023 / 100 · Bright Bowls and Satisfying Salads

Warm Lentil Salad with Roasted Carrots and Feta

4 main-course portions Active 25 min Total 55 min

Green lentils and roasted carrots make a warm salad that is more satisfying than its short ingredient list suggests. The lentils keep their shape, the carrots bring sweet browned edges, and feta supplies a salty finish. A lemon-and-olive-oil dressing goes onto the lentils while they are still warm, helping the flavor travel beyond the surface. Serve the carrots in long pieces over the grainy lentil base so the contrast in shape remains part of the dish.

Jump to the ingredients

Warm green lentils topped with long roasted carrots, feta, and parsley.

Long carrots, separate lentils

Use a green lentil variety that holds its shape. Red lentils collapse and cannot produce the same warm salad. Simmer gently and drain as soon as the centers are tender; leaving them in hot cooking water makes them softer while you finish the meal. Cut the carrots into long pieces of similar thickness, halving slender ones and quartering thicker roots. Their shape contrasts with the small lentils and makes the platter more appealing than a bowl of tiny dice. Dress the warm lentils first, then arrange the carrots over them. Scatter feta at the end so it remains in pale crumbles instead of melting into the warm base. Parsley supplies a fresh finish in every portion.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 pounds (565 g) carrots, peeled and halved or quartered lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided
  • 1 cup (190 g) dry French green lentils, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 cup (70 g) crumbled feta

Set out

Rimmed baking sheet, Medium saucepan, Fine-mesh sieve, Large bowl

Allergens

Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Cut the carrots to a similar thickness, then toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt on a rimmed tray. Roast for 25–30 minutes, turning once, until tender with browned edges.
  2. Meanwhile, put the lentils and bay leaf in a saucepan and cover with water by 3 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 20–25 minutes, or the package time, until tender but still holding their shape.
  3. Drain the lentils thoroughly and discard the bay leaf.
  4. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, honey, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add the warm lentils and parsley, then toss gently.
  5. Spread the lentils on a platter or divide among 4 plates. Lay the roasted carrots over them and scatter with the feta. Serve warm.

A useful detail

Keep the simmer gentle once the lentils begin to soften. Vigorous bubbling can split the skins before the centers are pleasantly tender.

Make it your own

  • Replace feta with plain crumbled goat cheese.
  • Use peeled parsnip spears in place of half the carrots, keeping all pieces a similar thickness.

Keep it well

Refrigerate in shallow containers within 2 hours at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 4 days. For best texture, keep feta separate. Reheat lentils and carrots to 165°F/74°C, or serve properly chilled leftovers cold.