In my world a nectarine lentil salad is basically this: sweet juicy nectarines, crisp cucumber, sweet red onion, little bursts of minty and lemony flavors together with delicate baby arugula leaves and a little salty feta, all in one bowl with caviar-like beluga lentils. And I couldn’t love it more.
Beluga lentils and nectarine really work beautifully together. Yes, me and my fruit in salads. It’s a little obsession of mine. But then again we are all doing it — tomatoes are technically a fruit and so is avocado – both of which often find their way into salads. Come to think of it, there are a number of “vegetables” that are actually fruit. Cucumbers, peppers, zucchini and even butternut squash – all fruit! Yes, fruit in salads is good and it’s a great way to step up your salad game.
What is fantastic about this nectarine lentil salad is — besides the salad itself! — is that you can do as I did and cook the lentils the night before and then store them in the fridge once they are cooled. This makes for a really quick toss it all together in mere minute’s salad the next day.
During our summer holiday, I served this for a late breakfast/early brunch (cause I love salads at brunch – BTW, if you do too, then you will love Sunday brunch at Elbe 76 — it’s one of my favorite local restaurants in Hamburg). So that’s right, a little prep meant I could be extra lazy and sleep in without worrying about cooking and cooling lentils for a salad. It also meant I had a whole lot of extra time to make pancakes for the kids. That’s right, no rest for the wicked! :-/
Nectarine Lentil Salad preparation tips
Having cooked lentils in the fridge (or any beans for that matter) is a great time management tool. It really helps speed up everything when preparing salads, soups and side dishes. Plus, it’s a great way to add a little extra protein when cooking vegetarian or vegan meals.
Don’t like nectarines? Then give peaches or oranges a try. Don’t do dairy? No biggy. Just leave the feta cheese out. Maybe add a tad more salt. For a non-vegetarian version, you could also substitute the feta with a little chopped prosciutto, sautéed until slightly crispy.
Not only does this nectarine lentil salad make for the perfect addition to brunch on a hot summer day, it’s also a great side for a picnic or BBQ. Leftovers also taste great the next day!
Nectarine Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried beluga lentils rinsed (250 g)
- 2 ripe nectarines, diced
- 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 small to medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 handfuls baby arugula leaves
- 100 g feta cheese (I use 100% sheep’s milk), crumbled
- sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Method
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Place the lentils in a large saucepan, cover with plenty of water and bring to a boil (generally, lentils should be cooked at a 1:3 ratio, lentils to water). Simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Drain, then transfer to a large serving bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
TIP: I recommend tasting the lentils after about 25 minutes to see if they are the consistency you want — more firm (al dente) is best for salads.
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Add all the ingredients to the bowl with the lentils. Toss together then season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. That’s it. 🙂
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Enjoy!
Notes
Plan ahead: You can prepare the lentils up to 2 days in advance. Let cool; cover and store in the refrigerator.
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