Curry Roasted Vegetable & Lentil Kale Salad

Prep Time 8

Cook Time 22

Total Time 30

Servings (entrée salads or double as sides/appetizers)

Course Entrée or Side

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Indian-Inspired, Thai-Inspired, Vegan

Freezer Friendly No

Does it keep? 3-4 Days

Ingredients

VEGETABLES

4 medium carrots (cut into bite-size pieces // ~ 2 cups as original recipe is written)
2 Tbsp avocado or melted coconut oil (divided)
1 pinch each salt and pepper
1 tsp curry powder* (or store-bought // divided)
1 medium red bell pepper (sliced // ~1 1/2 cups as original recipe is written)
1 small head broccoli (chopped // ~2 cups as original recipe is written)

SALAD

1 large bundle kale (stems removed, roughly chopped // ~4 cups as original recipe is written)
3 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3-5 Tbsp water (to thin)
1 cup cooked brown or green lentils*

CURRY DRESSING

2 Tbsp green curry paste (DIY or store-bought)
1 medium lemon, juiced (~30 ml or 2 Tbsp as original recipe is written)
1 Tbsp maple syrup (plus more to taste)
1 pinch each salt and black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil (optional)
Water (to thin)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or more baking sheets if increasing batch size).
Add carrots to a small mixing bowl with drizzle with half of the oil (1 Tbsp or 15 ml), a pinch each salt and pepper, and 1/2 tsp curry powder (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Toss to combine. Then arrange on the baking sheet.
Roast for 12 minutes. In the meantime, add bell pepper and broccoli to the same mixing bowl and drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp oil, salt, pepper, and 1/2 tsp curry powder (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Toss to combine.
Once the carrots reach the 12-minute mark, remove from the oven and increase heat to 400 degrees F (204 C). Add the peppers and broccoli to the pan. Then roast for 10-15 minutes more or until all vegetables are tender and slightly golden brown.
In the meantime, add the kale to a large mixing bowl. In a separate small mixing bowl, add the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar and whisk to combine. Thin with water 1 Tbsp (15 ml) at a time until thin and pourable.
Pour dressing over the kale and massage with hands or tongs / serving spoons. Spread the kale over a serving platter or keep in mixing bowl for serving. Top with lentils and set aside.
To make the curry dressing, use the same small mixing bowl from the tahini sauce and add the curry paste, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and oil (optional). Whisk to combine. Then add water until thin and pourable (see photo).
Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more lemon juice for acidity, curry paste for intense curry flavor, salt for saltiness, or maple syrup for sweetness. Set aside.
Remove roasted vegetables from the oven and add to the salad and lentils. Top with half of the curry dressing and serve with the remaining curry dressing. Garnish with fresh cilantro (optional).
Enjoy immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days, though best when fresh.

Notes

*To keep this recipe simple, I used canned lentils which I rinsed and drained. But you could also opt to make your own - it just increases cooking time a bit.
*Curry powder is not a common ingredient used in traditional Indian cooking, but rather an invention of the British to evoke the flavors of Indian cuisine. The term "curry" in Indian cooking refers to a sauce or gravy served with vegetables or meat. (source)
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with all of the dressing and sauce but without the additional olive oil in the curry dressing.

Nutrition (1 of 2 servings)

Serving: 1 entrée salads Calories: 667 Carbohydrates: 85.7 g Protein: 21.1 g Fat: 30.6 g Saturated Fat: 3.7 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 752 mg Fiber: 20.8 g Sugar: 28.6 g