Lentil Salad With Roasted Vegetables

Name: Lentil Salad With Roasted Vegetables
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients: 1 small whole acorn squash, peeled if desired, halved, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces; 1 medium celeriac, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces; 3 small beets, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 sprigs thyme; 1 sprig rosemary, cut in half; 4 slices (4 ounces) bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional); 2 cups brown or green lentils; 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled; 1 bay leaf; 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, more to taste; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed; 2 heads radicchio, sliced; 2 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens); Parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish; Flaky sea salt, to taste; Cracked black pepper, to taste; 1 tangerine, halved and seeded

By Melissa Clark

Updated Oct. 17, 2023

Lentil Salad With Roasted Vegetables — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating: 5(1,884)
Comments: Read comments

This lentil salad looks and tastes bright, thanks to a combination of tangerine juice, sherry vinegar and colorful caramelized roasted root vegetables. It works either as a main course, served with good bread and butter, or as side dish with roasted meat or fish. For the maximum visual impact, use both golden and red beets. Vegetarians can feel free to leave out the bacon. Leftovers will keep for at least five days, though try to pack it up without the radicchio, which gets soggy in the fridge.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

For the Lentil Salad

1small whole acorn squash, peeled if desired, halved, seeded and diced into ½-inch pieces
2medium carrots, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
1medium celeriac, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
3small beets, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½teaspoon salt
2sprigs thyme
1sprig rosemary, cut in half
4slices (4 ounces) bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
2cups brown or green lentils
2garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1bay leaf
1½teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
½teaspoon black pepper

For the Sherry Vinaigrette

¼cup sherry vinegar, more to taste
2teaspoons Dijon mustard
½teaspoon salt
½cup extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed

For Serving

2heads radicchio, sliced
2scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens)
Parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Cracked black pepper, to taste
1tangerine, halved and seeded

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

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Step 1
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place vegetables in one layer on one or two large rimmed baking pans, toss with olive oil and salt. Place thyme and rosemary on top of vegetables, cover pans with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Remove foil, stir in bacon and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until vegetables are tender and golden all over.
Step 2
In a large pot, combine lentils, 6 cups water, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until lentils are tender.
Step 3
In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard and salt. Then whisk in olive oil.
Step 4
Drain lentils and discard bay leaf; keep or discard garlic as you like. Toss lentils with half of the sherry vinaigrette while still warm. Add more salt, olive oil and vinegar as needed.
Step 5
Toss radicchio with enough of remaining vinaigrette to lightly coat it and arrange it on a platter. Combine lentils and roasted vegetables, adding more of the vinaigrette to taste; spoon mixture on top of radicchio. Garnish with scallions, parsley, sea salt and black pepper. Squeeze tangerine juice over the lentils and drizzle with more olive oil if needed.

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Ratings

5 out of 5

1,884 user ratings

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Comments

Robin8 years ago

I made half of the lentils but a full recipe of the vegetables and was pleased with the proportion. Doubled the dressing to have leftovers. Next time would use balsamic. Sherry vinegar seemed too muddy with the lentils. I used French lentils and would recommend. Also used Meyer lemons and blood oranges instead of the tangerine. I would recommend using more citrus. A next time for me is to add some zest to the lentil salad mix. Very satisfying as a main course.

Me8 years ago

No need to peel a squash. Once roasted, the peels of acorn, butternut and similar winter squashes are soft and delicious (think of apple peels).

Jeanie Cass8 years ago

Also skipped the bacon. Have made it twice, once with sherry vinegar, once with balsamic vinegar. I prefer the balsamic. Tangerine makes the flavors pop! A hit with my crowd!

Rachel H2 days ago

Served this salad with roasted salmon. I had an extra leek that I sliced into rings and added to the vegetables which was delicious.

Eldon3 weeks ago

Recipe is too bitter between the radicchio and white wine vinegar. Consider substituting WWV with red wine vinegar (sweeter) and/or radicchio with romaine lettuce. Turnips also work great substituting for any of the other root veggies to bring a peppery element

Mandy H2 months ago

This one was not a win for us, even subbing balsamic for the sherry as other commenters recommended. The radicchio was too bitter, and the orange didn't really come through in the dressing to even it out, so the overall flavor was mostly just bitter and mustard. I ended up throwing out the leftovers. If we make again, I'd zest the orange and set over a milder crisped kale.

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