiving salad concepts

Suggestions for Making Thanksgiving Salads

Storage & Make-Forward Notes

Steadily Requested Questions

Thanksgiving Salad with Apples & Pomegranate

Substances

Directions

Extra Thanksgiving concepts

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