Lentil and Kale Salad

Published on April 23, 2020 | By
kale lentil salad

I think that we are nearing the end of the season for our lovely Tuscan kale. I stocked up on heart healthy lentils for the quarantine so it seemed logical to combine these two nutritional powerhouses to make a hearty main course salad. This heart healthy combo is a great source of fiber and plant protein as well as vitamins A, C, K, and B6 and antioxidants.Perfect for lunch or dinner or as a side salad.

    • Prep Time
    • Minutes
    • Cook Time
    • Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch of Tuscan kale, spine removed and leaves chopped
  • 2 cups of cooked lentils, preferably green Le Puy
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
  • 4 green onions, green and white part sliced and separated
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced into thin pieces
  • strips of zest from 1/2 lemon
  • 1 TBSP toasted cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 4 oz feta or french chèvre, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup pitted green and black olives, halved
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Chop the kale into small pieces after removing tough spines. Place pieces into a large salad bowl and toss with 1 TBSP of fresh lemon juice, a little salt and 1 TBSP of the olive oil. Set aside at least an hour before serving. This will help the kale to soften.
  2. Cook the lentils in boiling salted water for about 20-30 minutes until tender. I prefer to use the green French lentils from Le Puy because they keep their shape. Drain and set aside. Let lentils cool before adding to kale.
  3. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the coarsely chopped almonds, the white part of the green onions, the garlic slices and zest from the lemon. Lightly brown garlic and stir all ingredients together for about 5 minutes. Stir in toasted cumin seeds and red pepper flakes. Remove from heat.
  4. Remove almond and spice mixture with a slotted spoon. Add a little sea salt to drained almond mixture and toss. Reserve oil.
  5. To make dressing: In a small bowl, add the juice of one lemon and whisk in reserved olive oil. Add a pinch of salt to taste. May need to add more olive oil if the dressing is too tart or if there is not enough remaining oil to make the dressing.
  6. Combine all ingredients in a salad bowl with the kale. Add cooked and cooled lentils, almond garlic mixture, feta or chèvre, chopped green onion tops, feta and halved olives. Pour lemon and olive oil dressing over all and toss gently.
  7. Serve as a main course salad for lunch or dinner or a side salad.
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