I'm an avid fan of roasted carrots. Their sweetness becomes more concentrated upon roasting, and they pair well with savory veggies and greens. I first shared a recipe for slow-roasted carrots way back when, however lately I prefer the shorter roasting time in this version.
Often I have them with a creamy dressing, but lately I've been adding lentils and greens as well, or in this case parsley date gremolata. It becomes a layered salad with contrasting flavors and textures, and offers more protein and fiber to make it a robust side or main.
For the dressing I recommend ranch dressing, tahini dressing, or something lighter like a lemon vinaigrette. You can also toss some roasted almonds or pistachios on top for bit of crunch.
For greens, if you're not into the gremolata, add a bed of baby lettuce greens or mix of herbs like parsley and mint. Place the warm carrots on the greens to soften them slightly before serving.
I used rainbow carrots (for the photos), which tend to be thinner than most carrots. If you're using thicker carrots I recommend slicing them in half, or even in quarters if they're extra thick. Enjoy!
Roasted Carrot Lentil Salad
Ingredients
Carrots
- 1 ½ pounds carrots two bunches; trim the green tops of the carrots. Slice the carrots in half to help them roast faster.
- 2 tablespoons oil sunflower or other
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Lentils
- ½ cup black beluga lentils or green lentils or other kind
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉.
- Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the carrots across it.
- Whisk the oil, lemon juice, cumin, and salt in a bowl and drizzle it over the carrots.
- Shuffle the carrots so they are fully coated with the oil blend and bake them for 30 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
- While the carrots are roasting, prepare the lentils.
- Fill a small saucepan with about 3 cups of water to a steady low boil.
- Add the lentils and bring the water to a steady simmer, cooking the lentils for about 20 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and pour the lentils and water in a colander to drain the water.
- Transfer the lentils to a bowl and mix in the red wine vinegar, mustard, oil, and salt.
- Prepare the parsley date gremolata (recipe below) and spread on a serving plate. Add the carrots and the lentils to the plate and serve with your dressing of choice.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for a few days.
Nutrition
Parsley Date Gremolata
Ingredients
- ½ cup Medjool dates about 5 dates, pitted and chopped into small pieces
- 1 bunch parsley finely chopped, about 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl and blend with a spoon or spatula.
- Store in the refrigerator for several days.
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