Warm Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad
with lemon-dill vinaigrette
This protein-packed salad with lentils, walnuts, and crispy goat cheese rounds was a popular meal when we last featured it in 2020.
Smarts: For the onions in this salad, serve them raw or rinse them in cool water for less oniony “bite”.
Ingredients
- Dill, fresh - 1 tsp , chopped
- Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp
- Oil, olive - 5 Tbsp
- Vinegar, red wine - 1 Tbsp
- Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
- Honey - 1 tsp
- Walnuts, halves or pieces - 1/2 cup
- Tomatoes, cherry or grape - 2 cups , halved
- Onions, red - 1/4 , diced
- Panko breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
- Goat cheese - 4 oz (buy the variety sold in a log shape for easy slicing)
- Foil - for roasting
- Lentils, cooked - 2 cups (use pre-cooked lentils or if cooking from dried, use half the amount of dried and prepare according to package directions)
- Salad greens of choice - 8 oz
- Olives, kalamata, pitted - 1/3 cup (sub any type of olives)
Prep
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Make vinaigrette - (If prepping right before cooking, get oven heating first.) Chop dill. Combine with lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
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Walnuts - Toast walnuts in a dry pan or skillet, stirring frequently until fragrant, about 3 minutes. When cool enough to handle, roughly chop. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Tomatoes / Onions - Prep as directed. Store separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Cheese - Combine panko, first part of cooking oil, and some salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slice the cheese into 1/2" / 1.3 cm rounds. Press the rounds in the panko so that they are crusted on both sides.
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Make
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If you’d like the onions to have less of a bite, soak them in cool water. Drain before using.
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Heat oven to 425F / 218C. Line a sheet pan with foil.
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Toss tomatoes in half the vinaigrette (reserve the other half for dressing). Place tomatoes on sheet pan and roast until tomatoes are lightly caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes.
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While tomatoes roast, heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add second part of cooking oil and panko-crusted goat cheese to hot oil. Sear on both sides until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the goat cheese to a paper towel-lined plate until ready to serve.
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Warm lentils briefly in the microwave.
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Assemble salad by combining salad greens with roasted tomatoes, red onions, walnuts, olives, and lentils. Top with panko-crusted goat cheese and reserved dressing. Enjoy!
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