Roasted Beet Kale Salad with Herb Marinated Lentils

This Roasted Beet Kale Salad recipe is full of interesting flavors and textures. Hearty beets meet herb marinated lentils and crunchy pistachios for a texture and flavor bomb. 

After 3 straight years of blogging, I have only a handful of salad recipes on the blog. And when you subtract the hefty noodle bowls that I call salad because they have 1 or 2 vegetables in them and are served cold, the number gets embarrassingly low. But real real salads? Not too many.

And while I love a good noodle “salad”, I felt that a good salad was in order. You are talking to the gal that eats a salad most every single day and is a full supporter of the fact that salads can be delicious. I mean, don’t get me wrong. If it is a salad vs. an Italian Meatball Sub….

But a full on entree salad that is delicious, satisfying, and super not boring, those gems can be hard to find. I may be biased, but I think this Roasted Beet Kale Salad is a diamond in the rough.

There are a few things any good salad needs.

1. It has to be rich and satisfying. A bowl of lettuce has not, and will not, ever fill me up.
2. Salads need texture. Crisp lettuce is good. Crisp lettuce paired with nuts, grains, and roasted vegetables is great.
3. Dressings have to be fla-vor-ful! Like, better than the bottled kind and easy to make.
4. Bonus! A good salad should keep well in the fridge. Wilted leaves are no one’s idea of fun.

And this Roasted Beet Kale Salad knocks it straight over second base and right outta the park.

It is super satisfying. Hearty beets, meet crunchy pistachios, and rich herb marinated lentils. This salad won’t leave you hungry.

It has texture. See afore mentioned ingredients. This salad is crunchy, crisp, and hearty.

The dressing. Let’s just refer back to the Herb Marinated Lentils. These babies get soaked in a 4 herb sauce and then tossed with the greens. Hubba hubba.

Bonus! Kale is hearty and this salad can sit in the fridge for days. It will only get more flavorful with time.

Check, check, check, and bonus check!

Roasted Beet Kale Salad with Herb Marinated Lentils

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Laurel
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 70 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: gluten-free, grain-free, vegan

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Description

This Roasted Beet Kale Salad recipe is full of interesting flavors and textures. Hearty beets meet herb marinated lentils and crunchy pistachios for a texture and flavor bomb.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 large beets (greens removed)
• 1 cup beluga lentils OR French Green Lentils (rinsed)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 head lacinato kale (cut into bite sized pieces)
• ½ cup shelled pistachios (chopped)

For the dressing:

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey OR agave
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ¼ cup minced scallions
• ¼ cup minced parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced basil
• 1 tablespoon minced dill
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Wrap the whole beets in foil and place them on a baking tray. Roast for 40-60 minutes or until tender. Let cool and then remove the foil. Using a paper towel, rub off the skins. Cut into bite sized pieces.
2. Add the lentils, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 cups water into a saucepan, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes.
3. While the lentils are boiling, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
4. Once the lentils are tender, drain off any excess water. Toss them with the dressing while warm and let them sit for at least 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
5. Add the kale to a large bowl. Add in ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar. Massage the kale until it has darkened in color and has become tender. Add in the remaining ingredients and toss to coat. Serve.

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