Lentil, Chickpea, and Carrot Salad with Feta Cheese
Scramble recipe tester Jen Grosman of Washington, DC, said she makes a version of this salad every week for her family and serves it with pita chips. It's so nourishing and filling, and fills you up with fiber and protein, too. If you can find pre-cooked lentils, which are often sold in vacuum packed packages or cans, it's very quick to put together. Scramble recipe tester Kim Jackson said, "I am normally a 'meat and potatoes' kind of person. With this being said, I loved this recipe. I was fully taken off guard by it."
Ingredients
- 3 carrots diced
- 2 pre-cooked pork, turkey, chicken, or vegetarian sausage (use wheat/gluten-free, if needed), sliced (optional)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 lemon juice only, about 2 Tbsp.
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (use wheat/gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
- 2 1/2 cups pre-cooked lentils often sold in cans or vacuum-packed packages, or cook your own, see Tip below for directions
- 15 oz. canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)(or use 1 1/2 cups home-cooked chickpeas for every 15 oz. can), drained and rinsed
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
- 1/2 cup fresh flat leaf parsley chopped, or more to taste
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, steam the carrots in the microwave with 1 Tbsp. of water for 2 - 3 minutes until they are tender.
- If using the sausage, brown it in a nonstick skillet with 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat for 5 - 6 minutes.
- Make the dressing in a measuring cup or medium bowl by whisking together the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and tarragon.
- In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with the carrots and sausage (optional) and toss them with the dressing. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
Do Ahead or Delegate: Dice and steam the carrots, slice and cook the sausage if using and refrigerate, juice the lemon, prepare and refrigerate the dressing, cook the lentils if using dried, crumble the cheese if necessary and refrigerate, chop the parsley, or fully prepare and refrigerate the salad.
Scramble Flavor Booster: Season the salad with salt and pepper and add ½ tsp. lemon zest.
Tip: Dried lentils are convenient as they cook faster than other dried legumes. Before cooking the lentils, make sure you rinse them well and pick over them to remove any small rocks or debris. To cook the lentils, in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup dried brown lentils to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer the lentils for 25 - 30 minutes until they are tender to the bite. Drain any remaining liquid. (Soak the lentils overnight, if possible, to cut the cooking time by about half and cook them in only 1 1/2 cups of water if you have pre-soaked them.)
Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values): Calories 342, Total Fat: 17g, 26%; Saturated Fat: 5g, 25%; Cholesterol: 24mg, 8%; Sodium: 372mg, 16%; Total Carbohydrate: 33g, 11%; Dietary Fiber: 11g, 41%; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 16g
Like this recipe? Check out The Scramble's family-friendly meal plans to see just how simple getting dinner on the table can be!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!