Thanksgiving dinner usually brings plenty of rich, comforting dishes to the table, so it’s always nice to have a few fresh and colorful salads alongside them. These Thanksgiving salad recipes are perfect for adding a little balance to the holiday spread, with everything from creamy fruit salads and cranberry favorites to hearty fall salads filled with sweet potatoes, grains, nuts, and seasonal ingredients.

Whether you’re planning the full Thanksgiving menu, bringing something to a holiday potluck, or simply need an easy Thanksgiving side dish, there’s something here for every kind of gathering. You’ll find sweet, creamy favorites everyone knows and loves, along with fresh and savory options that pair beautifully with turkey, stuffing, casseroles, and all the other Thanksgiving classics.
Best of all, many of these fall salad recipes for Thanksgiving can be prepared ahead of time, which is always a win on a busy holiday. From nostalgic family favorites to colorful seasonal salads, these easy recipes are a simple way to add something fresh, delicious, and a little different to your Thanksgiving table.
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Thanksgiving Salad Ideas
A festive collection of easy Thanksgiving salad recipes, from creamy fruit salads and cranberry favorites to colorful fall salads made for holiday dinners, family gatherings, potlucks, and the Thanksgiving table.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Rice Salad
Warm, hearty, and packed with cozy fall flavor, this roasted sweet potato and rice salad is a delicious way to bring something a little different to the Thanksgiving table. It’s colorful, satisfying, and pairs beautifully with turkey, stuffing, casseroles, and all your favorite holiday sides.
Italian Cold Green Bean Salad
Fresh, crisp, and full of bright Italian flavor, this cold green bean salad is a refreshing addition to a rich Thanksgiving spread. It’s easy to make ahead, simple to serve, and brings a lighter, colorful side to the table alongside turkey, stuffing, and all the holiday classics.
Butternut Squash and Apple Kale Salad
Butternut squash and kale make the perfect Fall salad. An easy and delicious recipe that is perfect for everyone - gluten-free, vegan, and paleo.
Roasted Beet Salad
Colorful roasted beet salad with fresh greens, creamy goat cheese, a sprinkle of nuts, and a bright, tangy orange vinaigrette.
Roasted Squash with Pickled Walnut Salsa Verde & White Bean Puree
This recipe for Roasted Squash with Pickled Walnut Salsa Verde & White Bean Puree is the perfect centerpiece for a vegan Christmas feast!
RECIPE FOR BUTTERNUT SQUASH SALAD
This recipe for Butternut Squash Salad is easy to make and has incredible flavor! The Creamy Roasted Sesame Dressing brings it over the top!
Tangy Apple and Radicchio Salad with Mapled Walnuts
This 30-minute luxurious apple and radicchio salad features tart green apples, crisp greens, quick-candied walnuts, and creamy Gorgonzola cheese.
Fall Kale Caesar Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash | sweet miscellany
Ready in about 35 minutes, this hearty fall kale Caesar salad is topped with roasted delicata squash, toasty breadcrumbs, and a creamy homemade vegetarian Caesar dressing. It’s a flavorful seasonal salad that’s satisfying enough for lunch or dinner and just as perfect for weeknights as it is fall gatherings and holidays.
Fall Harvest Salad
A colorful fall harvest salad with seasonal flavors from kale, sweet potatoes, cranberries, toasted hazelnuts, and a maple-cider vinaigrette.
Easy Harvest Kale and Apple Salad Recipe
Easy Harvest Kale and Apple Salad is made with healthy kale, apples, cranberries, and walnuts, tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette dressing.
Sweet Potato Potato Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Cold Sweet Potato Potato Salad is a delicious twist on the classic! This healthy recipe is sweet & savory; it's gluten-free, vegan, & paleo!
Fall Harvest Salad Recipe
This Fall Harvest Salad recipe is one of our go-to salads when we want to capture the amazing flavors of Fall!
Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese
You will want to bookmark this recipe for Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese! It is a perfect appetizer or side dish for an elegant meal.
Golden Beet Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese
This Golden Beet Salad features marinated beets, golden raisins, toasted walnuts and a delicious homemade Honey Tarragon Vinaigrette
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad
A great side dish perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. This recipe combines winter produce with dry-cured ham and Feta cheese for a flavorful, winter side dish.
Spinach Gorgonzola Salad with Pear and Pomegranate
This Italian-inspired Spinach Gorgonzola Salad is the perfect holiday side dish! Crisp pears, creamy Gorgonzola, and festive colors will make it a hit!
Ultimate Fall Honeycrisp Apple Salad
Crisp Honeycrisp apples, smoky bacon, blue cheese, pecans, and pomegranate shine in this indulgent fall apple salad—perfect for holidays or dinner parties.
Autumn Honeycrisp Apple Candied Pecan Salad
If you're looking for a beautiful, seasonal salad perfect for autumn, Fall, and Thanksgiving gatherings, this Honeycrisp Apple and Candied Pecan Salad is sure to impress! It has a combination of crisp fruits, creamy goat cheese, sweet and crunchy candied pecans, and a tangy homemade maple dressing.
Thanksgiving Salad
The Thanksgiving salad that earns a spot at every holiday table — kale, roasted squash, dates, goat cheese, and a bright citrus dressing.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
This delicious roasted butternut squash salad recipe combines the perfect blend of flavors and textures for a healthy and satisfying meal.
Orange Cranberry Quinoa Salad
This tangy and vibrant Orange Cranberry Quinoa Salad is perfect for make-ahead healthy meal prep or as a quick & easy potluck party side dish.
Festive Cranberry Apple Coleslaw
Make a colorful and festive side dish with this easy Cranberry Apple Coleslaw recipe. Perfect for holidays and potlucks!
Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
This Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad is a healthy quinoa salad made with roasted sweet potatoes, kale, pumpkin seeds & feta.
Creamy Grape Salad
Sweet, creamy, and always a crowd-pleaser, this grape salad is an easy addition to the Thanksgiving table. Juicy grapes wrapped in a rich, creamy dressing make it perfect for balancing all those savory holiday favorites, and it’s especially handy when you need a make-ahead side for family gatherings or potlucks.
Cranberry Fluff Salad
Sweet, creamy, and full of festive cranberry flavor, this Cranberry Fluff Salad is the kind of holiday side everyone keeps going back for. It’s light, fluffy, beautifully festive, and perfect for adding a nostalgic touch to the Thanksgiving table.
The Best Cranberry Jello Salad Recipe
Cranberry salad is an easy cranberry jello from the Mennonite Community Cookbook and the perfect addition to your holiday dinner menu.
Winter Fruit Salad
Loaded with juicy fruit, this Winter Fruit Salad with a honey lime dressing is all fresh flavor and perfect for brunch to holiday feasts!


