Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad with Lemon Sage Dressing
This crispy lentil harvest salad is packed with fresh kale, tender sweet potatoes, and crunchy chopped pecans, all topped off with crispy lentils and dressed in a tangy herb dressing. Packed with healthy fats, greens, and 12g of protein each serving, this crispy roasted lentil salad is nothing less than a bowl of nutrition. Make a meal out of it by serving it for lunch or dinner, or enjoy it as a healthy side salad alongside your favourite protein!
Protein Packed Vegan Recipes
MOM’s POTATO SALAD
GREEN PEA PESTO ORZO SALAD (100G PROTEIN)
VEGAN CAESAR PASTA SALAD (HIGH PROTEIN)
Why You’ll Love This Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad
Packed with Protein – Lentils are packed with higher amounts of plant-based protein per serving than any other legumes, while sweet potatoes are fibre-rich and nutrient-dense, abundant in good vitamins, making each bowl of this lentil salad a nutritional powerhouse.
Highly Nutritious Side Salad – Besides plant-based protein, this salad packs layers of nutrition with olive oil, bringing healthy fats, essential nutrients from pecans, and tons of nutrient-dense vitamins from low-calorie kale.
Perfect for Meal-Prep – No need to mess up your big day. Bake the lentils, pre-chop the greens, prepare the salad, and blend the dressing separately beforehand. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge; all you have to do is mix everything up when ready to serve.
Budget Friendly – With lentils, leafy greens, simple veggies, and pantry herbs being the base ingredients, this Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad recipe is really easy to put together without breaking the bank.
Customizable to Your Liking – One of the best things about this salad is its versatility. If you don’t have lentils, use chickpeas. Don’t like kale? Toss in arugula and spinach. If sweet potato is out of season, try butternut squash.
How to Make Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad
Prepare the Lentils
Strain and rinse the canned lentils. Transfer to a lined baking sheet and toss with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes or until crispy, tossing halfway through.
Roast the Sweet Potato
Slice the sweet potato into cubes and transfer to a second baking tray. Toss with olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Bake at 425°F for 30 minutes.
Prepare the Kale
Add kale to a large bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Massage gently with your hands for about 5 minutes to soften the leaves and make them less fibrous.
Assemble the Salad
Add chopped apples, pomegranate seeds, chopped pecans, and pumpkin seeds to the bowl with the kale. Add the baked lentils and roasted sweet potato cubes.
Make the Dressing
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve & Enjoy Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad
Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to combine, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips for Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad
Massage the Kale Well: Massaging kale with olive oil, salt, and pepper for about 5 minutes breaks down its tough fibres, making it more tender and pleasant to eat. This also enhances the flavour as the kale absorbs the seasoning better.
Meal Prep: This salad stores for up to 3 days since it doesn’t have any lettuce! Feel free to mix the dressing in. The flavours marinate together the longer it sits in the fridge!
Add More Protein: Add another can of lentils to boost your protein intake, or add some crispy tofu.
More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love
Vegan BBQ Chicken Salad
Mango Peanut Butter Noodle Salad
High Protein Jennifer Aniston Salad
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Crispy Lentil Harvest Salad with Lemon Sage Dressing
Ingredients
For Lentils
- 1 can lentils
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- Salt & pepper
For Sweet Potato
- 1 large sweet potato
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
For Salad
- 1 head kale
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 honey crisp apple
- ¾ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
For Lemon Sage Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 4 sage leaves fresh sage
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Strain and rinse your canned lentils, then transfer to a lined baking sheet and toss in olive oil, thyme, and lots of salt and pepper.
- Bake at 425f for 25-30 minutes or until crispy, tossing halfway through.
- Slice your sweet potato into cubes, transfer to a second baking tray, and toss in olive oil, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Bake your potato at 425 for 30 minutes.
- Add your kale to a large bowl with some olive oil, salt, and pepper, and massage well with your hands for about 5 minutes.
- Add your chopped apple, pomegranate seeds, chopped pecans, and pumpkin seeds on top.
- Add baked lentils and kale to the bowl.
- Make your lemon sage dressing by adding all ingredients to a blender and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Pour over your dressing, toss, and enjoy!