Lentil, Beetroot And Feta Salad

Why Try This Lentil, Beetroot And Feta Salad

What I really like about this Greek lentil salad, is that it is packed with flavors, while being filling and nutritious.

You can serve it as a lunch or as a starter before dinner. This beetroot, lentil and feta salad makes a great addition to your dinner party too. Your guests will be amazed by how light and delicate it is!

Lastly, this salad will be ready in 30 minutes or less!

Key Ingredients For Lentil, Beetroot And Feta Salad

The salad consists mainly of typical pantry ingredients:

• Dried green lentils are the key ingredient in this salad. You can also use lentilles vertes or green speckled lentils (puy type). Green lentils are a great source of protein and fiber. They cook fast even without pre-soaking. Always check the instructions on the packet before cooking to make sure you get the timing right. For a super speedy recipe, use canned green lentils which do not require cooking.
• Beetroot gives this salad beautiful color and rich taste. You can use either cooked beetroot or pickled beetroot. Drain it at least a few minutes before adding it to the salad, so that it doesn't color it too much.
• Feta cheese provides this cold meze dish with creaminess and a slightly salty taste. Feel free to dice up a block of Greek-style salad cheese or use feta cheese cubes (drained). In this recipe, I use a block of full-fat feta cheese which has got more flavour. However, you can swap it for a low-fat version if you prefer!
• The salad's dressing is made of mixture of lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
• On top of the salad goes freshly chopped dill which gives the typical grassy and lemony aroma.

Substitutes

Here are some useful suggestions on what ingredients can be swapped in this recipe:

• Soft-cooked carrot can be added instead of beetroot. Dice it before adding it to the salad.
• Burrata, or fresh (buffalo) mozzarella cheese will also pair well with lentils, beetroot and the lemony salad dressing. Add a pinch or two of salt to add enhance their flavours.
• Fresh dill can be hard to find in some shops. Dried dill will do just well in this recipe – soak it in the salad dressing before mixing it with the lentils. Alternatively, use parsley or coriander.
• Swap fresh lemon for white wine vinegar.

How To Make This Beetroot And Feta Salad with Lentils

This lentils and beetroot salad can be ready is a few easy steps:

1. Cook the lentils, drain, and set aside.
2. Prepare the salad dressing.
3. Dice the feta cheese and beetroot. Chop the dill.
4. Mix cooked lentils with ¾ of the salad dressing, top with beetroot and feta cubes, sprinkle with fresh dill and drizzle with the remaining salad dressing. Serve warm or chilled.

Top Tips

How to make this salad to perfection?

• Do not mix the beetroot with the lentil and feta salad, just lay it on top of it – this way its juices won’t colour the whole dish pink.
• This salad can be eaten warm or cold. When serving it cold, leave the salad to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• Also, it is always good to add any fresh herbs just before serving - this way, they will look fresh for longer.

What To Serve With This Lentil Beetroot Salad?

This salad goes very well with a freshly baked flatbread such as gyro pita bread - nothing beats a perfect homemade flatbread! The recipe for Mediterranean pita bread is simple, and it can be made in advance (freeze leftovers for later)!

You can also serve this lentil salad with feta with sliced garlic bread, or just have it on its own as a starter.

Alternatively, you can enjoy this lentil salad with grilled meat or kabobs.

Storage

This Greek lentil salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Keep all parts of the salad in separate food containers and put them together just before serving. This is to prevent the beetroot from coloring the rest of the salad (it will turn pinkish after a while).

This salad with lentils beetroot and feta can also be stored frozen. When cold, transfer the cooked lentils, diced beetroot and feta into separate food containers or freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost for 6-8 hours in the fridge before serving.

FAQs

More Recipes Like This

• Healthy lentil soup
• Lentil stew with gammon (Czech recipe)
• Beetroot soup (Borscht)
• Beetroot chicken traybake
• Shopska salad