This French lentil and beet salad is an incredibly versatile dish that can be served as a main course for lunch or as a simple side dish for a party or backyard BBQ.
One of the biggest benefits of cooking with lentils is how quick they are to prepare and how inexpensive they are to use. Similar to rice, they can be used as a side dish, added to salads, or turned into the main feature by using them in curries, stews and even burgers. In addition to being simple to use, they are a great source of complex carbohydrates and help to serve as a source of plant-based protein as well.
When it comes to lentils, there are many different varieties and colours. From red to green, and brown to black, lentils have been used by various cultures for centuries and therefore have been used in so many different dishes. I love using red lentils for soups and stews, like my Lentil, Sweet Potato & Spinach Dahl, and Puy (French) or black lentils for salads and side dishes. Depending on the colour and variety, they will cook in anywhere between 20 to 45 minutes, making them a great choice for weeknight meals. Regardless of what type you use, be sure to rinse your lentils well before cooking and soak them before use (when possible) to ensure they are optimally digested.
This French lentil and beet salad pairs a sweet, savoury and salty combination of flavours to make an incredible salad that can be stored in the fridge for days to come.
More Lentil Recipes:
French Lentil & Beet Salad
This lentil and beet salad calls for raw beets, however, you could also buy pre-roasted beets to help save on time and clean-up.
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Prep Time: 15 minutes -
Cook Time: 90 minutes
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Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
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Yield: 4 servings 1x
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Category: Salad
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Method: By Hand
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Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
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Cuisine:Ingredients
Salad:
- 1/2 cup Puy lentils, dry
- 1 cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 medium beets (I used 2 red and 2 yellow)
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 handful parsley, roughly chopped
- 1 small handful chives, minced
Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, crushed and minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Begin by roasting the beets. Wash and loosely wrap each beet in aluminium foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour until beets are tender.
- While the beets are roasting, add 1/2 cup of Puy lentils and 1 cup of water to a pot with a bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until lentils are soft but not mushy. You are looking for them to still have a little bite to them.
- Once lentils are cooked, strain any excess hot water, rinse well with cold water and set aside to cool.
- Once roasted, remove beets from the oven allow beets to cool, leaving the foil on.
- While the beets and lentils are cooling, prepare the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a jar or bowl and whisk until well combined.
- Once cooled, gently remove the outer skin from each beet, it should pull off easily when they are roasted.
- Once the skin is removed, cut roasted beets into cubed bite size pieces.
- Once beets and lentils have cooled completely, add them to a large bowl to prepare the salad.
- Add sliced onion and toss to combine with the beets and lentils. Drizzle in the dressing and toss to ensure everything is well coated.
- Add crumbled goat cheese and fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste, and give it one last toss before serving.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 270 calories
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Fat: 17 grams
- Carbohydrates: 20 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
- Protein: 11 grams
Keywords: roasted beet, cold beet, goat cheese, vinaigrette
Delicious I also add celery, gives it a nice little crunch.
★★★★★