Winter is the season of soups and deep-fried pakoras. But there’s so much more to explore in winter food. With so many fruits and vegetables like spinach, kale, carrot, beetroot, grapes, and guava in season, winter is the perfect time to make some delicious and quick salads. These winter salads will put a rainbow of colours on your plate and are easy to make, healthy, and delicious.

1. Peanut Salad

Ingredients:

½ cup raw peanuts

½ cup diced cucumber

1 small tomato, finely chopped

½ cup onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp mint, finely chopped

¼ tsp red chilli powder or to taste

1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

½ tsp chaat masala

1 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Method:

Put ½ cup of raw peanuts into a pressure cooker, add salt and adequate water, and cook on a medium flame for 3-4 whistles.

In a large mixing bowl, add the diced cucumber, finely chopped tomato, onion, mint, coriander leaves, and parsley. Mix well.

Once the peanuts are boiled, add them to the vegetables and herbs and add the spices. Mix them well so that the spices are coated well. Add a tbsp of lemon juice and mix again.

Set it aside for 15 minutes and then serve.

2. Chickpea Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup boiled chickpeas

½ cup diced cucumber

¼ cup onion, finely chopped

¼ cup tomato, finely chopped

1 clove garlic

¼ cup grated carrot

¼ cup coriander, finely chopped

½ cup hung curd

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp lime juice

¼ tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Method:

Boil some chickpeas in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles and set aside.

Make a salad dressing with hung curd, olive oil, lime juice, cumin powder, finely chopped garlic, salt, and black pepper. Whisk it well and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add the chickpeas and all the diced and chopped vegetables. Add the salad dressing to the chickpea mix and combine well. Adjust seasoning as per taste.

Set the salad aside for 1-2 hours and serve, or you can even serve it immediately.

3. Spinach and quinoa salad

Ingredients:

1 cup boiled quinoa

2 cups chopped spinach

1 cup mushrooms, sliced

½ cup onion finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Method:

Slightly blanch the spinach and set aside. At the same time, boil a cup of quinoa and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the boiled quinoa and blanched spinach and keep aside.

In a pan, add a tbsp of olive oil. Once the oil heats up, add chopped onion and cook on a medium flame for about 5 minutes.

Once the onion is slightly cooked, add the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper until the mushrooms turn tender. When done, remove from the stove, add a tbsp of olive oil and 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar.

Add the vinaigrette over the quinoa and spinach mix and toss well.

4. Sweet potato salad

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tomato, finely chopped

½ tsp grated ginger

½ tsp roasted and ground flax seeds

2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

½ cup peanuts

1 tbsp lime juice

½ tsp chaat masala

½ tsp oregano

A pinch of red chilli powder

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Method:

Boil the sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles. Once done, turn off the flame and set it aside to cool.

Once cooled, chop the sweet potatoes into cubes and add to a mixing bowl. In the meantime, dry roast half a cup of peanuts and set aside to cool.

To the mixing bowl, add chopped onions, tomato, coriander, and peeled roasted peanuts.

Add the herbs and spices along with the finely chopped coriander leaves and lime juice. Toss the mixture well.

Make sure not to mash the sweet potatoes and serve immediately.

5. Beet and moong salad

Ingredients:

½ cup green moong dal

1 cup beetroot, grated

½ cup carrot, grated

¼ cup cucumber, grated

½ onion, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method:

Soak the green moong overnight. In the morning, drain the water and set the moong dal aside for the moisture to dry up.

Add the dried moong to a mixing bowl. Grate some beetroot into the bowl.

Add grated carrots, cucumber, finely chopped onion, coriander, and green chillies, and mix well.

Add salt and lime juice. Serve immediately.

This winter, enjoy a few rich salads rather than just sticking to a staple soup.

Featured Image Source

Related: 7 Pumpkin Spice Recipes Beyond Lattes You Can Try This Weekend