A special bonus recipe on Stonesoup this week for a rainy Thursday!
After writing about weekend cooking and 14 quick ideas to save you time during the week, with recipes for versatile lentils, roast beets and balsamic onions, I wanted to share a favourite salad recipe of mine that includes all three kitchen toolbox ingredients.
While this salad is delicious made with everything from scratch, it’s lovely with canned ingredients as well.
A drained can of lentils and some canned beets, or better yet vacuum packed cooked beets, are the way forward when you’re in a hurry.
The onions are totally optional, although you could use a commercial onion jam if you happened to have some lying around.
[5 ingredients]
roast beet, lentil & balsamic onion salad
takes 5 minutes
serves 2
If you’d prefer to keep it nut free, a little goats cheese or feta would make a great substitution for the almonds.
I prefer this salad slightly warm, but it’s also great at room temperature.It’s one of those hearty salads that can be made in advance and will sit around happily until you’re ready to eat. So perfect for picnics.
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
250g (9oz) cooked lentils [recipe here]
10 pieces roast beets [recipe here]
3-4 tablespoons balsamic onions, optional [recipe here]
small handful roasted almonds
1. Whisk vinegar with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl. Season.
2. Toss in lentils, onions if using and divide between two plates.
3. Top with beets and almonds.
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video version of the recipe
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Stonesoup Virtual Cookery School Update
Just wanted to let you know about our upcoming classes.
15 Minute Meals starts 10th Sept and Quick Vegetarian Cooking starts this Saturday 20th Aug.
Looking forward to seeing you in class!
Cheers,
Jules x
ps. A final reminder that the monthly payment option for the Virtual Cookery School closes forever on Saturday 20th Aug 11pm EST. Your last chance to get access to ALL classes for just $21/month as long as you remain a member. CLICK HERE to join us, risk free.
Sounds like a lovely combo. If I don’t have sherry vinegar but have many other kinds (white, red, apple cider, rice and balsamic), which one do you think would work the best?
Great question Maija
Red wine vinegar is probably the closest match to sherry, but really any of those vinegars would be lovely… just a little different. In a good way.
I am only just learning to like beets (I was frightened by them at school!) and this looks like it will really help me confront my fears. Quite looking forward to it!
That looks all-around awesome. Unfortunately, it’s still quite hot here as we’re still in the full swing of summer. I’ll have to save it for a chilly fall day.
Lovely, Jules! I am not a big fan of beets, although I wish I could be. Is there another veggie that I could substitute? Thank you!
oh thank you for giving me permission to use canned beets!
Erin
Not a fan of beets? No way.
Most roast veg would work here.. slow roast tomatoes, cubes of roast pumpkin or sweet potato, roast parsnips, even roast mushrooms.. so many possiblities!
Perfect timing me reading this recipe. I spied some beetroot in my kitchen garden and red onions that seem to have survived the snow storm that could do with some loving.
I’m not really an admirer of beets. However, with the appearance here, I could go for it and have a taste of what I dislike for years.
A small sprinkle of brown sugar and I’m in heaven!
Wow, this looks like an amazing wintery salad! I made a very lazy version of this for work lunches that is just tinned beets, tinned lentils, baby spinach, fetta and balsamic dressing, but now I’m thinking I might have to step my game up a little bit!
I just made this, and its my new favorite lentil dish. The key things for me here were adding the bay leaf while cooking the lentils (great flavor) and the balsamic onions. I was also pleasantly surprised by the almonds. My first instinct was to sub goat cheese but I’m glad I stuck with the almonds :)
Thanks Jules!
Pleasure Sofia!
So glad you enjoyed the almonds
Made it, LOVED it! Thank you. I’m so happy to have found your blog. Now I know how to make lentils, I didn’t even have the bay leaf and they were fantastic. My one year loved them too :)
So glad you enjoyed Maggie
And good to know that lentils are one-year-old friendly :)
I really don’t like lentils, but this looks so good, i’m going to make it for the boys and I.
Just made this salad, it’s absolutely delicious! Being a vegetarian it’s very good for me too. And finally! a different beetroot salad as apposed to beet and goats cheese.