This Mediterranean Black Lentil Salad is a captivating sensory escape into the heart of the Mediterranean, with a medley of irresistible tastes and aromas. Crowned with a Cumino Vino Rosso Vinaigrette that marries extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and cumin into a symphony of flavor. Every ingredient plays a beautiful role in creating this striking savory Mediterranean salad.
Why You Will Love This Recipe!
It's exotic, hearty, and beautiful, a real show stopper at the dinner table. This Mediterranean black lentil salad is truly bursting with flavor! Beluga lentils are a powerhouse ingredient and a fantastic source of protein, fiber, and are rich in polyphenols. A superb meal packed with crunchy veggies, creamy feta, and tangy, earthy vinaigrette that pack delicious health bennies baby! (Gluten Free)
Ingredients
Seasoned Lentils
- Black Lentils Commonly called Beluga Lentils because they resemble the likes of small beluga caviar. I like to cook legumes and grains ahead so I can make salads quickly on a whim.
- Purchasing Black Beluga Lentils - If you cannot find them in your store, you can purchase them from Clear Creek grown in Idaho and Montana.
- Liquid for cooking the lentils - Chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
- Garlic - fresh and minced
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil - I preach quality. My favorite brand in Cucina & Amore. A high-quality olive oil is determined by factors such as its source, extraction method, freshness, and balance of flavors, showcasing a harmonious blend of fruity, peppery, and grassy notes.
- Red Wine Vinegar - Red wine vinegar offers a tangy and robust flavor with subtle hints of fruitiness from the fermented red wine.
- Honey - always choose a local raw honey for maximum anti-allergens
- Cumin: This spice culturally belongs to Mexico, North Africa, India, and the Mediterranean. It is the perfect ingredient when you want to add warmth and earthiness to any dish. The use of this in the vinaigrette reminds me of both of my travels in Oaxaca as well as the Mediterranean.
- Dijon Mustard - Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier in salad dressing due to its natural properties that help bind oil and vinegar together, creating a cohesive and smooth texture.
- Salt and Pepper
The Salad
- Kale - blue lacinato a.k.a. dinosaur kale is my favorite pick for this salad.
- Heirloom tomato - The seeds of an heirloom tomato are passed down from season to season, taken by the farmers from the tomato plants that produced the best fruit and specifically bred for flavor. This process allows farmers to select for certain desirable traits like juiciness, size, shape, or color.
- Red bell pepper - brings a lovely flavor and color to this salad.
- Shallot I always have shallots on hand, but you can substitute an equal amount of thinly sliced red onions. Red onions impart a stronger flavor, while shallots are more subtle.
- Arugula - also known as rocket, is a peppery and flavorful leafy green often used in salads, it is one of my favorite beddings in many dishes.
- Green Olives - For as long as I shall live, my favorite olives are Divina Pitted Tangerine & Chili Marinated Green Olives, a unique pairing of buttery green olives with dried tangerine slices and fiery chili peppers. I like to use a little bit of the olive liquid and poor it over the tomato slabs.
- Feta Cheese - pick a high quality feta that is packed in brine and not pre-crumbled. A feta packed in brine creates a smooth and creamy texture to the sharp and tangy cheese. The brine significantly extends the shelf life to weeks vs. days.
How To Make This Recipe
- Cook lentils: Sort lentils for stones and rinse. Add lentils to water, chicken or vegetable stock, to a medium saucepan, add the minced garlic. Cook according to package instructions, but not until soft, leave al dente. About 18-20 minutes.
- Make vinaigrette: In a mason jar, whisk together honey and the red wine vinegar to dissolve the honey. Add the evoo (extra virgin olive oil), cumin, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and whisk until emulsified, or shake vigorously in a mason jar.
- In a bowl: Add the lentils and vinaigrette, toss to coat. Add kale, bell pepper, sliced shallots, and olives. Toss to mix.
- Presentation: Lay a bed of arugula on a serving platter or individual plates, arrange thick cut slabs of heirloom tomatoes, top with dressed lentil mixture, crumble the feta over the salad and serve.
