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