Roasted Beetroot and Lentil Salad

Have you ever roasted beetroot or made a lentil salad?  Lentils are incredibly versatile and are a nutritious addition to dishes such as this roasted beetroot and lentil salad.  Lentils contain protein, carbohydrates and fibre, and can be cooked by simply boiling.  This roasted beetroot and lentil salad celebrates the delicious flavours and textures of its ingredients, which also include roasted dutch carrots and fetta cheese.

The stars of this dish however are the roasted beetroot and dutch carrots.  Roasted beetroot does require a bit of time to roast and peel, however the result is absolutely divine.  I like to use rubber gloves to peel the roasted beetroot after it has cooled.  This is as it prevents you from getting purple hands!  As the roasting and preparation of the beetroot can take a while, I recommend roasting a bunch (or two if you’re keen) in advance and then peeling the beetroot.  The extra beetroot can then be used in various dishes in addition to the roasted beetroot and lentil salad recipe below.  For example, you could pickle the remaining beetroot and enjoy alongside some oily fish such as trout or salmon, or perhaps try making a dip to be served with vegetable crudites, or as a relish on a sandwich.

Peeled roasted beetroot

Here is the recipe for the roasted beetroot and lentil salad.  Enjoy!

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 medium beetroot, stems removed and beetroot washed

1 bunch Dutch carrots (~8-10 small carrots), stems removed and carrots washed

extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup uncooked French green lentils

1/4 bunch continental parsley, leaves roughly chopped

50 grams fetta cheese, crumbled

Dressing:

1.5 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1.5 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon maple syrup

Salt and pepper

Recipe steps

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C (fan-forced)
  2. Loosely wrap each beetroot bulb in foil and place in a roasting tray
  3. Add the dutch carrots to the roasting tray and drizzle carrots with extra virgin olive oil
  4. Roast carrots for approximately 20 minutes (or until cooked), remove from oven and allow to cool
  5. Roast beetroot for approximately 50 min to 1 hr (or until cooked – you can pierce with a skewer to check), remove from oven and allow to cool
  6. Meanwhile, place a small saucepan of water on to boil and cook lentils as per instructions (the typical boiling time for French green lentils is 20-25 minutes)
  7. When lentils are cooked, drain and put in fridge to cool
  8. When beetroot has cooled, remove skin (remember to wear a pair of rubber gloves!) and then slice into wedges
  9. Place in a large salad bowl the following ingredients: beetroot wedges, roasted carrots, lentils, chopped parsley and crumbled fetta
  10. Prepare dressing by mixing together the dressing ingredients (or you can use a jar)
  11. Pour dressing over salad and mix to combine
  12. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Beetroot and Lentil Salad