This beautiful salad is the perfect side dish for your next dinner party. It’s loaded with lentils, delicata squash, kale, apple and more. Plus, the leftovers make for a perfect lunch.
As each new season passes into the next, I find myself thinking that each new season must be my favorite. Being an avid home cook, I look forward to working with the new seasonal fruits and vegetables that appear in my local farmer’s markets or green grocers each season, and although I love spring for its artichokes, peas, and fava beans, fall certainly has a lot to offer as well. I recently returned from Italy to the States and was thrilled to see the variety of winter squash and hearty greens available. I went a little crazy my first food shopping day, as I bought four types of squash. They are so versatile to use though, and so delicious that I just couldn’t help myself!
I will only be here in Florida for just over a week before I head back to Canada, so I had to restrain myself from buying too many perishables, and forced myself to create a menu with a shopping list for the week so that I wouldn’t go too crazy. After my squash extravagance, I decided to use my delicate squash in a hearty lentil salad that we could enjoy as a meatless entree. As I always say, I like my salads to have lots of color, texture, and most of all flavor so I added kale as my green of choice, apples and walnuts for crunch, pomegranate arils for color, and fresh mission figs and roasted delicata squash for flavor. A salad this special needs a great dressing, so I made a vinaigrette out of fig infused balsamic vinegar and olive oil. The dish was delicious and very filling so that we were able to enjoy it again for lunch the next day. 
I use Umbrian lentils that I bring back from Italy with me every year from Castelluccio. These are the small beige lentils, and they retain their shape well after cooking making them perfect for salads. Use the little beige or green French lentils for this salad, not the larger red lentils which can get mushy when cooked. I stumbled upon fresh black mission figs, so I added them to my mixture. If fresh figs are not available, you could use chopped dried figs as well. I wanted the kale to be in the background, so I cut it quite fine and massaged it with my fingertips to tenderize it. Delicata squash is an excellent choice for salads like this one as it does not need to be peeled, but any roasted squash will work. If using butternut squash, just peel it and cut into pieces before roasting it. If you cannot find fig infused balsamic vinegar, you could add a spoonful of fig jam to the vinaigrette, or even a spoonful of chestnut honey. This salad would be an excellent choice to serve over the upcoming holidays when entertaining, and it packs well making it an ideal option to bring to a pot-luck dinner with friends.
Click here for the dressing recipe for this salad.
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Lentil and Squash Harvest Salad
- Total Time: 65 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A vibrant fall salad with roasted squash, lentils, and pomegranate. Perfect as a Thanksgiving side or a hearty lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 Medium Delicata Squash
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
- 2 cups (473 ml) Dried Beige or Green Lentils
- 1 Bunch Curly Kale
- 1 Large Apple
- 1 cup (237 ml) Pomegranate Arils
- 1 cup (237 ml) Lightly Toasted Walnuts
- 6-8 Fresh Mission Figs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil it.
- Cut the squash crosswise into 1-inch rings, scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.
- Brush the squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Roast the squash for 10 minutes, turn, and roast until fork tender.
- Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- Place the lentils in a pot and cover with water by three inches.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until al dente (20-25 minutes).
- Drain and cool the lentils to room temperature.
- Cut the stems off the kale, discard them, remove large veins, and finely chop the leaves.
- Measure out 3 cups of chopped kale and reserve the rest.
- In a large bowl, mix together 1 cup of pomegranate arils, cooled lentils, kale, and chopped apple.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the lentil mixture.
- Toss to mix well.
- Pour the lentil mixture into a bowl or platter.
- Cut the squash rings in half and arrange on top of the salad.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and reserved arils.
- Arrange the figs on top of the salad.
- Serve.
Notes
- To speed up lentil cooking time, use pre-cooked lentils. Adjust cooking time in the recipe accordingly.
- For a sweeter salad, use honeycrisp or Fuji apples instead of the suggested apple.
- Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The squash may soften slightly over time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 15
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute a different type of squash for the delicata squash?
Yes, you can use other winter squashes like butternut or acorn squash, but adjust the roasting time as needed since they may take longer to cook.
What type of lentils work best for this salad?
Brown or green lentils are ideal for this recipe as they hold their shape well and provide a hearty texture.
How do I prepare the kale for the salad?
Remove the tough stems and chop the kale into bite-sized pieces, then massage it with a bit of olive oil to soften the leaves before mixing it into the salad.
