Thanksgiving Green Salad

If you’re looking for a bright and fresh Thanksgiving Salad, this is the one with the best seasonal ingredients that you can prep in advance!

Get ready for the Best Thanksgiving Salad

For me, Thanksgiving dinner usually isn’t complete without a salad, and I’ve made this same really good Thanksgiving green salad recipe year after year. 

This salad for Thanksgiving is a combination of sweet and savory flavors using seasonal ingredients, and it’s easy to prep a lot of it in advance. Simply toss it together right before dinner!

Salad for Thanksgiving ingredients

• mixed greens – forms the base of the salad.
• acorn squash – adds a hearty, sweet flavor and a seasonal touch to this salad. You can also use roasted delicata squash, butternut squash or sweet potato.
• pear – adds a seasonal sweetness and juicy, crisp texture. You can also use a chopped or sliced apple!
• pomegranate arils (seeds) – add a pop of sweetness and make the salad visually stunning. You can also use dried cranberries here.
• Parmesan cheese – brings a savory, nutty and salty flavor to the salad. Pecorino Romano is also great here.
• candied pecans – add a crunchy, sweet and indulgent note to this green salad for Thanksgiving. You can also use plain pecans, or candied or plain walnuts or almonds.
• olive oil – used for roasting the squash as well as the base of the salad dressing.
• apple cider vinegar – the tangy, slightly sweet and fruity pairing for the olive oil that makes the dressing.
• maple syrup – provides a natural sweetness and balances the tartness of the vinegar in the dressing.
• Dijon mustard – gives the dressing a bit of a kick and helps emulsify the oil and vinegar together for a smooth, creamy texture.
• salt and pepper – seasons the squash and the salad dressing (thus, the entire salad) to perfection.

What lettuce is best for salads?

I keep this best Thanksgiving salad recipe simple by starting with a big bowl of mixed greens. They provide a medley of flavors and textures, and they’re pretty.

You could also use baby spinach, arugula, thinly sliced kale or even butter lettuce.

How to make a Thanksgiving Salad

1. Preheat the oven, cut the squash and season it, and roast the squash.
2. Make the dressing using the oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard and salt and pepper.
3. Place the salad greens in a large bowl and add half the dressing. Toss the greens until they are lightly dressed, then taste and determine if you need to add a bit more dressing or not.
4. Pile the dressed greens onto a serving platter and top with pear, pomegranate arils, cheese, pecans and squash.

How to serve this Green Salad for Thanksgiving

This salad is an ideal first course if you serve your Thanksgiving dinner in courses, or it can be served alongside all the traditional Thanksgiving sides.

Serve it in a large bowl or platter, or if it works better for your setup, serve it in individual bowls or on small salad plates.

Thanksgiving Salad storage (prep ahead)

I’m a BIG fan of prepping for Thanksgiving in advance, so there’s less to do the day of, and this best Thanksgiving salad recipe is no exception.

The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance, and kept in the fridge.

In addition, you can roast the squash in advance. I would under-roast the squash (roast it just 20 to 25 minutes instead of 30). Allow it to cool and then keep it in a covered container in the fridge. 

When you’re ready to serve the salad, you can microwave the squash or pop it into the oven for a minute or two to finish cooking it. 

If you’re using a fresh pomegranate for this Thanksgiving green salad, you can de-seed the pomegranate in advance, and refrigerate the seeds (but personally, I usually just buy the little cups of pomegranate seeds, because it’s so much easier).

On the day of the big feast, slice the pears and toss everything together and you’re ready to go!

Best Thanksgiving Salad FAQs