The Big (Salad) Chill

As menus transition into the depths of colder months, now is an ideal time to incorporate heartier salad bases that move away from light greens and tender lettuce. This natural seasonal shift also opens the door to explore bolder complementary toppers and dressings. Furthermore, as consumers increasingly prioritize personal health, winter-friendly salads and salad bowls containing fiber-rich ingredients provide operators an effective tool to help customers reap the nutritional benefits—and get a jumpstart in the burgeoning fiber trend, which is poised to make a big impact in 2026.

Here, we kick winter salad season into full gear, offering up imaginative “try this” builds and corresponding menu sightings. Bright citrus accents, sharply spiced vinaigrettes, dressings with creamy indulgence, touches of fruit forward exuberance, distinct crunches, robust root vegetables and earthy grains/legumes provide tasty and texture-packed counterpoints to these dense bases.

To facilitate salad innovation, menu developers can implement a swap or skip approach. To swap, use heartier greens in place of the standard lettuce, opt for a bolder blend or apply a 90/10 swap rule where 90 percent of the salad base is an alternative component and 10 percent is a lettuce. The second approach is to skip the lettuce entirely and go all in on an alternative salad composition. Either way, winter salad creations will deliver substantial textural comfort, satiating taste and soulful warmth to the chilly season.

I. SWAP IN FRESH GREENS

These four salad compositions swap the usual suspects (lettuce, romaine, spinach, etc.) in favor of less common greens, imparting sophisticated flavor and winter vibes.

Brussels Sprouts
Standard spinach is substituted for a heartier shaved dual texture of raw and wilted Brussels sprouts in this take on a classic salad, amplified by an upgrade of charred oyster mushrooms and a traditional hot bacon dressing spiked with brown sugar.

Try This

• Hot Bacon Brussels Salad: shaved Brussels sprouts (half raw and half wilted) + raw red onion slivers + charred oyster mushrooms + chopped hard-boiled eggs + hot brown sugar-and-bacon dressing

Frisée + Napa Cabbage
Standard romaine is swapped for the flavorsome intrigue of frisée, napa cabbage and shiso leaf in this classic salad, further infused with trending Asian flavors which retain Caesar’s status coupled with an approachable twist.

Try This

• Japanese Caesar Salad: frisée + chopped napa cabbage + green shiso leaves chiffonade + shaved Asiago + sesame toasted panko breadcrumbs + miso-Caesar dressing

Radichio + Mizuna + Tatsoi
Chargrilled radicchio, mizuna (Japanese mustard greens) and tatsoi create a sharply bold winter blend paired with the elegant sweetness of pear, a punchy dressing and fine top coating of grated salty cheese.

Try This

• Peppery Pear Salad: torn leaves of chargrilled radicchio + mizuna + tatsoi + thinly sliced ripe Seckel pears + creamy cracked peppercorn-lemon-garlic-onion dressing + grated ricotta salata

Endive + Fennel + Watermelon Radish
Ninety percent of this energizing salad base is Belgian endive, fennel, watermelon radish and 10 percent is thicker, mature spinach. Its juxtaposition of crunch and flavor is further complemented by a spiced fruit vinaigrette and a healthy sprinkle of fiber-rich flax seeds.

Try This

• Winter Crunch Salad: white Belgian endive + shaved fennel + thinly sliced rounds of watermelon radish + mature spinach + spiced blueberry-and-pomegranate vinaigrette + toasted flax seeds

Menu Sightings

Porzana, a modern Argentinian steakhouse in Minneapolis, swaps out lighter ingredients with cozy, seasonal substance via a Winter Panzanella with roasted squash, lacinato kale, mascarpone, dill vinaigrette with a smear of goat cheese and touch of chile honey.

Mirador, a progressive American cuisine restaurant in Dallas, replaces romaine with its Escarole Caesar, featuring capers, herbed breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Also on the menu is the Speckled Castelfranco, with brown butter vinaigrette, pears, golden raisins, pecans and mimolette.

National chain Crisp & Green introduced a seasonal salad called #SquashGoals. A kale-arugula blend is topped with roasted chicken, quinoa, maple-roasted butternut squash, apples, white cheddar, pecans and apple cider-pumpkin seed dressing.

II. SKIP THE SALAD

These four “try this” builds play up the appeal of lettuce-free seasonal salads, introducing new experiences to winter menus.

BEETS
Colors and textures abound when the warm temperature of earthy beets marries the chilled snap of pickled tricolor carrots, bright citrus of blood oranges and pecan crunch. The final touch is a creamy contrast of Gorgonzola vinaigrette

• Warm Golden Beet n’ Pickled Carrot Salad: warm wedges of roasted golden beets + quick-pickled tricolor baby carrot quarters + blood orange segments + toasted chopped pecans + Gorgonzola vinaigrette

Lentils + Chard
The sweetened softness of roasted delicata squash paired with the al dente bite of lentils and toothsome chew of a sautéed chard duo is elevated through a crisp tang of green apple and “swavory” maple-Dijon dressing, complemented with a light topping of crispy fried onions.

• Maple-Dijon Delicata Lentil Salad: rustic wedges of roasted delicata squash + French lentils + sautéed rainbow chard leaves and stems + chopped Granny Smith apple + creamy maple-Dijon dressing + crunchy fried onions

Broccoli Rabe
The script is flipped on classic Middle Eastern tabbouleh: Warm, savory vegetables, grains and/or legumes and meaty Mediterranean accents transform this side dish into a salad star.

• Broccoli Rabe-Italian Sausage “Tabbouleh”: blanched-sautéed-chopped broccoli rabe + chopped Italian parsley + sliced scallions + charred Italian sausage crumbles + bulgur + chickpeas + sun-dried tomato and lemon vinaigrette

Root Vegetables
This Mexican-inspired salad is a celebration of root vegetables, which are shredded into a slaw-like salad offering that’s sure to warm up the coldest day through vibrant colors and flavors.

• Mexican Winter Slaw: mixed matchsticks of rutabaga, carrot, celeriac and red radish + charred Serrano peppers + mango + fresh cilantro leaves + pepitas + achiote-chile lime dressing + Cotija cheese crumbles

Menu Sightings

The Snake River Grill in Jackson, Wyo., offers up rustic winter elegance with a Warm Root Vegetable Salad with candied nuts, Gorgonzola dolce, and parsnip vinaigrette.

Chòpnblok, a contemporary West-African gem in Houston, serves a seasonal Captain’s Salad of chicken and shrimp, plantains, roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower, with sweet-onion yassa dressing.

Luncheonette, an eclectic fast casual in Portland, Maine, takes a shareable approach to salads that encourages patrons to try a little bit of a lot. Seasonal temptations include a Cabbage “Caesar” with tahini dressing, Farro Salad with Dijon vinaigrette, Celery Root Remoulade with apple and hazelnuts, Shredded Beet Root with horseradish ricotta, Honeycrisp apple and endive, and Broccoli & Cauliflower with gochujang and sesame.