19 holiday salad recipes

Dill egg salad lightened with nonfat yogurt, served on lettuce leaves as wraps or scoops. A low-carb, make-ahead lunch or party appetizer.

Halloween hairball salad: walnut-sized balls of mashed avocado and alfalfa sprouts rolled up and perched on grated carrots, finished with Italian dressing. Kid-friendly ghoulish fun.

Grilled eggplant salad topped with a quick-pickled cucumber and red onion relish in cider vinegar dressing. A smoky, refreshing summer vegetable side.

French green salad with butter lettuce, spinach, and sauteed shiitake mushrooms in a lemon-Dijon vinaigrette topped with fresh basil. An elegant, earthy side salad.

Creamy German cucumber salad (Gurkensalat) tossed in a tangy sour cream dressing with mustard and fresh dill. Salting the cucumbers first keeps every slice crisp and the dressing thick, never watery.

Frozen cranberry slices with cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, sour cream, and pecans. A make-ahead holiday salad that slices clean and keeps for weeks in the freezer.

A refreshing molded salad to accompany holiday foods.

Sugar-free cranberry orange gelatin salad made with whole orange, raw cranberries, and sugar-free gelatin. A light, low-calorie holiday side that's tangy, refreshing, and guilt-free.

Low-calorie molded cranberry salad with ginger ale, apple, celery, and orange zest set in unflavored gelatin. A lighter take on the classic holiday Jello salad.

Roasted root vegetable salad with carrot-curry vinaigrette and crispy fried horseradish. Parsnips, beets, carrots, celery root, and onion roasted hard, dressed warm. Holiday-table showstopper.

Double raspberry Jello salad with frozen raspberries and whole cranberry sauce. A three-ingredient molded side dish that's a holiday table staple.

Creamy ambrosia fruit salad with mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks, coconut, mini marshmallows, and sour cream. A no-cook, make-ahead holiday side dish.

I created this recipe to use leftover holiday turkey. It's a classic bound salad using mayonnaise and celery, but it also includes fresh cranberries, orange juice and cashews. Although new to our menu, it has become a holiday favorite. My family requests I make my own turkey before Thanksgiving so I can serve this salad as an appetizer at our holiday feast. I hope you will find it as enjoyable as we do. Enjoy it on rolls, in wraps, or as a spread with crackers

Christmas vegetable salad mold: a savory gelatin holiday side built with chicken broth, yogurt, green peppers, radishes, dill, and scallions. Retro festive table presentation, diabetic-friendly.

Apple-pecan salad filling for cranberry molds with crisp apples, celery, and pecans in a lightened mayo dressing with folded whipped cream. A classic Thanksgiving holiday side.

This recipe is definitely worth the effort for the holidays and special company. Broiled stuffed tomatoes and a fresh green salad are perfect accompaniments with this meat dish.