A few weeks ago, I went out with friends to celebrate a birthday, and somewhere between the cocktails and shared plates, we ordered a kale and lentil salad that sounded far better on the menu than it tasted. It arrived flat, under-seasoned, and strangely joyless When everyone turned to me and asked what I thought, I couldn’t help but imagine how I would’ve done it differently. This herbed kale and lentil salad is my answer: bold, bright, and built on contrast, with plenty of fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables, sweet dates, toasted hazelnuts, and a sharp shallot vinaigrette to bring it all to life.
Herbed Kale and Lentil Salad with Shallot Vinaigrette
A fresh, hearty kale salad tossed with lentils, crisp cucumbers and radishes, sweet dates, toasted hazelnuts, and plenty of fresh herbs, all finished with a bright white wine shallot vinaigrette.
Equipment
- immersion blender or small blender
Ingredients
Shallot Vinaigrette – makes enough for 2 salads
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 small shallot about ¼ cup
- kosher salt
Kale & Lentil Salad
- 1 cup dried french lentils well rinsed
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale hard stems removed and cut into ½-in strips
- 4 Persian cucumbers diced into cubes
- 4 radishes diced into cubes
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves chiffonade
- ¼ cup fresh dill finely chopped
- 4 Medjool dates pits removed and finely diced
- ⅓ cup roasted hazelnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add lentils to a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then let simmer on low for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Add salt in the last 5 minutes of cooking time. If you add the salt too early it will make the lentils tough. Drain cooked lentils, rinse and set in a colander to drain completely.
- Using an immersion blender or small food processor combine recipe ingredients: white wine vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, dijon mustard, honey and a small shallot. Sprinkle in a generous sprinkle of salt and blend to emulsify.
- Add kale to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle about a tsp of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Use your hand to massage the kale. This will soften the flavor and make it more delicious.
- To the bowl add the cucumbers, radishes, dates, herbs and lentils. Pour over half of the dressing and toss well. Taste and add more if desired. If not, the dressing will keep well in the fridge for two weeks. Top salad with hazelnuts and serve immediately.