Ingredients
For the spice mix:
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (Ceylon)
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the salad:
- 3/4 cup uncooked beluga lentils (165 g)
- 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium to large sweet potato, peel and cut in half lengthwise, then into wedges, and then in half again so you have short wedges (400-500 g)
- 1 sweet red pepper, sliced thickly
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced at a diagonal
- 3 small red onion, cut into wedges (or 1 large onion)
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
- 1/2 cup walnuts, broken into pieces and lightly toasted (50 g) (optional)
For the yoghurt sauce:
- 1/2 cup Greek yoghurt (140 g)
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- finely grated zest of 1/2 an organic lemon
- 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the spice mix ingredients and set aside.
- Cook the lentils according to package instructions, in 3 times the amount of water for 25-30 minutes. When done, remove from heat and drain if needed. Cover and set aside.TIP: I recommend tasting the lentils after about 25 minutes to see if they are the consistency you prefer — I like them firm (al dente).
- Place the vegetable on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with the spice mix and toss to evenly coat. Spread in a single layer and bake for 30 minutes, tossing half way through, until sweet potato is tender.
- Meanwhile, make the yoghurt sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the yoghurt, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley. Whisk together until well combined.
- Transfer the lentils to a large serving dish and top with the roasted vegetables. Garnish with the parsley and walnuts (if using).
- Serve with the yoghurt sauce on the side and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- This recipe is also nice if you add a little sweetness and spice to the walnuts. To do so, in a small non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of honey or maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon spice mix, add walnuts and mix to coat. Remove from heat and set aside. Then proceed with making the rest of recipe.
- French green puy lentils can also be used in place of beluga lentils.
- This is a vegetarian recipe, that can easily be made vegan by omitting the yoghurt sauce. For a vegan version, I would suggest serving the Lebanese roasted vegetables and lentils with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a generous squeeze of lemon.
- For a relaxing atmosphere in the kitchen I recommend my personal Elle Republic: Chilled Out Kitchen Tunes Playlist on Spotify.
