This delicious Kale and Lentil Salad is fresh and nutritious! It’s filled with roasted butternut squash, black lentils, diced apple, and chopped walnuts, and drizzled with a honey dijon vinaigrette. Enjoy it as a flavorful, hearty side dish or a light, vegan main entree.
The first time I made this kale and lentil salad, I knew I had a keeper! It’s overflowing with fall produce and it’s easy to change up with different nuts and extra mix-ins, so it never gets boring. It’s perfect for a healthy lunch and it’s also a great holiday side when you need something simple that can be served cold, so you don’t have to worry about using the oven for one more thing.
It’s bright and flavorful, so get ready for those rave reviews to come rolling in!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Made with good-for-you ingredients: This lentil kale salad is packed with fresh whole food nutrition and will actually fill you up!
- Delicious flavor: Bring this out as a side with your favorite main dish or enjoy it as a light vegetarian meal, either way, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
- It’s versatile: The best thing about this lentil kale recipe is that you can customize it in so many ways. The recipe as written is my favorite way to prepare it, but you can modify it to fit your own taste preferences or use up what you have in the fridge!
Ingredients highlights
These are the ingredients I used to make this kale and lentil salad recipe, but you can always mix and match with things you have in your fridge! That’s the beauty of salads, they taste good with so many different additions!
- Kale: You can use any type of kale, such as curly, dino, or baby kale.
- Butternut squash: This sweet-tasting, slightly nutty winter squash with a firm, but creamy texture holds together well in winter and fall salad recipes. If you can find Honeynut squash, that would be delicious as well!
- Black lentils: Black lentils are very similar to French green lentils in texture and taste, and they’re perfect to use in salads because they don’t turn mushy.
- Walnuts: Adds a nutty crunch.
- Apple: For some sweet, juicy crunch.
Dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil: The base of the dressing! It adds an earthy, delicate flavor and helps the dressing ingredients stick together.
- Lemon juice and zest: Nothing complements greens like a pop of citrus! Use fresh for the best flavor!
- Apple cider vinegar: This adds some tanginess and acidity to the dressing. It also has blood sugar stabilizing health benefits.
- Dijon Mustard: Gives the vinaigrette a creamy texture and tangy flavor.
- Honey: Adds a hint of sweetness.
- Shallot: Milder than an onion, shallot will provide a sweet flavor with a little sharpness.
- Garlic: For delicious garlic flavor.
- Salt & pepper: Brings out and enhances all of the flavors in the salad.
Nutritional highlight
Lentils are a powerhouse ingredient in any healthy dish, especially in this kale lentil salad.
Packed with plant-based protein, lentils are an excellent source of fiber, helping to support digestion and maintain steady blood sugar levels.
They’re also rich in essential nutrients like iron, folate, and magnesium,
Combining lentils with nutrient-dense kale boosts the salad’s vitamin A, C, and K content, making this a well-rounded, highly nutritious meal. Adding lentils to your kale salad not only enhances flavor but provides a satisfying, protein-boost option.
Recipe steps
This colorful, festive salad comes together with just a few simple steps! Here are the easy-to-follow instructions:
- Roast the butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the diced butternut squash in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden brown. Let cool.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon mustard, honey, diced shallot, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, massage the thinly sliced kale with a bit of the dressing to soften the leaves. Add the roasted butternut squash, chopped walnuts, diced apple, and cooked lentils.
- Add dressing: Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Substitutions and variations
While I love this recipe as written, sometimes I change up the ingredients a bit depending on what I have on hand. Here are some options:
- Use lentils, white beans or chickpeas
- Add cheese like feta or goat cheese
- Swap persimmon or pear instead of apple
- Swap walnuts for pecans, almonds or pine nuts for a different flavor
- Add chicken, sliced steak or tempeh for a full serving of protein to balance blood sugar.
Helpful tips
- To save time, you can buy butternut squash that has already been cubed.
- Don’t skip massaging the kale! Massaging kale tenderizes it, breaking down the fibers, making it more enjoyable and less bitter to eat.
- This dressing is delicious and I really like to make my own dressings from scratch because it is usually healthier and more flavorful, but feel free to use any store-bought dressing that you like.
Storage recommendation
- Make ahead: You can get a head start on this salad by cooking the lentils a day in advance. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare the salad.
- Storing: Even though this kale lentil salad is best fresh, it will keep well for about 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To keep your salad from becoming soggy, store the salad and dressing separately.
Other recipes you’ll love
- Broccoli Crunch Salad
- Greek Zucchini Salad
- Peach Quinoa Salad
- Thai Crunch Salad
- Zucchini and Mushroom Salad
- Potato Salad with Spring Onion
I would love to hear your feedback and see your photos of this recipe! Please leave a comment below and share your experience with me and other readers.
Share your creation and tag me on socials @withthymenutrition.
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Kale and Lentil Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roast
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This delicious Kale and Lentil Salad is fresh and nutritious! It’s filled with roasted butternut squash, black lentils, diced apple, and chopped walnuts, and drizzled with a honey dijon vinaigrette. Enjoy it as a flavorful, hearty side dish or a light, vegan main entree.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch kale, thinly sliced
- 1 small butternut squash, about 4 cups, diced
- 1 1/2 cups cooked black lentils
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 large apple, diced
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 small shallot, diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the diced butternut squash in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25-30 minutes, until tender and golden brown. Let cool.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon mustard, honey, diced shallot, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- In a large bowl, massage the thinly sliced kale with a bit of the dressing to soften the leaves. Add the roasted butternut squash, chopped walnuts, diced apple, and cooked lentils.
- Pour the remaining dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Notes
- Make ahead: You can get a head start on this salad by cooking the lentils a day in advance. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare the salad.
- Storing: Even though this kale lentil salad is best fresh, it will keep well for about 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To keep your salad from becoming soggy, store salad and dressing separately.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad
- Calories: 455.9
- Sugar: 11.5 g
- Sodium: 994.6 mg
- Fat: 28.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 45.3
- Fiber: 10.6 g
- Protein: 11.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0
Yum!