Something I never get sick of is Mediterranean food. The flavors are so bright, and there are usually several salty/briny things in the mix, which I LOVE. Give me salty over sweet any day of the week. This salad is absolutely perfect for meal prep, because the kale is so hearty. You can dress it the night or two before, and just keep it in the fridge. Love it!
I’m kind of having a moment with lentils. They’re SO good! I’ve used them to make falafel instead of chickpeas (I actually prefer it), I’ve tossed them in salads, used them in chili, and used them as a plant-powered protein base for roasted carrots. I’m obsessed with the texture and taste.
This salad is full of sundried tomatoes, red onion, kalamata olives, feta, mint, parsley, oregano, and cute little black lentils. Feel free to use any mixture of these and whatever variety of lentils you prefer! Chopped cucumber and tomatoes would be great in this too. Or chicken for extra protein!
This salad is kind of a segue into heartier, more fall-ish salads, if you know what I mean. As fresh berries and summer produce begin to go up in price, I start leaning towards the darker winter greens, roasted squashes, and apples in my salads. Totally looking forward to the chiller weather and my favorite season for food.
Mediterranean Kale and Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- For the SALAD:
- 1 c. black lentils, rinsed
- 2 bunches Tuscan/lacinato kale, destemmed and finely shredded
- 1 T. olive oil
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 c. sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/4 c. coarsely chopped kalamata olives
- 1/3 c. finely chopped red onion
- 1/3 c. crumbled feta + extra for topping
- 2 T. chopped fresh mint
- 1 T. chopped fresh oregano
- 1/4 c. chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 c. toasted pine nuts or chopped pistachios (optional)
- For the DRESSING:
- 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
- juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 tsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp. dijon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 2 T. olive oil
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the lentils and cook for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
Add kale to a large bowl. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt. Massage for a minute or two to help break the kale down and become more tender. Add the cooled lentils, sundried tomatoes, chopped olives, red onion, feta, mint, oregano, and parsley and toss.
- To make the dressing, add the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, dijon, salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Stream in the olive oil and whisk to combine.
- Add a couple tablespoons of the dressing to the salad and toss again. Sprinkle with pine nuts or pistachios if using and serve with extra dressing and feta.
“Bunches” of kale is about as useful as “salt and pepper to taste,” especially since the kale comes from my garden.
Hi Dede! For this recipe you need about 6-8 cups of shredded kale. Hope this helps!
Absolutely love this recipe. I skip the pine nuts and the sun dried tomatoes (though I will have to try it) and it’s still delicious. Takes a little patience to cut all the herbs, but well worth the burst of flavor. I love having this with some Moroccan chicken for dinner and have the leftovers for lunch.
Thank you so much Kat!! So happy you love it! I agree with you on the fresh herbs 🙂 Let me know if you try it with the pine nuts and sun dried tomatoes!
I decided to add the lentils to the Kale since you do not mention when to add the cooled lentils?..
Sorry about that Susan! Yes, you add them into the kale with the other ingredients 🙂 Just updated the recipe – thank you for catching that!