7 Holiday Dishes That Play With Texture — And Taste Delicious, Too

Salad is a perfect dish for playing with texture. Pairing pecan with roasted Brussels sprouts and pomegranate seeds, this salad hits crunchy and fresh a few times over. It's perfect for winter holidays because many of the ingredients are in season.

Looking for a perfect veggie main that has a few textures, too? Ratatouille, with its mixture of vegetables, will offer a diversity in texture among the cooked vegetables—and this recipe does one better by offering crunchy croutons, as well.

Let the sear on this mushroom dish speak for itself. The slight caramelization will diversify the texture on its own, plus if you served these alongside rice and pickles (as the author suggests), you'll add bonus crunch and grainy goodness.

Speaking of mushrooms, consider this multitextured sheet-pan dish. Lemon-and-garlic-seasoned mushrooms and olives are paired with crunchy croutons and crispy kale—plus creamy yogurt to finish.

Before you scoff at another salad, this one comes fully loaded with texture—in the form of roasted chickpeas and croutons, plus kale gives a unique texture alongside Parmesan cheese and creamy homemade dressing. And yes, it's the second recipe in a row with kale—what can we say; we love that leafy green.

This dish is a salad, yes—but a slightly more unique variation. This dish features a rainbow of roasted beets and slices of seared halloumi, topped with a sprinkling of arugula, some olives, and crunchy pistachios. If you haven't made them before, roasted beets take on the most amazing texture, and this dish is a stunner for the table, too.

At first glance, this might not seem like a recipe with a ton of texture—but while there is some bite in the mix thanks to the cauliflower florets, it's all about the toppings here. You finish off the bowls of soup with crispy roasted potatoes and an olive gremolata, which together add a myriad of textures to make it extra exciting.

Even if your whole dinner party fortunately does have their full sense of taste, using texture in your menu is a great way to elevate your feast. It's the type of thing that professional chefs think about all the time and an easy way to up the ante on your home cooking.