Recipe

Marinated French Lentil Salad

By: 

Co+op

Recipe Information

Total Time: 

40 minutes; 15 minutes active

Servings: 

6

French green lentils cook quickly and, unlike other lentils, don’t fall apart. That makes them perfect for a marinated salad. In this lively dish, the nutty lentils absorb a lemony vinaigrette, along with kale, feta, almonds and scallions. This is a great make-ahead dish, which only improves with a day or two in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup French lentils
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
  • 1/2 cup whole almonds
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced
  • 4 scallions, chopped
  • 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation

  1. Rinse the lentils, then place in a pot and cover with two inches of water. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 25 minutes, just until tender but not mushy. Drain and let cool.
  2. Strip the leaves from the stems of the kale. Thinly slice the kale, then massage the leaves to soften and place in a large bowl.
  3. In a medium saute pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and almonds and stir until the almonds are lightly toasted. Add the cumin and red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds, then take off the heat and let cool.
  4. When the oil is at room temperature, stir in the lemon juice and salt and pour over the kale, then toss to coat.
  5. Add the green olives, scallions, cooled lentils and feta cheese and stir gently to mix.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with pita chips for easy lunches or make ahead for a potluck. It'll be a hit!

Nutritional Information

350 calories, 21 g. fat, 10 mg. cholesterol, 470 mg. sodium, 32 g. carbohydrate, 7 g. fiber, 15 g. protein

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