• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Crooked Carrot logo

  • Home
  • Work with me
  • Nutrition Coaching
  • Group Program
  • Blog
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Work with me
  • Nutrition Coaching
  • Group Program
  • Blog
  • About me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    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

    Jump to Recipe

    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

    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
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 45 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!

    « Crunchy Pumpkin Nut Granola
    Smoky Broccoli Spinach and Cheddar Frittata »

    You may also like...

    two jars of pickled red onions

    Pickled Red Onions

    yellow leaf in leaf pile

    Top 10 Fall Foods and how to use them

    Strawberries

    Top Summer Foods and How to Use Them

    chocolate tahini bliss balls on plate

    Chocolate Tahini Bliss Balls

    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 ↠

    Search categories

    Reader Interactions

    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

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Libby Bloom RDN

    Hi, I'm Libby! Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Eco-warrior. I help people find food freedom, learn to nourish their bodies AND support a health planet.

    More about me →

    Popular Posts

    • How to Conduct a Food Waste Audit
    • 15 Best Recipes to Use Up Leftover Red Cabbage
    • Roasted Red Pepper Feta Dip
    • Eco-Friendly Holiday Gift Guide

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Start Here
    • Meet Libby

    Join the Community

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with me
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2020 The Crooked Carrot