Warm Lentil Salad with Dill Vinaigrette
This protein-packed lentil salad features roasted baby potatoes and a zesty dill vinaigrette. Enjoy warm or chilled.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 588kcal
Ingredients
For the Potatoes and Lentils
- 1 ½ pounds petite gold potatoes AKA baby potatoes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dry dill
- ¾ teaspoons kosher salt divided
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dry brown lentils or black or green lentils
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
Dill Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup fresh dill
- 1 clove garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 medium lemon juiced and zested; about 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey adjust to taste
- pinch of salt adjust to taste
Other Ingredients
- 1 medium cucumber
- ⅓ cup pistachios
- ⅓ cup pitted green olives
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup roughly chopped dill
- salt as needed
Instructions
For the potatoes and lentils
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the potatoes in half, then transfer to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon dill, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Stir with a spatula or clean hands to combine.
- Arrange so that the potatoes are cut-side down, leaving space between pieces. Roast at 400F for 30 minutes, or until fork-tender and golden.
- Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh sieve, removing any debris or stones. Transfer to a pot with 2 ½ cups vegetable broth and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer over low heat. Cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain off excess liquid, as needed.
For the remaining salad ingredients
- Meanwhile, prepare the dill vinaigrette.If using a blender: Roughly chop the dill and garlic. Add to the blender with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice (set aside the zest), Dijon mustard, honey, and pinch of salt. Blend until smooth.If using a jar: Finely chop the dill. Grate the garlic into a paste using a microplane or the smallest holes on a box grater. Whisk or shake together in a jar with the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice (set aside the zest), Dijon mustard, honey, and pinch of salt, until emulsified.
- Dice the cucumber and roughly chop the pistachios and olives.
- In a large bowl, combine the drained lentils, roasted potatoes, cucumber, pistachios, olives, feta, chickpeas, roughly chopped dill, and lemon zest. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, tossing to combine.
- Taste for seasonings, adding additional salt or pepper as needed. Enjoy warm. To serve chilled, cover and transfer to the fridge to chill for 3 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Lentils: Any variety of brown, green, or black lentils work here, but note that cooking times may vary. Red and orange lentils do not work.
- Vegan option: Replace feta with vegan feta to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Leftover salad is best within 3-4 days. Keep refrigerated.
- Leftovers are great warm or chilled. Reheating is easiest in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 1290mg | Fiber: 21g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 381IU | Vitamin C: 45mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 6mg
