It isn’t often you hear someone exclaim ‘Man, I’ve been experiencing some serious lentil cravings lately’.
A big bowl of meaty puy or creamy red isn’t generally enough to slow your Facebook scroll like other celebrated fare.
In fact, some insensitive humans compare lentils to mush or cardboard.
But maybe they just haven’t had this salad.
THIS Moroccan lentil salad is all about bringing the feisty flavour to those little powerful spheres of nutrition. Each satisfying bite thats brimming with crispy fresh veggies, crunchy seeds and an irresistible golden dressing will prove that lentils needn’t be type cast to winter stews.
FRENCH LENTILS
Hold their shape well and soak in dressing like a sponge. Black beluga lentils are a beautiful alternative if you can find them.
Are you a lentil lover or hater? What is your favourite way to enjoy them in the summer?
Let me know if you try the recipe and tag me @earthandoven !
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup French lentils/beluga
- 3/4 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 a small red onion, finely diced
- 3/4 cup cabbage, shredded (or your other favourite crispy veggie)
- 3/4 cup curly parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup Black mission figs or currants, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup good quality olive oil
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/3 tsp Ground Turmeric Root
- 1/3 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper
Method
- Rinse the lentils. In a medium pot, add the lentils and cover with an inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until they are tender but with a bit of tooth to the bite. Do not over cook. Drain any excess water and set aside to cool.
- While the lentils cook, add all of the dressing ingredients into a jar and shake well until it becomes a smooth, homogeneous dressing. Taste and adjust seasonings as you like.
- In a large serving bowl, add the lentils, veggies, pepita seeds, dried fruits and herbs. Drizzle with the dressing and toss well to coat.
- Keep in an air tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The salad does deliciously well when made the day ahead, allowing the flavours to mingle.
You win for the lentil fix and the photos! We could design an entire room around this dish! Amazing.-Laurel
Thanks for the kind words, Laurel. Hope you’re having a great week!
This is a truly mouth-watering recipe, Meredith! I love colorful dishes! What kind of turmeric do you use?
Hi Agness! Thank you so much! I usually use the Simply Organic brand. It’s widely available here in Toronto and on Amazon.