Soft slightly sweet, slightly bitter spinach leaves, with thinly sliced red onions, peppery green lentils, toasted pecans, and shaved Cheddar cheese–this wilted spinach and green lentil salad is worthy of a table-side show–you want to put it all together right before eating!
Click here to PIN Wilted Spinach and Green Lentil Salad.
In a classic table-side spinach salad, a hot bacon dressing wilts the greens. Oftentimes such a salad would be garnished with a sliced hard-boiled eggs. This simple yet spectacular spinach salad is a vegetarian riff on that classic.
For crunch, we have toasted pecans. For a salty flourish, we have sharp aged cheese. Those salt and peppery lentils, well, I could eat them by the cupful.
Even if you make it just for you and your sweetie, you want everyone waiting in anticipation. Five minutes is all it takes to lightly wilt spinach and toss this salad together.
How to make wilted spinach and green lentil salad:
- Cook the lentils until they’re just tender to your bite. Keep them warm.
- Have all your ingredients prepped, lined up and ready–warm wilting spinach doesn’t wait.
- First, over low heat, sauté sweet red onions in olive oil.
- Next add the spinach and lentils. Using a pair of tongs or two spoons toss until the spinach is barely warm and both the spinach and lentils glisten with olive oil.
- Sprinkle on a little tangy balsamic vinegar and throw in the toasted pecans.
- Arrange on chilled plates and garnish with shavings of cheese.
- Give it all a twist of the pepper grinder.
- Expect awe and praise for your cooking prowess. Popeye wouldn’t know what to think.
Ingredient tips:
- I usually make this salad when there’s spinach in the garden, so with larger leaves and stems. Strip away and discard the stems and tear the leaves in half.
- If using baby spinach leaves: Baby spinach wilts in quick seconds so remove the pan from the heat before adding the leaves.
- I used Kerrygold “Dubliner” cheese.
- Vegans–omit the cheese garnish.
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Wilted Spinach and Green Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- ½ cup French green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup very thinly sliced red onion
- 8 ounces fresh spinach leaves , washed and dried (see note)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons toasted pecans halves
- 2 ounces white Cheddar cheese, optional
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils, sorting out any rogue mini rocks.
- Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with water at least 2 inches above the lentils. Add the bay leaf and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat.
- Simmer until the lentils are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them or they will loose their shape and texture. (see note)
- Drain, discarding the bay leaf.
- Toss with the first 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Warm a non-stick skillet over very low heat. Add the remaining olive oil and the red onions. Stir, keeping the heat low.
- After a few minutes, when the onions start to make a sizzling noise, add the spinach leaves and lentils, all at once.
- Gently toss until the spinach wilts a bit and the leaves are lightly coated with oil. You want the spinach to wilt around the edges but retain some texture.
- Toss with the vinegar and pecans. Season to taste with salt.
- Divide among individual serving plates. Garnish with cheese shavings, if using.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- If your spinach leaves are large, strip away the tough stems and tear the leaves in half.
- Baby spinach leaves can substitute, though take care to remove the pan from the heat before adding baby leaves, which will wilt in quick seconds.
- At higher altitudes it will take more time for the lentils to cook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is meant to be an estimate only. The numbers will vary based on the quantity consumed and any substitutions.
This looks yummy! And perfect for a wintery Bay Area summer! · 8 July, 2010