Another perfect recipe for taking to a cookout this Memorial Day weekend!
I wish I could take credit for coming up with this recipe, but the truth is, I just recreated it with my twists. I was at a fun Mom’s Night Out last week at The Village Herb Shop, where we learned different techniques for cooking with herbs. For the event, everyone was asked to bring a dish and Annmarie brought this fabulous lentil salad that no one could get enough of, myself included. It was such a fun and different mix of flavors that I couldn’t wait a week to recreate it.
Best Lentil Salad with Craisins + Carrots
(slightly adapted from mynewroots.com)
Ingredients:
- 2 ¼ c.(1 lb.) lentils – brown or Du Puy
- 1/2 medium red onion, diced
- 1 c. dried Craisins (you could also use raisins or other dried fruit)
- 1/2 c. capers
- 1 1/2 c. shredded carrots, diced
Dressing:
- 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. dijion mustard
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. pepper
- 1.5 tsp. ground cumin
- 1.5 tsp. garam masala
Add-in Ideas:
- Arugula
- Walnuts
- Goat cheese
- Feta
- Fresh herbs: flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, basil
- Sprouts
- Crispy seasonal veggies – cucumber, zucchini, asparagus
Directions:
- Rinse lentils well, drain.
- Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes in total. Don’t let them cook longer than al dente.
- While the lentils are cooking, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.
- Dice red onion, carrots, Craisins, and capers. I love this tip from (MyNewRoots.com) – the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size.
- Once the lentils are done, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop them from cooking more.
- Place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing.
- Add in onion, capers, carrots and craisins. If using other add-ins such as herbs, greens, or cheese, wait until just before serving.
- Salad will save for a few days in the fridge.
Enjoy!