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Lentil Salad

Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad

4.89 from 9 votes
Try this zesty Lemon Pesto Lentil Salad with olives and sun-dried tomatoes - a burst of freshness in every bite. Perfect for a quick, healthy meal!
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Author: Jackie Akerberg
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 cup 192 g green lentils
  • 1 large bunch lacinato kale - stems removed, finely chopped
  • Juice of 1 large lemon
  • ½ tsp cold-pressed olive oil
  • ½ cup 90 g pitted DIVINA® Frescatrano® or Castelvetrano olives, halved
  • ¼ cup 14 g bagged unmarinated sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 large shallot - thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup 48 g Marcona almonds, coarsely chopped if desired
  • ½ cup 30 g finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Lemon Pesto Vinaigrette

  • 1 cup 24 g loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • ¼ cup 15 g fresh parsley leaves
  • ¼ cup 34 g pine nuts
  • ¼ cup 44 g nutritional yeast
  • ½ tsp salt - plus more as needed
  • ½ tsp black pepper - plus more as needed
  • 2 tbsp 34 g white miso
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • Juice of 1 medium lemon
  • ¼ cup 60 ml red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp 15 ml pure maple syrup

Instructions

  • To make the lentil salad, fill a medium saucepan two-thirds full with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the lentils for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are tender but not mushy. Drain the lentils and set them aside to cool completely.
  • Meanwhile, make the lemon pesto vinaigrette. In a blender, combine the basil, parsley, pine nuts, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, miso, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar and maple syrup. Taste the vinaigrette and season it with more salt and black pepper if needed. Set the vinaigrette aside.
  • To assemble the lentil salad, combine the kale, lemon juice and oil in a large bowl. Massage the kale.. Add the lentils, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, shallot, almonds and parsley. Toss the ingredients with salad servers to combine them. Drizzle the salad with the lemon pesto vinaigrette and toss the salad again. Chill the salad in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes prior to serving it
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