Curried Lentil Salad
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
20 mins
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Total Time
40 mins
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Servings
4
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Course
Main Course, Salad
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Cuisine
American
Curried Lentil Salad
Description
The Curried Lentil Salad combines protein-rich lentils seasoned with lemon juice, garlic, grated ginger, cumin, cardamom, and sea salt, creating a spiced base. A homemade cilantro lime dressing blended with serrano chiles adds fresh acidity and heat, a portion of which is mixed into the lentils for flavor layering.
Paneer cheese cubes and cauliflower florets are tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and turmeric, then roasted separately at 425°F until golden and tender. Adding toasted paneer and turmeric-coated cauliflower to the lentils with chopped spinach completes the salad with creamy, roasted, and fresh textures. Additional dressing is drizzled on top and served on the side to adjust seasoning.
This salad offers a balanced dish with earthy lentils, aromatic spices, crisp cauliflower, and creamy paneer, making it suitable as a main or side dish. The recipe can be adapted to vegan diets by substituting baked tofu for paneer.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups lentils French green, cooked
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic minced, cloves
- ½ tablespoon ginger grated fresh
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- sea salt heaping 1/2 teaspoon
- cilantro lime dressing
- 1 to 2 serrano chile blend with the dressing
- 8 ounces paneer cheese cubed*
- cauliflower florets from small
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric ground
- 4 cups spinach finely chopped
- black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bottom of a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, cardamom, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Add the lentils and stir.
- Make the Cilantro Lime Dressing, adding the serrano chiles to the food processor while preparing the original recipe. Mix ⅓ of the dressing into the lentils.
- Place the paneer on the first baking sheet and the cauliflower on the second. Toss both with drizzles of olive oil, pinches of salt, and several grinds of pepper. Roast the paneer for 15 minutes and the cauliflower for 20 to 25 minutes. When the cauliflower comes out of the oven, toss with the turmeric.
- Add the chopped spinach to the lentils and toss. Top with the cauliflower and paneer. Drizzle more dressing on top and serve with remaining dressing on the side.
Notes
- To make this salad vegan, replace the paneer cheese with baked tofu prepared similarly.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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