A Mediterranean Style Salad: Crunchy Pomegranate & Lentil Salad with Dill Feta Dressing

Prabha Honrath, RD
Jan 5
2 min read

This Mediterranean style salad is doing everything ✨

Major crunch, bold flavor, and balanced enough to feel good going back for seconds. Seasonal greens, tart pops of pomegranate, crispy shallots, and that hearty lentil crunch, all tied together with a creamy feta-dill dressing that feels luxe.

And to keep prep breezy, zero shame in pre-trimmed green beans, pre-seeded pomegranate, or swapping in crispy fried onions. We love a shortcut and can help cut prep time in half 💁🏽‍♀️🥗

INGREDIENTS

For the Salad:

Kale: 3 cups
Green beans: 1 lb
Pomegranate seeds (from 2 pomegranates or 1 cup)
Almonds: ½ cup sliced almonds
French Lentils: 1 cup dry
Canned Chickpeas: 1 ¾ c
Shallots: 6-7, thinly sliced
Oil: ½ cup (for frying shallots, save re-use for dressing)

For the Feta Dressing:

Feta cheese: 10oz (about 280g)
Oil: ½ cup (use the shallot infused from earlier)
Lemon juice: Juice of 1 lemon
Honey: 1 tsp
Fresh dill: 4 tbsp, chopped
Warm water: 3-4 tbsp (to adjust consistency)
Salt and pepper: To taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare the Salad Components

Roasted Lentils: Cook 1 cup lentils in 3 cups water until tender (20–30 minutes), then roast at 400°F in the air fryer (20 minutes) or oven (30 minutes), tossing occasionally to prevent burning.
Green Beans: Blanch green beans in salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes until tender-crisp, then transfer to an ice bath, drain well, and chop into 2-inch pieces.
Pomegranate Seeds: Seed the pomegranates (doing this in a bowl of water helps the pith float, making it easier to separate).
Crispy Shallots: Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Fry the thinly sliced shallots until golden brown and crispy. Transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
Chickpeas: Drain, rinse, set aside for assembly.

2. Make the Feta Dressing

In a bowl, mash the feta cheese with a fork. Mix in the lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper.
Slowly drizzle in the shallot infused olive oil from the shallot prep and warm water, mixing continuously until the dressing is smooth and pourable. Add the warm water one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Stir in the chopped fresh dill.

3. Assemble and Serve

In a large serving bowl, combine the kale, green beans, rinsed chickpeas, roasted lentils, pomegranate seeds, and sliced almonds. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Top generously with the crispy shallots right before serving for maximum crunch.