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Home » Salads

Published: Apr 11, 2018 · Modified: May 7, 2020 by Libby Bloom · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments · 1103 words. · About 6 minutes to read this article.

Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing

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Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing - A fresh salad featuring peppery arugula, mushrooms, radishes, clementine slices, savory lentils and a fresh lemon berbere dressing! A fresh spring salad at its finest. 

Lentil salad with berbere dressing

I was inspired to make this dish after eating something similar at Green Seed in Denver Central Market – always a great place to check out when you’re in Denver! The dressing was so flavorful and the salad was fresh and delicious! We were visiting with some good friends and this salad was the highlight of our lunch.

Have you heard of Berbere? 

Berbere is a traditional Ethiopian spice blend that usually includes chiles, garlic, fenugreek and warm spices like allspice and cinnamon. It’s traditionally quite spicy, so for our take on this yummy spice blend, I’ve toned it down a bit. If you have Berbere spice already blended, feel free to use a hefty spoonful in this dressing. Don’t let all the spices in the dressing scare you—it’s delicious!

Hi there! Below you’ll find affiliate links to great products that we enjoy using in our own kitchen.

Lentil salad with berbere dressing

Lentils – A powerhouse of health!

Lentils are high in fiber and high in folate—45% of your recommended daily allowance! They also contain 127% of your vitamin B6 and 70% of your manganese needs per 100 grams! Not too shabby for the underestimated lentil.

They are an inexpensive source of high quality protein. And they’re relatively quick to cook.

Consuming plant-based proteins—like lentils—are associated with a reduced risk of many lifestyle-related health conditions including heart disease, cancer and obesity.

This salad is plant-based, full of spring abundance and makes for a great main dish salad or side salad. It’s packed with peppery arugula, juice clementines, fresh radishes, savory lentils and a spicy lemon dressing. Don’t let the number of spices intimidate you, this salad is super simple and is ready in under 45 minutes. 

  • mushrooms
  • arugula
  • lentils

Ready to make this Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing? Let’s do it!

1 - Prepare the lentils. Add lentils, stock, bay leaf and garlic cloves to a medium pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer about 40 minutes or until the lenders are tender. Remove bay leaf and garlic - and save them for a homemade food scraps stock!

2 - Prep salad. While the lentils are cooking, slice radishes and peel clementines. 

3 - Prepare dressing. Combine spices, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add water and slowly whisk in olive oil until combined. Alternatively, you can combine all the dressing ingredients in a mason jar, cover and shake until combined.

4 - Serve. Combine lentils, arugula, radishes, mushrooms, clementines and pecans. Add the dressing just before serving. Enjoy!

Lentil salad with berbere dressing ingredients

Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing: Tips, Tricks and Tools

You don’t need much in terms of tools for this simple salad, but you’ll want an eco-friendly pot and mixing bowls. 

Use homemade stock: Make your own stock with food scraps. Give those scraps a second life, save money and reduce your packaging!

Bebere is a spice mix so feel free to get the spices already mixed together! Just use about 2-3 teaspoons in place of the salad dressing spices.

Lentil salad with berbere dressing

We hope you love this simple Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing!

It’s plant-based, simple, and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or side salad. 

Love this seasonal salad recipe? Check out our other delicious fresh salad recipes like this Jicama Kale Salad with Citrus or our Fresh Spring Green Salad.

Did you enjoy this Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing as much as we do?

Comment below! And rate the recipe to let us know how it turned out! Not cooking today? Save this Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing for later by pinning it to your Salad Recipes Board and make sure to tag us at The Crooked Carrot Instagram to show us your Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing creations!

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." - Theodore Roosevelt

📖 Recipe

Lentil salad with berbere dressing

Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing

Lentil Salad with Lemon Berbere Dressing - A fresh salad featuring peppery arugula, mushrooms, radishes, clementine slices, savory lentils and a fresh lemon berbere dressing! A fresh spring salad at its finest.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 main servings (6-8 side servings)
Author: The Crooked Carrot

Ingredients

Lentil Salad

  • 1 cup french lentils brown lentils will also work, but may take longer to cook
  • 2 cups stock chicken or vegetable
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled, left whole
  • 1 bunch arugula
  • 1 cup radishes thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces brown beech mushrooms sliced, any small mushroom variety will work (like brown buttons)
  • 3-4 clementines peeled and separated
  • ½ cup pecans

Lemon Berbere Dressing

  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon allspice
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • ground nutmeg sprinkle
  • 1 lemon juice + zest
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ⅛ cup water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prepare lentils: Add lentils, stock, bay leaf and garlic cloves to a medium pot, bring to a boil and let simmer ~40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove bay leaf and garlic (I like to save them in the freezer to make stock).
  • Mise en place: While lentils are cooking, slice radishes and peel clementines.
  • Prepare dressing: Combine spices, lemon juice and zest in a small bowl. Add water and slowly whisk in olive oil until combined. Or mix all ingredients in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake until combined.
  • Serve: Combine lentils, arugula, radishes, mushrooms, clementines and pecans. Dress immediately before serving. Enjoy!

Equipment

  • Stainless Steel Pot
  • Mixing Bowls

Notes

PREP AHEAD: Prepare the lentils and the salad dressing up to two days in advance to speed up salad prep. 
LEFTOVERS/STORAGE: Store the leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days, or up to four days if you store the salad dressing on the side. The Lemon Berbere dressing can be stored in the fridge for up to one week. 
NUTRITION NOTES: This recipe is vegan and is a good source of plant-based protein. It’s also high in fiber, vitamin B6, folate and vitamin C. 
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: This salad is great as a main dish, but can also be used as a side salad with roasted potatoes and your meat of choice or stuffed mushrooms.

Nutrition

Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Potassium: 444mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1053IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @crooked.carrot or tag #thecrookedcarrot!

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that should you purchase something through the link, The Crooked Carrot will receive a small commission. The item cost remains the same regardless of whether you purchase through our link or not. Any commission earned simply helps us continue to provide all our great content to you. From seasonal recipes to simple nutrition insights & sustainable zero waste tips, we have lots more to give!

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About Libby

Welcome! I'm Libby, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, photographer & co-adventurer with my husband Dalton. We love all things outdoors, making a mess in the kitchen, and exploring the adventure of life! Read more ↠

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Comments

  1. Ingibjörg Helgadóttir says

    February 17, 2021 at 11:37 am

    5 stars
    Very tasty salat

    Reply
    • Libby Bloom says

      February 17, 2021 at 12:53 pm

      So glad you enjoyed it Ingibjörg!

      Reply
5 from 1 vote

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Hi, I'm Libby! Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. I help people find food freedom, learn to nourish and reconnect with their bodies so they can live a fuller life.

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The Crooked Carrot sits on the traditional lands of the Diné Bikéyah (Navajo), Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Pueblos people, both past and present, now called Durango, Colorado. I acknowledge the wounds of the past in hopes of being able to heal for a better tomorrow.


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