This warm kale lentil salad drizzled with a creamy lemon rosemary dressing is a cozier, more filling salad option for the fall and winter months. A trio of roasted root veggies adds color and fiber while cooked lentils add protein. The kale is massaged before being roasted to ensure it’s nice and soft. Finished off with a sprinkle of roasted pecans, this fall kale salad will quickly become a favorite!
This warm kale and lentil salad has everything I crave when the air grows cool and crisp outside. It’s packed with colorful and sweet root veggies, there’s kale in the mix (my favorite!!), there’s a crunchy and nutty element, and there’s plant-based protein from the lentils. Plus, it’s dressed with a creamy, dreamy lemon rosemary dressing. It’s comforting, earthy, filling, and so dang cozy. While I developed this as a warm kale salad, I’ve also eaten the leftovers cold and they are equally delicious. Don’t be scared by the total time involved for this recipe as it’s mostly hands-off while the veggies do their thing in the oven. I can confidently say that this recipe is just as perfect for a weeknight as it is for a holiday spread. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Notes on Ingredients and Substitutions
Though dinosaur kale is the main component to this salad, you can sub 1 bunch of a different kale variety or collard greens if you prefer. I love the convenience of a can of cooked lentils, but if you prefer to make your own, cook 3/4-1 cup dried brown, green, or black lentils according to the package instructions. I used carrots, golden and red beets, and a Japanese sweet potato as my root veggies. Feel free to mix and match what you like, as long as you use about 1.5 pounds total. Roasted pecans are my favorite fall salad topper but you can also use roasted hazelnuts or walnuts for a similar vibe. Need the recipe to be fully vegan? Use grated vegan parm instead.
My Tips for the Best Warm Kale Salad
- Massage the kale first! Kale is pretty fibrous so a simple massage before it goes in the oven helps soften it and make it so much more pleasant to eat.
- Once you return the sheet pan to the oven with the kale and lentils, it doesn’t need long. Just 5-7 minutes allows the kale to turn crisp around the edges and the lentils to be warmed through.
- I highly recommend making the dressing with an immersion blender because it makes it super creamy! If you want more developed flavors, make the dressing 1-2 days ahead of time and keep it in the fridge.
Warm Kale and Lentil Salad with Lemon Rosemary Dressing in 4 Easy Steps
More Kale Goodness
Are you a fellow kale fiend?! I love this cool season leafy green and try to eat it as much as possible when it’s in season, which is thankfully every season but summer where I live. If you want a massaged kale salad without the oven, try my kale, apple, and celery salad with maple dijon dressing. It makes a great side but can be elevated to main dish by topping it with your favorite protein. If you want a cozy autumnal meal that’s ready in 30 minutes or less, try my kale pesto orzo. The combination of mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and cannellini beans in this recipe paired with the sage and kale pesto is SO GOOD!
Warm Kale and Lentil Salad with Lemon Rosemary Dressing
- Total Time: 45-52 minutes
- Yield: 2–4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This warm kale lentil salad drizzled with a creamy lemon rosemary dressing is a cozier, more filling salad option for the fall and winter months. A trio of roasted root veggies adds color and fiber while cooked lentils add protein. The kale is massaged before being roasted to ensure it’s nice and soft. Finished off with a sprinkle of roasted pecans, this fall kale salad will quickly become a favorite!
Ingredients
for the lemon rosemary dressing
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, from about 2 rosemary sprigs
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 2–3 teaspoons maple syrup, or honey
- 1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped, or 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Sea salt, to taste (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
for the warm kale and lentil salad
- 1 medium sweet potato (I used a Japanese sweet potato)
- 2 medium carrots
- 3 small/medium beets
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra for the kale
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 can cooked lentils, drained and rinsed then patted dry
- 1 bunch dinosaur kale
- 1/2 cup roasted pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
Make the dressing first. Add all of the ingredients to a wide mouth pint-sized jar. Blend with an immersion blender until emulsified, creamy, and the rosemary is finely chopped. If you don’t have an immersion blender, finely chop the rosemary and garlic then whisk everything until emulsified. The dressing can be made 1-2 days in advance. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you prefer, you can line your baking sheet with parchment for easy clean up later on. Peel the root veggies (I like to leave the peel on the sweet potato but it’s up to you!) then dice them. Add them to a large baking sheet then drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt. Toss to coat. Roast at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes until tender and just beginning to caramelize around the edges.
While the veggies roast, prep the kale. Strip the leaves away from the stems then tear or chop into bite-sized pieces. Discard or compost the stems. Place the chopped kale in a medium sized bowl, then season with a pinch of salt. Massage for 30-60 seconds until the kale has softened and is glistening. Drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil then toss to coat.
Once the veggies have roasted and are tender, remove the baking sheet. Scatter the cooked lentils over the top of the veggies followed by the kale, arranging it in an even layer over the top. Roast for an additional 5-7 minutes in the oven until the kale has wilted and is just turning crisp around the edges and the lentils are warmed through.
Leave everything on sheet tray and add pecans and parm, then drizzle over some of the dressing and toss. Taste, then add more dressing and salt as needed. Serve from the sheet pan or transfer to a serving bowl if you prefer.
Notes
- Leftovers can be enjoyed warm or cold! I recommend only dressing what you can eat at one time as the lemon juice in the dressing will further wilt the kale in the fridge.
- If the leftover dressing has thickened in the fridge, place the container in a couple of inches of warm (not hot) water to bring it back to room temperature.
- Want to turn this into a more substantial bowl-style meal? Add your favorite cooked grain like quinoa or farro.
- Depending on whether or not you’re eating this salad as a main dish or side dish, you’ll get 2-4 servings. If this is part of a larger meal spread, you’ll most likely get 6 servings out of it.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 – 37 minutes
- Category: salad
I think I officially want to have this lemon dressing over everything now! It is so amazing! I love the flavor of the rosemary with the lemon.
Isn’t it good?! I’ve definitely made it several times since posting the recipe 🙂
’ve never tried rosemary and lemon in a dressing, it must be delicious! I’ll have to try it!
I highly recommend giving it a try! So creamy and lovely!
I had to make this. It tasted so good and was a perfect light meal for me and my husband. We both loved the addition of the roasted pecans and, of course, the dressing was dreamy.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! Definitely not exaggerating when I say it’s my new favorite salad 😉
This warm kale lentil salad sounds really tasty. I love the roasted veggies and creamy lemon rosemary dressing. It seems perfect for a weekend breakfast with my family!
I hope you and your family enjoy it! Definitely a new favorite in my household 🙂
I love a good kale salad and this one is definitely a favorite — the brief roast in the oven warms the kale and makes it more suitable for fall and winter. Don’t get me started on the creamy lemon rosemary dressing — I want to drizzle it on pretty much anything!
So good! I’m trying to incorporate lentils more- this is the perfect recipe. Thanks!
Awesome! I definitely need to use them more, myself. Hope you enjoyed this one!
This warm salad is absolutely amazing and comforting. I am going to be making this all winter long now!
So happy to hear that! I hope you enjoy it!