After all the latkes, sufganiyot, and everything gloriously fried, it’s only natural to crave something fresh. Not “diet food,” not boring, just bright, flavorful dishes that feel good to eat along with all the fried goodness.

This roundup is all about vibrant salads and veggie-packed sides that bring balance back during Chanukah, with plenty of lemon, herbs, crunch, and color to wake up your palate.

Enjoy!

1. Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad with Olives and Sun-Dried Tomatoes by Jackie Akerberg

There is nothing better than fresh pesto: pesto flatbreads, pesto pasta, pesto-roasted veggies, you name it! So I thought, why not turn my favorite sauce into a vibrant, lemony vinaigrette? I’m glad I did, because this pesto is the besto. It combines the garlicky, herby, umami flavor of pesto with the brightness of lemon juice and red wine vinegar for a perfectly balanced vinaigrette to top these tender lentils and veggies.

2. Lemon Za’atar Cauliflower by Molly Hagler

There’s something so fresh and delicious about the combination of the lemon juice and zaatar! This is the perfect side dish to accompany any meal!

3. Lemon Fruity Quinoa Salad by Brynie Greisman

This salad is really easy to throw together. It’s never boring, as you can sub different herbs and fruit. It’s packed with lots of good-for-you nutrients and can be served warm or cold.

4. Roasted Lemon Broccoli by Daniella Silver

A simple ingredient, well-seasoned and perfectly cooked, will always be delicious. Dressed only with salt, pepper, olive oil, honey and lemon, this stand-out dish will surprise you with its simplicity. You don’t always need the frills and garnishes, you just need the right technique. When roasted at high heat, the natural sugars of the broccoli caramelize and its flavors become more concentrated. The florets get crispy, giving them a totally different texture than if they were steamed. Addictive!

5. Lemony Chickpea-Feta Salad by Leah Leora

This light and tasty salad is easy to prepare and so refreshing.

6. Lemony String Beans and Chickpeas by Brynie Greisman

This is one of my favorite string bean dishes. Both the string beans and chickpeas become somewhat crispy, and overall, this dish is full of fresh flavor. A great choice!

7. Lemony Farro and Lettuce Salad by Faigy Grossman

My daughter and I had fun adjusting the flavoring for this unique and satisfying salad. With notes of mint and parsley, along with healthful kasha and savory roasted butternut squash, it satiates while being enjoyed down to the last bite!

8. Lemony Marinated Chop-Chop Salad by Faigy Grossman

I can’t believe that I never tried this concept before: chopping a whole lemon into a marinade and including it in the salad. It’s out of this world! The lemon gets soft and sweet, and the combination of vegetables is enhanced by its delightful flavor. This salad keeps well in the fridge for a while — save the recipe for Yom Tov!

9. Rainbow Carrot Stir-Fry by The Moosewood Collective

This is a lovely, lively vegetable stir-fry seasoned with sesame, lemon, and anise. Talking to venders at the farmers’ market, we found it fascinating to learn that not so very long ago, carrots were various colors: yellow, red, purple, and white. The orange flesh we naturally associate with “carrot” is actually a hybridization of red and yellow carrots. Happily, with heirloom carrots, we’re getting back to where we started. We are also learning that different carrot pigments can confer different health benefits. Heirloom carrots of different colors are showing up increasingly at farmers’ markets and well-stocked neighborhood markets; even, conveniently, in pre-peeled baby carrot form. Or you can grow your own. Who can resist names like Purple Haze, White Satin, Atomic Red, or Yellow Sun?

10. Roasted Beet Salad by Yakov Leib and Fraidy Kaufman

A twist on the classic, using roasted beets instead of boiled beets.

11. Fatoosh Quinoa Salad by Beth Warren

Quinoa is one of the most versatile, cost-effective, and nutrient-dense whole grains. A one-cup serving of quinoa has eight grams of protein and five grams of fiber, keeping you full and satisfied longer.

Although most of us are familiar with this gluten-free option, we struggle to find recipes that keep it exciting. As a Sephardi, my cultural background is in Middle-Eastern cuisine. My flavor profile gravitates to the more lemony palate, and I enjoy spices that fire up my taste buds. I used my flavor forte in this recipe by doing a play on the classic Fatoosh Mediterranean Salad…but with quinoa as a base!

If you want to experiment with an intense flavor shakeup and impress both your guests and your palate, this recipe is for you!

12. Cafe-Style Loaded Feta Salad by Chanie Nayman

Somehow, I landed on this combination of flavors when I made a lunch salad for myself once, and now it’s the only thing I make when I want a salad with feta in it for lunch. If you want to keep it pareve, feel free to leave out the feta (that’s the only dairy thing in the salad) and enjoy it at any meal.

13. Crunchy Veggie Salad by Chaya Ruchie Schwartz

This can be served warm or cold. It’s great as a side dish, too.

14. Mediterranean Eggplant Salad by Rivka Fried

A salad that is savory, crunchy and pretty? What more can you ask for!?

15. Tomato, Sweet Onion, and Parsley Salad by Naomi Hazan

This is a quick, colorful salad that uses common household ingredients and will round out any meal.

16. Rainbow Roasted Veggies by Rorie Weisberg

In Hashem’s love for us, He not only makes food taste good, He makes it look good too! This recipe’s bright colors engage our senses so we can fully appreciate the pleasure He gifts us.

17. Teriyaki Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli by Miriam (Pascal) Cohen

This dish tastes kind of like a stir-fry — minus the meat or chicken, but more importantly, minus the frying, the pan to wash, and the standing over the stove!

18. Lemon-Harissa Green Vegetable Trio by Chanie Nayman

This combo is my new favorite. It feels like a step up from weekday green beans — and all I can say is that it’s a good thing I made two trays because one was fully gone before Shabbos!