Salad

We're skipping the classic cubes in favor of tangled butternut ribbons baked into a moist flat cake for a seriously showstopping first course. Pair the squash with a mix of spicy arugula and ever-so-slightly-bitter chicory enhanced with savory pancetta and toasted hazelnuts. A sweet-tart apple vinaigrette is the final touch atop the most refreshing fall salad we've tasted in a long time. Editor's Note: This recipe is part of our Gourmet Modern Menu for Thanksgiving for 2 or 20. Menu also includes: Citrus-Sage Roast Turkey with Gravy (whole turkey or breast ); Mashed Potato and Cauliflower Gratin; Cabernet-Cranberry Sauce with Figs; Challah, Sausage, and Dried Cherry Stuffing; and for dessert, Apple Crostata with Spiced Caramel Sauce .

This is perfect to serve with some quinoa or wild rice as a main to a non-meat eater, or as a side with some roast chicken for the carnivorous. It's also good served warm the following day with a little grilled tofu added.

With a tropical flair really sweetens things up. Chop fruit in advance; assemble day of. Done!

With a savory salad. Dress kale a day ahead; toss at the table.

The fried olives used to garnish this colorful salad just might become your new favorite. Try scattered over crostini or salads.

Let’s be clear: If you’re hosting the dinner party to end all dinner parties—Grandma’s good china is out of storage, the napkins have been ironed, and you’re polishing the silver—this is the ultimate first course. At first glance it may resemble a basic pear-and-arugula salad, but look closer and you’ll find that everything about it is just a little bit special, from the Champagne vinaigrette, to the creamy, salty ricotta salata, to the rich and savory pancetta. The ingredients do cost a little more, but it’s worth it.

Crisp, tender asparagus spears get friendly with hearts of palm, cherry tomatoes, scallions, and avocado in this lovely starter salad from Epicurious member Theonike. A simple mustard-and-garlic-infused vinaigrette serves as dressing, while a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts gives this dish some crunch. Use soft, ripe avocados but wait to peel and dice them until just before serving so they retain their beautiful pale green hue.

Iceberg-wedge salads have been a restaurant staple, but this simple starter begs to be made at home. Hot pepper sauce adds zing to the blue cheese dressing, which is easy and delicious enough that you’ll want to save any extra and use as a dip for veggies or toss with cold cooked pasta for lunch. Serve with a grilled fillet of fish or steak, and you’ve got yourself an at-home meal that trumps anything you’d find on a menu.

Adapted from a recipe by Chez Panisse alum and Top Chef Masters veteran Jonathan Waxman, this delicate, fuss-free dish proves that Brussels sprouts can be just as tasty raw as they are roasted. Use a food processor or mandoline to shave the sprouts, unless you’re really confident with your knife skills. The slaw also makes an incredible pizza topping; just wait to add the walnuts until the dough is out of the oven and the pecorino has melted.

With tender acorn squash, salty pancetta, a pungent and tart vinaigrette, and bitter chicory, this hearty salad is layered in flavor and texture. It will take you through all of winter, and would fit perfectly on most holiday buffets. You can use other winter squashes, including butternut, and bacon or prosciutto can easily stand in for the pancetta.

Enjoy this rustic salad as a palate-opening starter or as a hearty side—the combination of robust beets, salty feta, sweet onions, and toasted pine nuts pairs particularly well with the lamb and beef recipes in this book. If you prefer fresh beets, roast them ahead of time and toss them in the dressing once they’ve cooled. Use a combination of red and yellow beets for a more colorful presentation, and to trim some fat and calories, seek out light feta; you’ll never notice the difference.

A signature item on the lunch menu of Chicago’s famed Chop House, this salad is perfect for a hearty meal, day or night. The classic pairing of blue cheese and steak gets extra oomph from a zesty spice mixture. If you are expecting guests, throw the butter-drenched beef tenderloins on a hot grill for a minute or two before serving for a hint of smoky flavor, and pair the dish with a full-bodied red wine.

Chef Joe Bonaparte, academic director of culinary arts at the Art Institute of Charlotte, North Carolina, must have had garden parties or afternoon snacks in mind when creating this enticing combination of eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes topped with parsley, basil, and chives.

Created by Epicurious member Kathe Miller from Chelan, Washington, this beautiful salad has a wonderful presentation as well as a rich taste. Try it as a starter, or as a satisfying lunch. Miller recommends pears that are tender but crisp, giving the salad a divine texture and bite that is at once crunchy and juicy.

In this unique and lively salad, juicy clementines combine with crunchy jícama, salty pumpkin seeds, and creamy queso fresco to create a vibrant yet harmonious medley of textures and flavor notes. The garlicky vinaigrette is versatile enough to use on almost any salad. For a healthy, quick dinner, top the salad with a piece of grilled mahimahi, or pair it with a piece of avocado toast and call it lunch.

These dark leafy greens never tasted better. Be sure to seek out lacinato kale (also sold as Tuscan kale, black kale, dinosaur kale, or cavolo nero), a variety that is noticeably more tender and mild than the common curly kale, also known as Scotch kale. Take the time to massage the leaves in oil with your hands; the result will be kale that seems to melt in your mouth. If ricotta salata isn’t readily available at your market, try pecorino romano, another Italian cheese that’s easy to grate and has a similar salty flavor.

Oranges, fennel, and toasted hazelnuts perk up red and yellow beets in this versatile salad from Chef Alfred Portale of the long-beloved Gotham Bar and Grill in New York City. Equal parts rustic and refined, with an eye-catching mix of colors and sophisticated blend of ingredients, this salad is perfect as a dinner-party starter or main-course accompaniment. Try grilling the beets, instead of roasting, to add yet another layer of flavor.

This unassuming rice salad from Mustard Seed Market & Café in Akron, Ohio, is so unusual it’s likely to shift everyone’s attention from the main course. Dates and cinnamon, two Middle Eastern staples, are paired with cashews, green onions, and cilantro and are punched up with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Use a cast-iron pot to get what Persian-style rice is best known for—the crispy toasted bits. Topped with a fried egg, it’s a casual supper; paired with simple roasted fish, it’s a proper formal meal.