Black Lentil Roasted Vegetables (Printable)

Nutritious lentils paired with caramelized roasted vegetables and fresh citrus dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dry black lentils (Beluga), rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

05 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad Additions

13 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
15 - 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

→ Lemon Dressing

17 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
19 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
21 - ½ teaspoon honey or maple syrup
22 - ¼ teaspoon salt
23 - ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine black lentils, water, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until just tender. Drain, discard the bay leaf, and let cool slightly.
03 - Toss bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and carrot with 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until tender and lightly caramelized. Let cool slightly.
04 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, honey or maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl.
05 - Combine cooked lentils, roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and seeds in a large bowl. Pour dressing over ingredients and toss well to coat evenly.
06 - Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The lentils hold their shape perfectly, giving you that satisfying bite every single time.
  • It comes together in under an hour and tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle in.
  • You can eat it warm, cold, or anywhere in between, making it impossibly flexible for busy weeks.
02 -
  • Don't overcook the lentils or they'll lose that satisfying firmness that makes this salad special, so set a timer and check at 20 minutes.
  • The lentils will absorb flavor as they cool, so taste the dressing before you toss everything together because you might want it slightly more aggressive than you'd expect.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes if you can, because freshly toasted seeds taste like a completely different ingredient than store-bought.
  • Don't drain the lentils until they've cooled slightly, and definitely don't rinse them after draining because you want to keep all that starchy coating that helps the dressing cling.
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