If you’re looking for the best kale salad to enjoy this fall season, then prepare to FALL in-love with this Crispy Lentil Salad with Lemon-Tahini Dressing. It’s filled with tender kale, salty olives, and crunchy slivered almonds, all topped off with the most delicious crispy lentils that pack this salad full of protein. It’s perfect for enjoying as lunch, dinner, or even as a flavorful side salad alongside your favorite protein!
As I gear up to share all of my favorite fall recipes, I knew that it was time for a fall-friendly take on the classic Kalejunkie kale salad. Now, despite the fact that my blog is called Kalejunkie, I’ll admit: I’m not the biggest fan of kale. When I first started my blog and was documenting my journey with healthy eating and living, I had the mindset that healthy eating involved eating lots of raw vegetables… and lots and lots of kale. Now I know that eating healthy can look so many different ways (not just eating kale) – and thank goodness for that, because for the longest time, I didn’t even really enjoy kale! But, now that I’ve learned that healthy eating can look so many different ways, I’ve had so much fun creating better-for-you recipes that actually taste delicious… and, I’ve learned how to love kale!
This kale salad may be healthy, but let’s be honest: it’s anything but boring. It’s filled with crunchy slivered almonds, salty olives, fresh herbs, and, of course: crispy lentils.
If you follow me on Instagram, then you may know that I have been ALL about the crispy salads, lately. From my viral Crispy Rice Salmon Cucumber Salad to my Cucumber Radish Salad with Crispy Couscous, I have fallen in-love with crispy grain salads. It’s such a fun twist on the classic croutons, and is a delicious and healthy way to add more texture to your favorite salad recipes.
The crispy lentils may just be my new favorite. Unlike the crispy rice, lentils are packed with iron and plant-based protein, making them the perfect addition to this salad.
What You Need to Make This Vegetarian-Friendly Salad
- Lentils: I recommend using either brown or green lentils for this salad. Red lentils will NOT crisp up the same way as brown or green lentils will, so I don’t recommend it.
- 🫒 Olive Oil: I love using olive oil in this recipe, because it is full of healthy fats and adds the best flavor to this salad. You can also opt to use avocado oil, if you prefer.
- Seasonings: To season the crispy lentils, you’ll need a combination of chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt. Yum!
- 🥬 Dino Kale: After all, it wouldn’t be a Kalejunkie salad without my favorite ingredient: KALE! I love using dino kale because it’s textured and crunchy, making it pair perfectly with the rest of the ingredients in this salad.
- Herbs: The combination of spicy green onions and fragrant Italian parsley adds the perfect flavor to this salad.
- 🫒 Castelvetrano Olives: The briny flavor of the olives adds just the right amount of saltiness to the salad.
- Slivered Almonds: It isn’t a Kalejunkie salad if it isn’t full of crunchy and flavorful ingredients, and the slivered almonds add the perfect crunch to this salad!
- Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta cheese is tangy and tastes perfectly delicious in this recipe!
- 🍋 Lemon Juice: You’ll need the juice of 1-2 lemons in order to make this dressing.
- Tahini: If you’re new here, then you may not know that tahini is one of my favorite ingredients! It’s a salty Middle Eastern paste made from ground sesame seeds and is absolutely delicious in this dressing.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds the perfect touch of sweetness to this dressing. Don’t skip this!
- 🧄 Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves add the best flavor to this dressing. I highly recommend it!
- Water: A little water helps to thin out the dressing so that it reaches the perfect consistency!
How to Make This Perfectly-Crunch Kale Salad
To make this salad, start by preparing the lentils. Cook the lentils according to the package instructions – they should be firm to the bite and NOT mushy. This is important! Drain the water from the lentils and spread them out on a paper towel, and pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible.
Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the lentils out evenly across it. Add the olive oil and seasonings (the chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt) and toss to fully combine. Transfer the tray into the oven and bake the lentils for 30-35 minutes, until they’re nice and crispy. Remove the tray from the oven at about the 20 minute mark and shake the lentils, so that they cook evenly.
Once the lentils are crispy, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender (the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, maple syrup, garlic, cumin, sea salt, ground black pepper, and water) and blend until fully smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set the dressing aside.
Prepare the salad by washing and chopping the produce: the kale, green onions, and Italian parsley, and add them to a large bowl. Next, add in the chopped pitted olives, the slivered almonds, and crumbled feta cheese.
Add the crispy lentils to the salad and pour the dressing on top. Finally, toss the salad until it’s fully coated in the dressing, then serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll want to use either brown or green lentils for this recipe. Whatever you do, do NOT use red lentils – they won’t work well, in this recipe.
Yes! I recommend trying out my Perfectly Juicy Chicken or my 8 Minute Broiled Salmon for a delicious, protein-packed addition to this salad!
Yes! If you want to prepare this salad ahead of time, prepare the salad, dressing, and crispy lentils separately. Store them in airtight containers, in the fridge, until you’re ready to enjoy the salad.
This salad is naturally gluten-free! To make it vegan-friendly, simply omit the feta cheese or substitute it with a plant-based alternative.
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.
** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim
Equipment
- 1 Blender
- 1 Vegetable Chopper this will make your life so much easier!
Ingredients
For the Crispy Lentils:
- 2 Cups Brown or Green Lentils, cooked and cooled – do not use red lentils, as they won't work
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Pinch Sea Salt
For the Salad:
- 1 Bunch Dino Kale, stems removed and chopped
- 1 Bunch Green Onions, finely sliced
- ½ Cup Italian Parsley, chopped
- ½ Cup Castelvetrano Olives, pitted and chopped
- ½ Cup Slivered Almonds
- 1 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
For the Lemon-Tahini Dressing:
- ½ Cup Olive Oil
- ⅓ Cup Lemon Juice, this is approximately 1-2 lemons
- 3 Tablespoons Tahini
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 Cloves Garlic, mashed
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¾ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- Water, to thin the dressing as needed
Instructions
- To make this salad, start by preparing the lentils. Cook the lentils according to the package instructions – they should be firm to the bite and NOT mushy. This is important!
- Drain the water from the lentils and spread them out on a paper towel, and pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Next, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the lentils out evenly across it. Add the olive oil and seasonings (the chili powder, garlic powder, and sea salt) and toss to fully combine.
- Transfer the tray into the oven and bake the lentils for 30-35 minutes, until they're nice and crispy. Remove the tray from the oven at about the 20 minute mark and shake the lentils, so that they cook evenly.
- Once the lentils are crispy, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender (the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, maple syrup, garlic, cumin, sea salt, ground black pepper, and water) and blend until fully smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, then set the dressing aside.
- Prepare the salad by washing and chopping the produce: the kale, green onions, and Italian parsley, and add them to a large bowl.
- Next, add in the chopped pitted olives, the slivered almonds, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Add the crispy lentils to the salad and pour the dressing on top.
- Finally, toss the salad until it's fully coated in the dressing, then serve and enjoy!
Rate & review
SELECT A RATING and tell me what you think!
What others are saying
Is there a temperature recommendation for the lentils? I used 375.
Hi Jami, that should work!
Love this salad ! def going to be on reg rotation 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Mark! Thank you so much for your review!
I loved this salad! It is such a yummy ,crunchy healthy salad, left me feeling clean!
This is one of my favorite salads! Very 😋
I don’t see a baking temperature for the lentils.