Lentil Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato
This Lentil Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato is a hearty, full of flavor. It has the perfect balance of earthy and sweet flavors.
It’s incredible knowing how many delicious and healthy recipes you can make with lentils. Lentils are known to be a great source of iron, magnesium, vitamins B, Zinc and potassium. Not only that, but they also have a good percentile of protein. Inside a cup of lentils there’s about 17.9 grams of protein which makes them an excellent meat alternative for a plant-based lunch or if you prefer, it could be a side dish that’s easy to make.
Moreover, this salad has a great combination of texture and flavors you’ll really love. Fresh parsley, herby lentils, red onion, roasted sweet potato that will bring this salad to another level!
We’ll finish this salad with toasted or raw pumpkin seeds for a perfect crunch! A simple olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard dressing will tie all the ingredients together for a very satisfying dish, great for our gut.
Let us show you how to make this simple and tasty salad!
INGREDIENTS + How to make Lentil Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato
This salad starts by cooking the dry black lentils with hearty spices—Fresh thyme, oregano, minced garlic clove, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground ginger and a touch of ground cinnamon that brings this salad to life.
While the lentils are cooking, it’s time to roast the sweet potato. For this, you need to cut the sweet potato in small chunks and season with salt, black pepper, dry oregano, ground garlic and olive oil. Then, jump it to the oven!
Dressing: Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, black pepper and salt to a bowl and whisk well.
Toss the cooked lentils to a big bowl with parsley, red onion, roasted sweet potato and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle the dressing over it and stir well until combined and enjoy!
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
Do I have to use black lentils? No, you don’t have to. You also can use french lentils or brown lentils. However keep in mind brown lentils won’t be as firm.
Can I use can lentils? Yes, you could but you will miss the flavor of fresh herbs and spices.
How to store? This salad will keep in a glass bowl and cover the top with a plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days. Honestly, it’ll taste even better if you let it marinate overnight.
*If you want to make the lentil salad ahead of time, drizzle the dressing just before serving.
*You can eat this salad alone as a meal or serve it in smaller portions as a side. If you want to bulk up the salad a little, you can serve it over a bed of greens. You also can serve this with pita bread.
For more lentil recipes, you may like this Alternative, Tasty Moussaka.
Finally, If you try this recipe let us know! Tag a picture #thesunshinekitchen__ on Instagram! I’d love to see your creations!
You also can leave a comment and rate it below this page! ❤️
Lentil Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato
Ingredients
- 1 cup black lentils
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 tsp fresh oregano
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- pinch ground cinnamon
- 3½ cups water
- salt to taste
- 1 lb roasted sweet potato
- ½ cup parsley
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds raw or toasted
Dressing
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the lentils with fresh thyme, oregano, minced garlic, ground coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, salt and water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat hen reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until tender. Then, drain well.
- While the lentils cook line a rimmed sheet pan with foil and drizzle the sweet potato chunks with olive and season with salt, black pepper, dry oregano, ground garlic and olive oil. Roast the sweet potato at 400° F. for about 20-30 minutes or until it's fork tender.
- Dressing: Add the oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk until well emulsified.
- In a big bowl, add the lentils with the roasted sweet potato, parsley, red onion and pumpkin seeds. Toss the dressing and stir everything together until it's coated in the vinaigrette. Taste for seasoning and serve.