Warm Lentil and Beetroot Salad with Orange and Goat Cheese
- Savory
- Light
- Oven
Oven-roasted beetroot and lentils tossed with a bright orange dressing, then finished with rocket, toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese. A light, protein-rich warm salad.
- Total
- 69 min
- Prep 15 · Cook 49 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Roasting · Emulsifying
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 200°C.
~10 min
-
While step 1 cooks
While the oven heats, rinse the lentils under cold water and drain. Put them in a small baking dish with 450 ml water and a pinch of the salt. Cover tightly with a lid or foil.
~5 min
A tight lid traps steam so the lentils cook evenly and absorb the water without drying out at the edges.
-
Bake the covered lentils until tender but still holding their shape, 25 to 30 minutes.
~30 min
Gentle, moist heat softens the lentils' pectin just enough to tenderise them while keeping their skins intact.
-
While step 3 cooks
While the lentils bake, cut the roasted beetroot into 2 cm wedges and spread on a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season with a pinch of the salt and some of the black pepper.
~5 min
-
Add the beetroot tray to the oven and roast until the edges are lightly caramelised, 15 to 20 minutes. Scatter the walnuts on a corner of the tray for the last 5 minutes so they toast and smell nutty.
~25 min
High, dry heat caramelises the beetroot's sugars for sweetness, while the walnuts' oils toast into nutty aroma compounds.
Toast the walnuts only in the last few minutes and watch them, since they turn bitter quickly once the oils darken.
Roasting Spread the beetroot in a single layer so hot air reaches every piece; crowded wedges steam instead of caramelising. Pull them when the edges darken and smell sweet.
-
While step 5 cooks
While the beetroot roasts, zest one orange into a small bowl, then juice both oranges into it. Whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, the rest of the salt and the remaining black pepper to make a sharp dressing.
~5 min
Whisking disperses the oil into the juice as tiny droplets, thickening the dressing into a stable emulsion that coats the lentils.
Emulsifying Whisk the oil in a thin, steady stream so it breaks into tiny droplets; stop if it looks greasy and pooled, which means the emulsion has split.
-
Drain the lentils well and tip them into a large mixing bowl. Pour over half the orange dressing and toss while warm so they absorb it.
~3 min
Warm lentils have open, porous surfaces that soak up dressing, so they stay moist and flavourful as they cool.
Dress the lentils while they are still warm: they soak up the orange juice and olive oil far better than when cold, which keeps the salad from tasting dry.
-
Fold the warm beetroot and rocket through the lentils, then divide between plates. Crumble the goat cheese over the top, scatter the toasted walnuts and spoon over the remaining dressing.
~4 min
