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Sweet Potato Noodles Salad with Cabbage and Lentils
5 from 24 votes

Sweet Potato Noodles Salad with Cabbage and Lentils

This salad combines spiralized sweet potato noodles, sautéed Swiss chard, red cabbage, and cooked green lentils flavored with bay leaf and kombu seaweed. The lentils provide a tender base, while the veggies add crunch and earthiness. The Dijon vinaigrette ties the ingredients together, creating a balanced dish with varying textures and mild umami notes from the kombu. It's a vegetable-forward salad that works well as a light lunch or side dish.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 4145 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup green lentils
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 piece kombu seaweed approx 4 inches long
  • 1 sweet potato spiralized
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion sliced
  • 4 leaves swiss chard sliced
  • 2 cups red cabbage sliced
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts toasted
  • 1 parsley or cilantro; bunch
  • 1 Dijon vinaigrette recipe

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the lentils to a fine mesh sieve. Examine and remove any bad ones and rinse under the faucet.
  2. Place the lentils in a small pot along with the water, bay leaf and kombu. The water should cover the lentils by about 2 inches. Bring the lentils to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes. The water should be a very gentle simmer with very few bubbles.
  3. After the lentils have cooked for about 5 minutes, add the olive oil and onion to a very large pan and heat on medium. Sauté the onions for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. You can sauté them until they've fully caramelized as well.
  4. Add the sliced Swiss chard to the pan and sauté for a minute. Then add the spiralized sweet potato and sauté for 3 minutes, using tongs to turn them. Lastly, add the sliced red cabbage to the pan and cook for one more minute, while tossing and stirring. Then transfer the salad to a large serving bowl.
  5. At this point, the lentils should be nearly done. Drain and rinse them and add to the salad.
  6. Top the salad with the toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs and Dijon vinaigrette. Toss everything together and serve warm.

Notes

  • Use kitchen scissors to trim long sweet potato noodles before cooking for easier handling and eating.
  • Including kombu seaweed in the lentil cooking water adds umami flavor and helps break down phytic acid for better digestibility.
  • Toast pine nuts separately to maximize their crunchy texture and nutty taste when added to the salad.
  • The salad can be served warm or at room temperature depending on preference.

Nutrition Information

Calories 414.5kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 41.3g (14%) Protein 14.8g (30%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 2.6g (13%) Sodium 375.5mg (16%) Fiber 10.5g (42%) Sugar 6.1g (12%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 4145

% Daily Value*

Calories 414.5kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 41.3g 14%
Protein 14.8g 30%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 2.6g 13%
Sodium 375.5mg 16%
Fiber 10.5g 42%
Sugar 6.1g 12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.