Article: Kale Salad with Roasted Beets, Crispy Lentils, and Garlic Butter Panko
Kale Salad with Roasted Beets, Crispy Lentils, and Garlic Butter Panko
This beautiful kale salad is a celebration of bold flavors and satisfying textures. Earthy roasted beets, crispy lentils, and garlicky buttered panko bring richness and crunch to every bite. Tossed with a cooling, lemony-herbed tzatziki sauce, this hearty salad makes a delicious lunch or an impressive side dish.
Salad Ingredients
- 2–3 beets
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 1-1/2 cups canned lentils, rinsed, drained, and patted dry
- 1–2 bunches lacinato kale
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more for seasoning lentils and kale
Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 English cucumber, grated
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Garlic Butter Panko Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wrap the whole beets in foil and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the packet in a small baking dish and roast for 40–60 minutes, or until fork-tender. Remove from the oven, let cool, peel, and cut into cubes.
- On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toss the lentils with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Roast alongside the beets for 20–25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Prepare the tzatziki sauce by grating the cucumber and squeezing out excess moisture with cheesecloth or paper towels. In a wide-mouth jar, combine the cucumber with the Greek yogurt, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, dill, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined, then refrigerate until ready to use.
- Wash the kale and remove the ribs. Chop the leaves into fine pieces and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and gently massage the kale with your hands. Set aside.
- In a heavy skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the almonds and Panko breadcrumbs, coating them with the butter. Continue cooking for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until the almonds are toasted and the breadcrumbs are crispy. Remove from heat.
- Toss the kale with the tzatziki sauce. Add the roasted beets and crispy lentils. Top with the garlic butter panko mixture and season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.