What I love about this kale and lentil salad with avocado is how quick it is to prepare and, above all, how full of good fats and vitamins it is. Perfect for New Year’s resolutions!

Ingredients: Tips and Alternatives

This simple recipe for kale and lentil salad with avocado has just a handful of healthy ingredients. Let me give you some tips and ideas for substitutions.

• Lentils: I like to use small black beluga lentils. You can replace them with French lentils, but not with red lentils, which are not firm enough for salads.
• Kale: I use curly kale. You can replace with with Tuscan kale or other greens such as arugula or spinach. 
• Feta: Feta goes very well with kale and lentils, and adds a little punch to this salad. Goat cheese is a great alternative. Opt for a plant-based feta for a vegan alternative.
• Pecans: For a little crunch. You can replace them with other nuts such as walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts or even seeds such as pine nuts or pumpkin seeds. 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: If you choose a good quality extra virgin olive oil with a nice a fruity taste, you won’t need much more as a salad dressing! 
• Avocado:  Choose ripe avocados. They are a great addition to this salad as they bring a creamy texture and more healthy fats. 
• Lemon: I use fresh lemon juice for the dressing. You can replace it with lime or even orange for a sweetener taste. 

You will find the exact quantities in the recipe card.

How to Make this Kale and Lentil Salad

Lentils. In a saucepan beluga lentils with three times the amount of water. Add a pinch of salt. Cook the lentils over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes or until they are tender. Drain lentils and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Kale. Start by washing and drying the kale. Remove the kale stems and chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Heat a little olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the kale and sauté for about 5 minutes, ensuring it retains a little crunch. Season with sea salt.

Remaining ingredients. Crumble the feta with your hands. Cut one avocado in small cubes. Toast the pecan nuts in a pan without any oil to make them even more crunchy. 

Mix. In a large bowl, mix the cooked lentils, kale, pecan nuts, avocado and feta cheese. If you lemon is organic, peel the lemon zest and add it to the salad. Pour the olive oil and the juice of the lemon. Season with sea salt and black pepper and mix well. 

Serve. Serve this lentil kale salad in small bowls. Garnish with avocado slices from your remaining avocado for a finishing touch.

Note: You can still eat this salad the next day, however, I wouldn’t keep it longer as it will loose its freshness. 

Géraldine’s Tips

1. Don’t overcook the lentils. Make sure the lentils are al dente, which mean that they still have a firm texture and rince under cold water to make sure they don’t become mushy. 
2. Add proteins. For more protein, serve this salad with chicken breast or for a vegetarian alternative add white beans or crispy chickpeas to the salad. 
3. Vary the dressing. You can also serve this salad with a tahini dressing or a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. 

More Kale Recipes

• Kale and Chickpea Curry
• Kale, Goat Cheese and Hazelnut Toast
• Creamy Kale and Mushroom Pasta

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Recipe card

• 150 g beluga lentils
• 3 cups of water
• 1 bunch of kale
• 100 g of feta
• 1 handful of pecans
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 avocado
• 1 lemon
• salt
• Pepper