Notes + Substitutions
- Lentil cooking liquid: The chicken or vegetable stock serves to infuse the lentils with additional flavor along with the garlic. However, it will not make or break the flavor gratification if you only use water.
- Garlic: there are two ways to use it in this recipe.
- One: Add the minced garlic to the cooking process with the lentils for milder flavor delivery.
- Two: Add the minced garlic to the dressing for a stronger flavor delivery.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, with the kale. Keep arugula separate and add fresh a bedding when ready to eat.
History of the Mediterranean Salad
One interesting historical fact about Mediterranean salads is the origin of the famous Greek salad, also known as "Horiatiki" in Greece. This iconic salad has deep roots in Greek culinary history and has been enjoyed for centuries. This Mediterranean Black Lentil Salad honors that tradition in a very modern way.
The traditional Greek salad typically consists of fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese, seasoned with olive oil, oregano, and salt. It's a staple dish in Mediterranean cuisine and is often served as an appetizer or side dish. You will see the similarities mimicked here in this Black Beluga Lentil salad.
The origins of the Greek salad are believed to have been inspired by traditional Greek peasant dishes that utilized local ingredients. The simple yet flavorful combination of vegetables, olives, and cheese reflects the agricultural heritage of Greece and its reliance on readily available produce.
I hope you enjoyed this food history lesson. I’m a truly grateful for the all the cultures that have shaped civilization and brought us all so much culinary joy. Cheers!
Black Beluga Lentil Mediterranean Salad
Ingredients
Seasoned Lentils
- 1 ½ c dried black lentils
- 3 c water chicken or vegetable stock
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Cumino Vino Rosso Vinaigrette
- ½ c extra-virgin olive oil (118ml)
- ¼ c red wine vinegar (60ml)
- 2 tbs honey (30ml)
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tbs dijon mustard (15g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
The Salad
- 2 c kale finely chopped, spines removed (1 bunch)
- 1 large heirloom tomato thick slices, any color
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- 4 c arugula as a bedding
- ½ c green olives pitted and chopped
- 5 oz feta cheese
Instructions
- Cook lentils: Add lentils, water, chicken or vegetable stock, and garlic to a medium saucepan. Cook according to package instructions, but not until soft, leave al dente. About 18-20 minutes.
- Make vinaigrette: In a mason jar, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, cumin, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
- In a bowl: Add the lentils and vinaigrette, toss to coat. Add kale, bell pepper, sliced shallots, and olives. Toss to mix.
- Presentation: Lay a bed of arugula on a serving platter or individual plates, arrange thick cut slabs of heirloom tomatoes, top with dressed lentil mixture, crumble the feta over the salad and serve.
Notes
- Black Lentils: Commonly called Beluga Lentils because they resemble the likes of small beluga caviar. I like to cook legumes and grains ahead so I can make salads quickly on a whim.
- Lentil cooking liquid: The chicken or vegetable stock serves to infuse the lentils with additional flavor along with the garlic. However, it will not make or break the flavor gratification if you only use water.
- Shallot: I always have shallots on hand, but you can substitute an equal amount of thinly sliced red onions. Red onions impart a stronger flavor, while shallots are more subtle.
- Cumin: this spice culturally belongs to Mexico, North Africa, India, and the Mediterranean. It is the perfect ingredient when you want to add warmth and earthiness to any dish. The use of this in the vinaigrette reminds me both of my travels in Oaxaca as well as the Mediterranean.
- The Olives: For as long as I shall live, my favorite olives are Divina Pitted Tangerine & Chili Marinated Green Olives, a unique pairing of buttery green olives with dried tangerine slices and fiery chili peppers. I like to use a little bit of the olive liquid and poor it over the tomato slabs.
- The Garlic: there are two ways to use it in this recipe.
One: Add the minced garlic to the cooking process with the lentils for a milder flavor delivery.
Two: Add the minced garlic to the dressing for a stronger flavor delivery. - Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, with the kale. Keep arugula separate and add fresh as a bedding when ready to eat.
Nutrition
Leave a Reply