Black Lentil Salad with Roasted Vegetables (Printable Version)

Earthy black lentils paired with sweet roasted vegetables and zesty lemon dressing create this vibrant, wholesome Mediterranean-inspired dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dry black lentils, rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

05 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad Additions

13 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
15 - 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

→ Lemon Dressing

17 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
19 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
21 - ½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
22 - ¼ teaspoon salt
23 - ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium pot, combine black lentils, water, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until just tender but not mushy. Drain and discard bay leaf.
02 - Toss bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and carrot with olive oil, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Spread evenly on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring once, until vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey or maple syrup, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
04 - Add cooled lentils, roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and seeds to the bowl with dressing. Toss well to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Sprinkle with feta cheese if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lentils hold their shape perfectly, giving you that satisfying bite that most salads are missing without weighing you down like pasta would.
  • You can make this on Sunday and eat it all week long, as it actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a day when all those Mediterranean flavors mingle together.
02 -
  • Never salt the lentils until after they're cooked or they can become tough and take forever to soften, a mistake I made the first three times I cooked with them.
  • The vegetables need plenty of space on the baking sheet, otherwise they steam instead of roast, and youll miss out on all that gorgeous caramelized flavor.
03 -
  • Massage the lentils gently with the dressing while theyre still warm from cooking, which helps them absorb all those bright flavors instead of just being coated with them.
  • For an incredible flavor boost, add the zest of your lemon to the dressing along with the juice, a trick my Greek neighbor taught me that makes all the difference.
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