13 Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Salad Recipes

Salads you can make the night before are Thanksgiving gold. These thirteen make-ahead salads stay crisp and fresh — hearty grain bowls, shaved Brussels sprouts, and sweet-tart apple creations that free up oven space.

Below you’ll find 13 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Overnight Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

Hearty greens that only get better as they marinate.

Ingredients

• 4 cups kale, chopped
• 2 cups shaved Brussels sprouts
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Massage kale with half the vinaigrette.
2. Add Brussels sprouts, apple, pecans, cranberries.
3. Toss with remaining dressing.
4. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Toss and serve cold.

2. Roasted Squash Farro Salad

Chewy farro, sweet squash, and jewel-like pomegranate.

Ingredients

• 2 cups farro, cooked
• 1 butternut squash, roasted and cubed
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/3 cup pistachios
• 1/4 cup feta
• 3 tbsp maple vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Cook farro; cool to room temperature.
2. Roast squash at 400°F for 25 minutes.
3. Toss farro, squash, arils, pistachios, feta.
4. Dress with maple vinaigrette.
5. Chill overnight; serve cold.

3. Shaved Brussels and Apple Slaw

Crunchy, tart, and sturdy enough to make ahead.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Brussels sprouts, shaved
• 2 apples, julienned
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup parmesan, shaved
• 1/3 cup lemon Dijon dressing

Instructions

1. Shave Brussels sprouts thinly.
2. Toss with apples, walnuts, cherries, parmesan.
3. Dress generously.
4. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
5. Toss before serving.

4. Wild Rice and Sweet Potato Salad

Nutty wild rice with caramelized sweet potato.

Ingredients

• 2 cups wild rice, cooked
• 1 cup roasted sweet potato cubes
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup pecans
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup orange vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Cook wild rice; cool.
2. Roast sweet potato at 400°F for 20 minutes.
3. Combine with cranberries, pecans, green onions.
4. Toss with orange vinaigrette.
5. Chill overnight.

5. Roasted Cauliflower Tahini Salad

Creamy tahini dressing over caramelized cauliflower.

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut in florets
• 1/2 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 2 tbsp parsley

Instructions

1. Roast cauliflower at 425°F for 25 minutes.
2. Whisk tahini, lemon, garlic, and water.
3. Toss cauliflower with half the dressing.
4. Top with arils and parsley.
5. Chill; serve with extra dressing.

6. Butternut Spinach Make-Ahead Salad

Sweet squash and tangy goat cheese over sturdy spinach.

Ingredients

• 3 cups cubed butternut squash
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup goat cheese
• 1/3 cup candied pecans
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Roast squash at 400°F for 25 minutes; cool.
2. Layer spinach, squash, goat cheese, pecans, cranberries.
3. Dress lightly.
4. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Toss gently before serving.

7. Beet and Quinoa Salad

Earthy beets and fluffy quinoa with briny feta.

Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa, cooked
• 1 cup roasted beets, diced
• 1/2 cup feta
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup dill, chopped
• 3 tbsp red wine vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa; cool.
2. Roast beets at 400°F for 40 minutes; dice.
3. Combine with feta, walnuts, dill.
4. Dress with vinaigrette.
5. Chill overnight for best flavor.

8. Marinated Green Bean Salad

Classic marinated beans that improve overnight.

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans, blanched
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup red onion, sliced
• 1/3 cup feta
• 1/4 cup olives
• 1/3 cup Italian dressing

Instructions

1. Blanch green beans 3 minutes; ice bath.
2. Toss with tomatoes, onion, feta, olives.
3. Pour over Italian dressing.
4. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Serve cold or room temp.

9. Cranberry Apple Cabbage Slaw

Crunchy, sweet-tart slaw that holds for days.

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded red cabbage
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 apple, julienned
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup poppy seed dressing

Instructions

1. Toss cabbages, apple, cranberries, seeds.
2. Pour over poppy seed dressing.
3. Mix well.
4. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
5. Stir before serving.

10. Moroccan Carrot Couscous Salad

Warm spices, sweet raisins, and fluffy couscous.

Ingredients

• 2 cups couscous, cooked
• 1 cup roasted carrots, sliced
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup lemon olive oil dressing

Instructions

1. Cook couscous; fluff.
2. Roast carrots with cumin at 400°F for 20 minutes.
3. Combine with raisins, almonds, mint.
4. Dress with lemon olive oil.
5. Chill overnight.

11. Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Sweet pears balance funky blue cheese beautifully.

Ingredients

• 1 head romaine, chopped
• 2 pears, diced
• 1/2 cup blue cheese
• 1/3 cup candied walnuts
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup cider vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Chop romaine; add pears, blue cheese, walnuts, cranberries.
2. Dress just before chilling.
3. Refrigerate up to 12 hours.
4. Toss gently.
5. Serve cold.

12. Mushroom Barley Salad

Savory, umami-packed grain salad for mushroom lovers.

Ingredients

• 2 cups barley, cooked
• 1 cup roasted mushrooms
• 1/2 cup parmesan, shaved
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted
• 2 tbsp thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup sherry vinaigrette

Instructions

1. Cook barley; cool.
2. Roast mushrooms at 425°F for 20 minutes.
3. Combine with parmesan, hazelnuts, thyme.
4. Dress with sherry vinaigrette.
5. Chill overnight.

13. Harvest Crunch Salad

Maximum crunch with a sweet honey-mustard coat.

Ingredients

• 3 cups shredded Brussels sprouts
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup pepitas
• 1/4 cup red onion, minced
• 1/2 cup honey mustard dressing

Instructions

1. Toss Brussels sprouts, carrots, cranberries, pepitas, onion.
2. Pour over honey mustard dressing.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Stir and serve.