This heat marinated lentil salad with feta cheese is a straightforward vegetarian entree or aspect that mixes black or inexperienced lentils with a spiced nut French dressing, raisins, recent basil, and slabs of feta cheese. If you’re following a vegan eating regimen, merely omit the feta.
Tailored by Molly Baz | Prepare dinner This E book | Clarkson Potter, 2021
I’ve received a lotta love for lentils. Any meals that tastes nice straight on day one and solely tastes higher because it sits and marinates over a number of days is an effective meals to me. As soon as you know the way to correctly cook dinner lentils—like pasta, in a pot of closely salted water—you’ve received one of many best canvases upon which to precise your creativity. Lentils take in flavors like sponges, so I encourage you to make use of this recipe as a jumping-off level however not as dogma. Gently heating the oil with a number of aromatics when making the spiced nut French dressing will amplify all their flavors and carry them effortlessly into the lentils as soon as issues all get tossed collectively. This recipe requires black or inexperienced lentils, each of which have a tendency to carry their form effectively when cooked, thus making them excellent for salads.–Molly Baz
Marinated Lentil Salad FAQs
Feta can fluctuate in taste and texture, relying on what sort of milk is used and the place the feta is made. Sheep’s milk feta is the traditional possibility and tends to be the sharpest, whereas goat’s and cow’s milk variations are milder. Bulgarian Feta is the saltiest sort of feta, with a agency but creamy texture. French Feta is delicate and creamy, much less briny than the others, and tends to be a bit softer. The commonest feta you’ll see is Greek feta. It’s probably the most flavorful— briny, tangy, and sharp—and the tremendous texture makes it excellent to crumble in salads, sprinkle on soups, or toss into your favourite pasta.
For this straightforward lentil salad, you need to use a agency lentil that doesn’t flip mushy when cooked. Keep away from purple lentils right here and hunt down the small inexperienced lentils (French lentils) or the tiny black beluga lentils.
Beluga lentils are tiny, darkish, and dense, black lentils. They’re referred to as Beluga lentils as a result of they intently resemble Beluga caviar. Like all lentils, they’re budget-friendly, full of protein, straightforward to cook dinner, and scrumptious. Not like some lentils that get mushy when cooked, belugas preserve their form and al dente texture through the cooking course of.
Marinated Lentil Salad
Gently heating the oil with a number of aromatics when making the spiced nut French dressing will amplify all their flavors and carry them effortlessly into the lentils as soon as issues all get tossed collectively. For this lentil and feta salad, hunt down black or inexperienced lentils, which maintain their form effectively.
For the spiced nut French dressing
Prepare dinner the lentils
-
Carry a medium saucepan full of 2 quarts of water and a pair of tablespoons of salt to a boil.
-
Add the lentils, give them a very good stir, and return the water to a simmer, adjusting the warmth as needed to take care of a simmer whereas they cook dinner. Simmer till they’re cooked by means of and not toothsome, however not mushy, 15 to 35 minutes relying on what sort of lentils you may have and the way outdated they’re. Style them periodically to guage their doneness earlier than draining them.
-
Drain the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and allow them to cool within the strainer whilst you put together the French dressing. Reserve the saucepan.
Make the spiced nut French dressing
-
Within the reserved saucepan over medium-low warmth, mix the olive oil and chopped walnuts, swirling the pan typically in order that they cook dinner evenly, till golden brown, 4 to eight minutes. (Regulate them, as they’ll flip from toasty to burnt fairly shortly.) Take away from the warmth.
-
Subsequent, add the cumin seeds and floor coriander to the saucepan and stir to mix. Utilizing a Microplane, instantly grate the garlic cloves into the still-hot oil and stir to mix. Stir in golden raisins, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon salt.
-
Add the drained lentils again to the medium saucepan with the walnut combination and gently stir every part to mix.
-
Tear the basil leaves in half, or into small items if massive, and toss them by means of the lentils. Style and regulate the seasoning as wanted.
Serving: 1portionEnergy: 524kcal (26%)Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)Protein: 18g (36%)Fats: 36g (55%)Saturated Fats: 7g (44%)Polyunsaturated Fats: 11gMonounsaturated Fats: 16gLdl cholesterol: 17mg (6%)Sodium: 219mg (10%)Potassium: 211mg (6%)Fiber: 12g (50%)Sugar: 6g (7%)Vitamin A: 415IU (8%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 174mg (17%)Iron: 6mg (33%)
What ought to I serve with marinated lentil salad?
This heat lentil salad is an entire gentle vegetarian meal, nonetheless, to make it heartier, be at liberty to serve some grilled rooster or fish alongside, or tuck the salad right into a heat pita and high with a dollop of hummus.
Recipe Testers’ Critiques
Initially revealed Might 6, 2022
If you happen to make this recipe, snap a photograph and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We would like to see your creations on Instagram, Fb, and Twitter.
