Quick Lentil Salad with Roasted Beets and Feta Cheese – easy warm salad that is ideal for a meal prep plan. Mediterranean-inspired 30 minute salad featuring black beluga lentils, oven (or air fryer) roasted beets, Feta Cheese and fresh tomatoes. Spiced up with lovely fresh herbs and lemon. Vegetarian.
Today we are making a quick warm salad with black beluga lentils, quickly roasted seasoned beets (in oven or air fryer) and tangy Feta Cheese. Topped with lemon peel and parsley for freshness, this quick salad can be easily meal-prepped for the week ahead.
If you like quick cold weather salads with beets, try my recipe for roasted root vegetables with arugula and feta cheese, or this phenomenal Traditional Polish Vegetable salad recipe.
FUN FACTS: Although beluga lentils, and most lentil varieties for that matter, are a popular food choice across Europe, their origin traces back to the Eastern Mediterranean basin where lentils have been a staple food for thousands of years. Through traveling merchants, different lentil varieties became known across Europe. Up to this day, European countries like France, Spain and Italy produce tons of lentils every year.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Black beluga lentils – or French green lentils as they retain their shape well during cooking
- Dried tomatoes, diced – prefer to use dried tomatoes in oil for best results
- Beetroot, chopped and roasted – or other root vegetable
- Cherry plum tomatoes, optional
- Spring onion, minced – or shallots
- Feta Cheese, in cubes – or white Bulgarian salad cheese
- Olive oil, extra virgin
- Minced parsley, fresh
- Medium lemon, juice needed – or more to taste
- Fresh lemon peel, best from organic fruit – salad tastes so much better
- Sea salt to taste, optional
How to make warm Lentil Salad?
1st: Cook beluga lentils in water, drain and set aside to cool slightly. Then, cut beets in cubes, season and drizzle with oil. Roast in the oven or air fryer until crunchy, but well cooked through.
2nd: Combine all chopped remaining ingredients, season well to taste and serve.
TIP: If using air fryer for roasting beets, make sure to shake the basket 2 -3 times throughout cooking – to ensure beets cook evenly on all sides. If roasting beets in the oven – turn on hot air ventilation for best results. Watch beets closely as they brown on the edges quickly.
What to serve with Lentil Salad?
Personally, I would serve this salad with a number of light dishes such as:
Lentil Salad with beluga lentils, beets and Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup black beluga lentils
- 100 g dried tomatoes, diced
- 1 large beetroot, chopped and roasted
- 5-7 cherry plum tomatoes, optional
- 4 tbsp. spring onion, minced
- 100 g Feta Cheese, in cubes
- 5 tbsp. olive oil, extra virgin
- 3 tbsp. minced parsley, fresh
- 1/2 medium lemon, juice needed
- 2 tsp. fresh lemon peel, best from organic fruit
- sea salt to taste, optional
Instructions
Roast Beets
- First, peel beets and chop in cubes. Mix with 1-2 tbsp. olive oil, sprinkle with some salt and oven roast onto baking paper for about 10-15 minutes or until well roasted (180C/360F with hot air ventilation).
- Alternatively air fry the beets (200C/400F). Stir in the middle of cooking at least once, so beets get well roasted on each side (altogether approx. 20 minutes in my air fryer).
Assemble Salad
- In the meantime, cover beluga lentils with water and bring to a boil, let simmer until lentils are completely cooked. Drain from water and set aside.
- Next, cut cherry tomatoes, dried tomatoes, cheese, parsley, spring onions and combine with beets and beluga lentils in a large salad bowl.
- Drizzle with remaining olive oil and lemon juice to taste, mix in the lemon peel and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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Great recipe