Vegan Winter Salad Recipe

This winter, embrace winter vegetables in season with this vegan winter salad. In a season often devoted to comfort foods and hot soups, remember beautiful winter vegetables in their raw and roasted forms. So dig into this vegan winter salad recipe!

Whenever I create a new salad recipe, I always consider the season. When vegetables are in season, they not only taste better, but they are less expensive. So, today, I made a winter salad recipe filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables. Not only is this vegan winter salad recipe delicious, but it's also full of vibrant colors of the rainbow. I love serving winter salad with a piping hot bowl of soup and a side of crusty bread. 

Jump to:

• What is Nutrient Density?
• Winter Salad Ingredients
• Winter Salad Ingredient Substitutions
• How to Make a Vegan Winter Salad
• Apple Cider Dressing Ingredients
• Apple Cider Dressing Ingredient Substitutions
• Recipe FAQs
• Tips
• Other Recommended Salad Recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Nutrient-dense vegetables are essential for maximum nutritional value when considering the ingredients in a winter salad. Not only should a vegan winter salad taste good, but it should also include as many vitamins and minerals for a healthy profile. 

What is Nutrient Density?

For foods to rank as nutrient-dense, they are calculated by the ratio of quality ingredients containing more beneficial nutrients than calories. Dr. Furhman developed the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index to measure the level of nutrient-dense foods ranking their quality compared to other foods. 

For instance, every ingredient measures high nutrient density in this vegan winter salad recipe. 

If you're anything like me, you crave refreshing green salads all year long. However, winter provides some of the most savory and fresh vegetables. Winter salad includes various winter vegetables and is highlighted with the sweetness of pomegranate seeds and yellow beets. 

Winter Salad Ingredients

Although the list of winter vegetables far entends the ingredients in this vegan winter salad recipe, I've included my favorite winter veggies and fruit into one beautifully nutrient-dense salad.

• Kale: Of all the super healthy greens, kale is king. It is one of the healthiest and most nutritious plant foods. Kale contains all sorts of beneficial compounds, some of which have powerful medicinal properties.
• Romaine Lettuce: Compared to red leaf, green leaf, butterhead (Boston and bib types), and iceberg, it delivers more folate, potassium, beta carotene and lutein.
• Red Cabbage: Red cabbage is a dark purplish cruciferous vegetable consumed raw and cooked. It is also called purple cabbage, blue kraut, or red kraut. Compared to green cabbage heads, red cabbage tastes slightly peppery.
• Watermelon Radishes: Despite the name, watermelon radishes do not taste like watermelon! They have a mild flavor that is slightly sweet yet peppery.
• Pickled Onion: Pickled red onions are tangy and sweet.
• Yellow Beets: Golden beets are a variety of beets similar to their red counterpart. The main difference between the two is their striking golden-yellow color. They also are a bit milder in taste though they have less sweetness than red beets.
• Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a dietary superfood filled with vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial molecules despite its pale-colored appearance
• Baby Bell Peppers: Baby bell peppers are sweet and come in a variety of vibrant colors.
• Tomatoes: I like grape tomatoes because they are small, sweet, and have fewer seeds than other small tomatoes.
• Chickpeas: Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are healthy food. They are part of the legume family which counts as a vegetable and protein food.
• Pomegranate Seeds: Pomegranate seeds are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and fatty acids that may benefit your health. They are also a good source of vitamin E and magnesium.

Winter Salad Ingredient Substitutions

• Choose any preferred greens to replace kale if you don't like or tolerate kale.
• Replace the red cabbage with Napa or white cabbage.
• Any radishes work well with the recipe.
• Broccoli is often substituted for cauliflower in salads, and it roasts well.
• Substitute red bell pepper for baby bell peppers.
• Try cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes. However, a little larger, cherry tomatoes have a similar taste.
• White beans are an excellent substitute for chickpeas if you don't have chickpeas.
• Raspberries or cranberries are a substitute for pomegranate seeds.

How to Make a Vegan Winter Salad

As with most salads, always begin with a base of greens. I chose a combination of kale and Romaine lettuce. Since I prefer my kale chopped finely, I also chopped the Romaine lettuce. I like a chopped salad for easier digestion and more efficient eating. 

Then begin adding the chickpeas and vegetables, evenly distributing them over the greens. 

One of my favorite ingredients is pickled red onions because of the acidity and color of the vegan winter salad recipe. But regular sliced red onion tastes just as satisfying with the salad ingredients. 

Similarly, I adore watermelon radishes. Their vibrant pink color highlights the pickled red onions and the pomegranate seeds. Again, the cauliflower and the beets are roasted and the only cooked vegetables in the salad. Another option is to include the cauliflower and beets raw, but I prefer the savory roasted versions of both. 

Once the cauliflower and beets cool, add them to the salad and toss them with the dressing, or serve the dressing on the side. 

I made an oil-free apple cider vinegar dressing with dates for this vegan winter salad recipe. With very few ingredients, the acidity in this dressing pairs well with the vegetables, chickpeas, and pomegranate seeds for a sweet and savory treat! 

Apple Cider Dressing Ingredients

• Medjool Dates: The difference between Medjool dates and regular dates is that they come from different cultivars of the same plant.
• Dijon Mustard: The unique pungency of Dijon is due to the use of brown or black mustard seeds, which are more bitter than yellow mustard seeds. Dijon also uses a combination of white wine and vinegar, unique to Dijon in the vast world of mustard.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar only contains three calories per tablespoon and no fat, so when it is combined with other healthy ingredients (including healthy fats), you have a salad dressing that tastes good, goes well with your salad, and doesn't add a lot of unhealthy fat and calories to your daily
• Sea Salt: Sea salt is a general term for salt produced by evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes. It is less processed than table salt and retains trace minerals. These minerals add flavor and color.
• Black Pepper: I prefer fresh ground pepper, especially in salad dressings.
• Garlic Powder: The difference between garlic powder and fresh garlic is that garlic powder is the dried and finely ground form of garlic. 
• Water: The water in the dressing helps thin it out and emulsify the dressing instead of oil.

Apple Cider Dressing Ingredient Substitutions

• Choose regular dates, prunes, or figs.
• Stone-ground mustard is a natural substitute for dijon mustard.
• Substitute white wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
• If your recipe calls for garlic powder and you're out or would rather use fresh garlic, you can substitute 8 fresh garlic cloves for one teaspoon of powdered garlic.

Recipe FAQs

Tips

• When eating kale, I prefer to chop it finely. It helps with chewing as well as digestion.
• The best way to cut and open a pomegranate is to cut it in half through the equator, then hold it over a bowl of water and cut side down. With a wooden spoon, smack the skin assertively and repeatedly and watch the seeds hail down.
• Make the dressing first and refrigerate it, so it's nice and cold when the salad is ready.
• To prevent the cold ingredients from wilting, roast the cauliflower and allow it to cool slightly before adding it to the salad.
• Consider adding some roasted nuts such as walnuts, almonds, or pecans.
• If you don't like the apple cider vinegar dressing, this winter salad recipe is excellent with avocado ranch dressing, creamy balsamic dressing, or oil-free Italian dressing.

Try this vegan winter salad recipe with the season's freshest produce. It's a great entree or side salad for the holidays.

Other Recommended Salad Recipes

If you love this winter salad recipe, give us a 5-star review and comment below. We would love to hear from you!

📖 Recipe