Why You Absolutely, Definitely Need a Salad at Thanksgiving
You’re either a salad-at-Thanksgiving person or you’re not. And if you’re not, I’m sorry, but you’re wrong.
As a general rule, I don’t take requests for side dishes—not at home when I’m cooking for others, definitely not when I’m hosting a holiday, and especially not when the request is to skip the salad.
Because for reasons I will never understand, the salad is always the first thing people try to eliminate.
Every year, in the midst of preparing countless dishes on Thanksgiving morning, someone inevitably asks, “Do we really need a salad?” as if a bowl of crisp, acidic greens is going to personally offend the turkey. But a good salad—the right salad—is the thing that keeps the entire meal from collapsing in on itself.
It’s the freshness, the crunch, the palate reset you didn’t know you needed until you’re halfway through your second helping of stuffing wondering why you suddenly feel…tired.
A salad is not optional. It is the contrast all the other Thanksgiving dishes are begging for.
Why a salad matters more than you think
A classic Thanksgiving table is essentially a buffet of soft foods: mashed, baked, whipped, roasted, creamed, glazed. All delicious. All comforting. All, at some point, begging for contrast. A salad brings the plot twist. The crunch. The brightness. The color. The “okay, now I can keep going.”
It’s the culinary equivalent of opening a window in a stuffy room.
And honestly? It helps you actually taste your food again. Richness is wonderful but only when your palate hasn’t become overwhelmed with it.
Where nutrition secretly plays a role (without killing the mood)
Here’s the thing: you don’t need a salad because it’s “healthy.” You need a salad because your body appreciates balance. The crunch and fiber help slow down how quickly all the mashed potatoes, rolls, and unknown amounts of gravy hit your bloodstream. A little bit of raw, fresh produce in the middle of all that can help with digestion, blood sugar steadiness, and the post-meal “why am I suddenly horizontal?” moment.
I’m not talking about “being healthy” on Thanksgiving. I’m talking about biology. And common sense.
Plus, vegetables that actually taste good? That’s something to be thankful for.
The salad itself (because it needs to be worth it)
Let’s get one thing straight: this is not the time for a sweet, delicate, Instagram-worthy salad. No, Thanksgiving is not the time for that.
What a Thanksgiving salad needs is:
Something bitter or peppery
Something crunchy
Something juicy
Something salty
Something that makes people say, “Wait, what’s in this?”
And a dressing that unapologetically wakes everyone up a little
Think radicchio, fennel, apple, toasted nuts, herbs, and a vinaigrette with enough acid to clear the gravy fog from your brain.
In conclusion: yes, make the salad
Will everyone eat it? Yes. Even the people who rolled their eyes at it will eat it. They always do. They’ll take a little spoonful “just to try it,” and then suddenly half the bowl will be gone.
A Thanksgiving table without a salad just feels…unfinished. Add it. Serve it proudly. Let it do its job. Everyone (and their digestive system) will thank you.
