5 Winter Salad Ideas
By Rochelle Bilow
Through the magic of grocery stores, it’s possible for many to eat tomatoes and tender lettuce year-round. But if you’re hunkering down for a cold-weather winter and want to eat locally-grown food, there’s nary a tomato in sight. Luckily, there is kale: These winter salad ideas feature hardy, healthy produce and are a welcome break from—or addition to—braised meat.
1. Squash And Farro Salad With Tahini Vinaigrette
By Chris Morocco
With grains for heft, many colors of vegetables, and a little bit of tangy cheese, this vegetarian dinner has all the bases covered.
1 cup semi-pearled farro
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium acorn squash (about 2 lb.), sliced lengthwise into 1” wedges, wedges halved crosswise
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
4 small radishes, trimmed, very thinly sliced
4 cups baby kale or arugula
4 ounces feta, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 425°. Cook farro in a medium pot of boiling salted water until tender but still al dente, 30–35 minutes; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, toss squash and 2 Tbsp. oil on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until soft and browned, 20–25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Whisk tahini, lemon zest, lemon juice, and remaining 4 Tbsp. oil in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add farro, squash, radishes, and kale and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Top salad with feta just before serving.
2. Collard Green Salad with Cashews and Lime
By Alison Roman
Collards and kale grow well into the winter, but do have some chew to them when eaten raw. Use your hands to work the dressing into the leaves until they soften and start to wilt.
1 cup unsalted, roasted cashews, divided
4 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino, divided, plus shaved for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 anchovy fillet packed in oil, drained, finely chopped
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, crushed, plus more for serving
½ bunch collard greens, ribs and stems removed, leaves coarsely torn
Process ½ cup cashews, 2 Tbsp. grated Pecorino, and 3 Tbsp. water in a food processor, thinning with more water as needed, until a smooth, creamy paste forms; season with salt and black pepper. Set cashew paste aside.
Whisk anchovy, oil, lime juice, 1 tsp. pink peppercorns, and 2 Tbsp. grated Pecorino in a large bowl; season with salt and black pepper. Coarsely chop remaining ½ cup cashews. Add nuts and collard greens to large bowl and toss to coat, gently massaging dressing into leaves with your fingers to bruise and slightly wilt.
Spread some reserved cashew paste onto each plate and top with salad and shaved Pecorino; sprinkle with more crushed pink peppercorns.
Also try it with: Tuscan kale
See more: 16 Winter Pasta Recipes to Keep You Warm and Well-Fed
3. Warm Cauliflower and Herbed Barley Salad
By Chris Morocco
Who says salads have to be cold? Not us. Don’t forget the grated lemon peel in this one—it brightens up a wintry dish.
1/2 cup pearled barley
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 15-ounce can gigante, corona, or butter beans, rinsed
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, divided
Place barley in a large saucepan; add water to cover by 2 inches. Season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain; run under cold water. Set aside.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and 5 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl until emulsified. Season dressing with salt and pepper; set aside.
Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cauliflower; cook, turning occasionally, until browned in spots, 10-12 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer cauliflower to a large bowl; add beans, 1/4 cup parsley, 1 tablespoon tarragon, reserved barley, and half of reserved dressing. Toss to coat; season with salt and pepper.
Divide salad among bowls; drizzle remaining dressing over. Garnish with lemon zest, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1 tablespoon tarragon.
4. Beet Salad with Miso and Black Sesame
By Dawn Perry
This salad’s secret? Combining raw and roasted beets delivers two textures from one ingredient.
6 small beets (about 1 lb.), preferably golden, scrubbed, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup white miso
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds or toasted white sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 400°. Place 4 beets on a large piece of foil and rub with 1 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper and close up foil around beets. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until tender, 30–40 minutes. Unwrap beets and let cool slightly. Peel and cut into ½” wedges.
Meanwhile, whisk miso, vinegar, remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, and 3 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. Set dressing aside.
Thinly slice remaining 2 raw beets on a mandoline. Arrange watercress and roasted and raw beets on a platter and drizzle with reserved dressing; top with sesame seeds.
Do Ahead: Beets can be roasted 2 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.
See more: Holiday Gift Guide 2014: Pantry Delights & Kitchen Toys
5. Pickled Vegetable Salad with Nori Vinaigrette
By Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley, Eventide Oyster Co., Portland, ME
Pickling is a smart way to make produce last longer, and also imparts a nice crunch. It might seem fussy to separate the vegetables when pickling, but if they’re combined, the colors will bleed and they won’t be as vibrant.
6 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, peeled, julienned
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
½ English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1¼ cups unseasoned rice vinegar, divided
2 toasted nori sheets
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
5 oz. tender lettuces (such as Bibb, butter, and mâche; about 6 cups)
Place radishes, carrots, onion, and cucumber in 4 separate bowls or jars. Bring sugar, salt, 1 cup vinegar, and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour pickling liquid over vegetables to cover; let cool. Cover and chill.
Grind nori in a blender, scraping down sides as needed, until finely ground. Add oil, soy sauce, mirin, and remaining ¼ cup vinegar and blend until smooth. Toss lettuces and dressing in a large bowl to coat.
Drain pickled vegetables and arrange on top of salad.
Do Ahead: Nori vinaigrette can be made 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Vegetables can be pickled 1 day ahead; keep chilled.
More from Bon Appétit:
Holiday Gift Guide 2014: Pantry Delights & Kitchen Toys
Holiday Gift Guide 2014: All Things Chocolate
Challah + Babka: We Give You… The Babkallah
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photos: Hirsheimer & Hamilton; Ditte Isager; Brian W Ferry; Hirsheimer & Hamilton; Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
