French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables

5 (1)

I love making Salads from Lentils! In fact, any kind of Legume or Grain makes for a healthy and hearty base for Salads. French Lentils are a fantastic choice. They are loaded with nutrition and have a lovely mild flavor. Their texture is phenomenal, giving a slight chew and ‘bite’ that turns into a wonderful, creamy texture once bitten into. In this recipe for French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables we will show you how to make this simple and tasty Salad that requires barely any effort at all. Making it a perfect healthy dish to prepare any time of the year!

What are Lentils, and how do you cook them?

Lentils are a ‘legume’ which is a catch-all title for the family of ingredients including Beans, Peas, and of course, Lentils. They all have similar textures and all typically prepared in similar ways. For our French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables, we prepare the Lentils by adding them to a pot filled with boiling water (or flavored Broth) and cooking them until tender

This method for cooking Lentils is easy, all you need to do is combine 1 cup of Lentils to 3 cups of Water into a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil then drop the heat to Simmer. After about 20 minutes and a few periodical stirs throughout, they’ll be done!

To add more flavor into the Lentils, we recommend using homemade Chicken or Vegetable Broth

Lentils absorb flavor as they cook, so naturally they are going to benefit greatly from being cooked in a flavored Broth. We recommend using Vegetable Broth or Chicken Broth, depending on what you prefer. To keep this dish 100% Vegetarian / Vegan then we recommend using this Vegetable Broth recipe

If you’re ok with eating meat, then try this Chicken Broth recipe. Chicken Broth not only adds a wonderful flavor to the Lentils, but it gives it a creamier texture with a little bit more body. You will get the additional flavor by using Vegetable Broth, but the texture will remain the same as if using Water

We recommend making a big batch of homemade broth and storing it in your freezer. It’ll keep for months in the freezer, and you can use it sparingly as you need for your home cooking needs. Adding Broth to a dish is such a great way to add flavor to your cooking, and it is one of those fancy home cooking tricks that transforms recipes into restaurant-quality meals

The best way to enjoy Vegetables is roasting them

Yes, vegetables are an incredibly diverse ingredient with so many different methods to cook them. However, in our opinion the best way to enjoy their flavors is by roasting them in the oven

This method is cooking yields the absolute best flavor for your veggies. The roasting technique allows the Vegetables to caramelize, which extracts their natural sugars, giving the Vegetables a rich, sweet flavor. Roast Vegetables also look beautiful once cooked as they turn golden-brown and have a beautiful, slightly charred color to them

For this recipe you can use many different types of Vegetables, almost all of them taste great once Roasted. We used a combination of Carrots, Celery, Onions, and Bell Peppers in this dish. The combination of colors and flavors these Vegetables bring to the dish is amazing

Other Vegetables you could use / swap out in this dish are many, but a few examples would be Squash / Pumpkin, Potatoes, Parsnips, Leeks, Fennel, Sweet Potato, Mushrooms, and Turnips just to name a few! The only point to note is that certain vegetables roast at different times. For example, Mushrooms are going to roast a lot quicker than a Potato or Parsnip. So, we recommend checking the Vegetables periodically on their doneness while everything is cooking together

You can enjoy this delicious dish on its own, or add your favorite protein

On it’s own, this is a full and hearty Vegetarian Meal. There’s no specific need to add anything else to the dish. That is, unless you’ve got quite the appetite and just want some protein on top of this dish. In many ways, Lentils can be used similarly to Risotto or Rice. They serve as a great side, or ‘bed’ for a perfectly cooked piece of protein to be served on top of it

Any protein is going to taste great with this French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables. The flavors are familiar enough that it’ll pair great with Fish, Lamb, Chicken, Beef, or Pork. We tried this dish alongside some simple roast Chicken Breasts that we seasoned with a bunch of spices. It turned out great!

For some added creaminess we finished off the dish with some fresh Yoghurt Sauce. This is a super-versatile sauce that is so easy to make and pairs with millions of different dishes. In fact, I can’t think of a dish that doesn’t benefit from adding this sauce to it!

Simply combine Yoghurt (Greek or Plain) with some Lemon Juice, Garlic, and a little bit of Salt and you’re done. Give the sauce a taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary to your flavor profile. The creaminess of this Sauce is a great addition to the Lentils, and helps to bring everything together on the plate

French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables

• 1 cup of French Lentils
• 3 cups of Vegetable or Chicken Broth (you can also use regular Water)
• 2 Carrots, peeled and halved
• 2 Celery Stalks, Halved
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 1 Yellow Onion, Peeled and cut into quarters
• 1 tbsp. of Unsalted Butter
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Place the Vegetables on a large roasting pan and season them well with Olive Oil about Salt. Roast in the Oven for 45 minutes, turning the Vegetables halfway through. Once the Vegetables are cooked and caramelized, remove from Oven and allow to cool
2. Wash the Lentils well through a strainer then place them into a large saucepan along with the Broth. Bring to a boil then drop the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
3. Cut the Vegetables up into even bite-sized pieces. Be sure to remove the skin, core, and seeds from the Bell Pepper
4. Add the Vegetables to the cooked Lentils, along with the Butter. Taste for seasoning and add a pinch of Salt if needed. Serve immediately
   
   

Recipe Notes

• You can use Water to cook the Lentils instead of Broth
• Reheat the Lentils and Vegetables if needed right before serving
• For best results, pair this delicious French Lentil dish with a freshly made Yoghurt Sauce
  
  

That is our simple and delicious recipe for this amazing French Lentil Salad with Roast Vegetables. This dish is a tasty way to enjoy a healthy, nutritious Vegetarian meal that looks and tastes great!

If you enjoy this recipe then you’re in luck! We’ve got loads more healthy recipes for you to check out. Here’s a few of our favorites:

• Spicy Asian Poached Chicken Salad
• Salmon with Dill Sauce and Barley Salad
• Tomato Mint and Couscous Salad
• Lentil Salad with Basil, Tomato, and Goats Cheese
  
  

Happy Cooking!