Brown Butter Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad

By Yossy Arefi

Updated November 5, 2020

  • Yossy Arefi for The New York Times (Photography and Styling)
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(8,646)
Comments
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This simple lentil salad has a little secret: a toasty, brown butter vinaigrette perfumed with sage. The dish has as much texture as it does flavor. French green lentils or black lentils are the ideal choice, as they hold their shape well after cooking, but brown lentils will work too, though they’ll be a bit softer. Start testing your lentils for doneness after about 15 minutes of cooking; you want them cooked through but not mushy, and they’re best if they retain some bite. Roasted until tender, the sweet potatoes add richness, but feel free to substitute just about any roasted vegetables. Carrots, beets or red bell peppers would all be delicious in their stead.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

FOR THE SALAD

  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, butternut squash or carrots, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 cup French green lentils or black lentils, rinsed

  • ½ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

  • ½ cup crumbled goat cheese (optional)

FOR THE BROWN BUTTER VINAIGRETTE

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

38 grams carbs; 27 milligrams cholesterol; 357 calories; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 18 grams fat; 7 grams fiber; 354 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 375 degrees and set a rack in the center.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the sweet potatoes: On a baking sheet, toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer and roast, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender, 15 to 25 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    While the sweet potatoes cook, prepare the lentils: Add the lentils to a medium pot and cover with about 6 cups water. Salt the water generously and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the lentils until just tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain the lentils then return them to the pot. Cover to keep warm.

  4. Step 4

    Prepare the vinaigrette: Add the sage to a small bowl. Melt the butter in a small skillet set over medium heat. (Use a pan with a light interior so you can easily see the milk solids change color.) Cook the butter a few minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the milk solids off the bottom and sides of the pan as needed, until the milk solids turn golden brown and smell toasty.

  5. Step 5

    Pour the hot browned butter and all of the toasty bits over the sage; it will crackle and foam a bit. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute to let the foam subside, then whisk in the olive oil, followed by the red wine vinegar and maple syrup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  6. Step 6

    Add the cooked sweet potatoes to the pot with the warm lentils. Pour the dressing over the top and stir gently to combine. Add the parsley, season with more salt and pepper, if desired, and toss to combine.

  7. Step 7

    Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and sprinkle with goat cheese, if using. Serve warm.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
8,646 user ratings
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Comments

Rachel

I was feeling cheap so I didn’t buy fresh sage leaves and used the ground sage I had in my pantry… very bad call it made the vinaigrette very gritty and kind of ruined the whole thing. Learn from me and love urself enough to buy the fresh sage

Joanna

Firstly; it's absolutely superb. Secondly: serving 4-6 is ...uh....optimistic. I'd put it more 3-4 at best. For those who don't like goat cheese, feta works quite nicely.

Jess

This dish made a perfect meatless Monday meal. You’ll definitely want to make sure the lentils still have a bite to them and the goat cheese adds a great creaminess to the dish. I added pepitas for an extra layer of texture.

Jenna M

This recipe might seem underwhelming given the volume of positive reviews but it’s quite tasty and simple, though also delicate. It reminds me of Mediterranean lentil salads I grew up with (without butter) and is great for folks who eat allium-free. The key here is using good quality olive oil and vinegar, and also carefully browning the butter and sage for that warm, hearty dimension, though you could omit the butter altogether. One mistake I made was using a mushier lentil; next time I will be sure to use a variety that stays intact and will stop cooking when it’s still quite firm. Be sure not to overcook the potato or squash, stir gently at the end, and time it to serve warm.

Elle Dee

The 8,000+ positive reviews are confusing to me. There was nothing offensive about this meal, but it was very meh and completely forgettable—so forgettable that I literally forgot to finish my lunch while I was working. It’s definitely missing several things to make it worth the hassle. And speaking of hassle, this required way more work than should be normalized for such an insignificant meal. The end result did not warrant the use of an oven + stovetop + 2 pots + several mixing bowls 😮‍💨 In a moment of foolish optimism, I doubled the recipe so I’d have lunches for the whole week, which means I now need to figure out how to make it more palatable. Maybe a yogurt-tahini sauce? Harissa? More acid? Something. Maybe by Friday I’ll understand the 8000 5 star reviews.

Frances

Excellent - definitely better warm. All my kids ate this and loved it.

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