This healthy, hearty lentils and roasted vegetable salad pairs roasted carrots and beets with warm green lentils, tangy feta cheese, crunchy toasted walnuts, and creamy garlic and herb yogurt dressing. It’s perfect to serve as a meatless main for lunch or dinner or as a side dish. And it’s pretty enough to serve guests!
Lentils and Roasted Vegetable Salad
Break out of your salad rut with this delicious, gluten-free lentils and roasted vegetable salad!
I love to make this lentil and roasted vegetable salad recipe in the spring when carrots and beets are in season and at their peak freshness.
And you don’t need to do much to make this dish. Roasting vegetables and simmering lentils is easy, hands-off work. When the legumes and veggies are cooked, all you need to do is top with some toasted walnuts and feta cheese crumbles. And then drizzle with a simple dressing made with fresh herbs, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and Greek yogurt. And that’s it! Your hearty (and gorgeous) salad is ready to serve!
Lentils and Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad Ingredients
You can throw this lentils and roasted vegetable salad together with just a few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need.
- LENTILS: Lentils are an easy-to-digest legume that’s packed with good-for-you nutrients like protein, fiber, iron, and folate. Plus, they’re inexpensive and simple to make. All you need to do is simmer the dry beans in water for about 20 minutes until they’re tender (no pre-soaking required!) For this recipe, I used small, French green lentils (also known as Le Puy lentils). I love the richer taste and firmer texture of this variety. If you can’t find Le Puy lentils, use French-style green lentils like the ones from Bob’s Red Mill.
- DRY BAY LEAF
- CARROTS: I used rainbow-colored carrots I bought at a local farmstand. But you can use any type of carrot in this dish.
- BEETS: Same goes for the beets. I used golden beets but you can also use red ones. And you don’t have to peel these before roasting! Just make sure to clean and trim before cutting.
- EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
- GARLIC
- PLAIN GREEK YOGURT
- FRESH PARSLEY AND DILL
- LEMON JUICE
- TOASTED WALNUTS
- FETA CHEESE
- KOSHER SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
Tips for Making this Salad
Here are a few more things to keep in mind while making this lentils and roasted vegetable salad.
- DO I NEED TO PEEL BEETS? No! For this recipe, just trim and clean them before cutting them.
- CAN I USE SOMETHING BESIDES BEETS? Don’t love beets? I get it. Although they are so caramelized and yummy in this recipe! But you can also use fennel, butternut squash, or small potatoes.
- HOW TO TOAST WALNUTS: Walnuts are easy to toast. Just heat the walnuts in a skillet over medium-high heat (stirring occasionally) until they are starting to brown and are fragrant, about 2 to 5 minutes.
- SERVING TIPS: You can serve this salad a single large salad or you can divide it into individual servings.
- GARNISHES: In addition to the nuts and feta cheese, I topped my salad with some chopped herbs and carrots tops. This is optional.
- MAKE-AHEAD: You can roast your vegetables up to a day ahead of time. Store them covered in the refrigerator and then just bring them to room temperature before serving. Any extra dressing can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
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Lentils and Roasted Vegetable Salad
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This healthy, hearty lentils and roasted vegetable salad pairs roasted carrots and beets with warm green lentils, tangy feta cheese, crunchy toasted walnuts, and creamy garlic and herb yogurt dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup French-style green lentils, rinsed and picked over
- 1 dry bay leaf
- Kosher salt
- 1 bunch beets, scrubbed, cleaned, and cut into 1/2– to 1-inch sections. You can use any color of beets.
- 1–2 bunches of carrots, any color combination, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into smaller pieces if needed.
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 of a lemon)
- 1–2 grated or minced garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 –1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces
- More garnish ideas: chopped fresh herbs and/or carrot tops, squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
ROAST THE VEGETABLES:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add carrots and beets in a single layer to the baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Using your hands or a spatula, toss the vegetables. Then add to the oven and roast until the vegetables are cooked through and starting to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
MAKE THE LENTILS:
- While the vegetables are roasting, make the lentils.
- Rinse lentils and add them to a saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat, cover and let simmer until the lentils are tender (but not mushy) about 20-25 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and add salt to taste.
MAKE THE DRESSING:
- In a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and chopped fresh herbs. Mix until combined and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
ASSEMBLE AND SERVE:
- When ready to serve, toss the lentils in a bit of olive oil and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Spoon the lentil onto a platter or individual plates. Top with the roasted vegetables, crumbled feta cheese, the toasted walnuts.
- Drizzle with the yogurt dressing to taste and garnish with additional fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- MAKE-AHEAD: You can roast your vegetables up to a day ahead of time. Store them covered in the refrigerator and then just bring them to room temperature before serving. Any extra dressing can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main, Side