lentil salad

in an effort to maintain some sort of health, i’ve been looking for wholesome yet robust meals to test out. i came across this salad recipe on pinterest.

the blogger, sarah britton, posted this lentil salad recipe almost three years ago, but it caught my eye! i love interesting vinaigrettes mixed with lentils, couscous, or other hearty grains. it takes a lot of spices & ingredients, but you can save the leftover dressing and use it another time! <

this salad, if not mixed with arugula or other perishables, will last for a couple days in the fridge! keep the lentil mixture separate until serving to keep it all fresh.

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lentil salad with spicy vinaigrette

ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups (1 lb.) Du Puy lentils
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 cup dried figs
• 1/3 cup capers

vinaigrette

• 1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. strong mustard
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

optional add-ins:

• arugula
• walnuts
• goat cheese
• fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil

directions

rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. do not overcook!

while the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.

finely dice red onion – the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. if using dried fruit, chop them roughly to make them a bit smaller, and do the same with the capers if they are large.

when the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. toss the (slightly warm) lentils with dressing.

add other onion, capers, and dried fruit. if using other add-ins such as herbs, greens, or cheese, wait until just before serving. otherwise, this salad can hang out in the fridge for a couple days.

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