These Thanksgiving Salads Are Hearty and Healthy Ideas for the Feast

There are bound to be plenty of heavy, stick-to-your-bones Thanksgiving side dishes on your holiday table this year. Think mashed potatoes, stuffing, and tons of casserole dishes. So it's only right to balance out your meal with something lighter, more refreshing, and completely seasonal—like these thanksgiving salads! But don't get us wrong—we're not talking about a boring plate of lettuce. These Thanksgiving salad recipes are guaranteed to be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving menu.

Whether you opt for a simpler salad recipe to serve as a Thanksgiving appetizer, or you go all out with one that's bit heartier, these amazing (and easy) Thanksgiving side salads will surprise all your holiday guests. Here, you'll find salads featuring seasonal fruits and vegetables (like butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and apples), plus satisfying mix-ins like nuts and cheese. Plus, there are even grain salads like the holiday wild rice salad that are hearty enough to serve on their own as a fall dinner. If you like to plan out your Thanksgiving cooking like Ree Drummond does, the make-ahead salads found here are a great option. You can prep most of them the day before and wait until guests arrive to pour on the dressing. That will give you plenty of time to put those Thanksgiving desserts together, too!