Beet and Lentil Salad With Cheddar

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated April 20, 2021

Beet and Lentil Salad With Cheddar
Beatriz Da Costa for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(1,629)
Comments
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This salad is a party of sweet, earthy and salty flavors. Store-bought, vacuum-packed beets are called for here, which are not only convenient, but have a mellow fruitiness and a tender texture that is ideal in salads. (If you have fresh beets, and have the time to roast them, you can use those instead.) Beets naturally pair well with sharp and tangy ingredients, and while goat cheese may be a more common accompaniment, crumbly aged Cheddar offsets the sweetness of the beets and the apple cider dressing (though any sharp Cheddar works). French green lentils offer a nutty, peppery, almost mineral-like flavor and are perfect for salads because they hold their shape well, though if you only have brown lentils, that’s just fine. (They cook slightly faster, so adjust the cook time accordingly.) Finally, there’s no shame in opting for canned lentils.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For the Salad

    • 1½cups French green lentils, rinsed
    • 1garlic clove, smashed
    • Kosher salt and black pepper
    • 2cups arugula leaves
    • ½cup soft herbs, such as dill, parsley, mint or cilantro, roughly chopped
    • 1(16-ounce) package cooked whole beets (or 1 pound roasted beets), cut into ½-inch wedges
    • 4ounces extra sharp Cheddar, roughly crumbled
    • ¼cup roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

    For the Apple Cider Vinaigrette

    • 1small garlic clove, grated
    • 2tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1tablespoon maple syrup or brown sugar
    • ½teaspoon Dijon mustard
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

621 calories; 30 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 64 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 615 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the salad: In a medium pot, add the lentils, garlic and 4 cups water. Season with salt and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until just tender. (The lentils should still have some bite). Drain in a colander and stir to break up and evenly distribute the garlic. Let the lentils cool slightly.

  2. Step 2

    While the lentils cook, prepare the vinaigrette: In a large serving bowl, whisk the garlic, vinegar, oil, maple syrup and mustard with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Add the warm lentils to the serving bowl, then add the arugula, herbs and beets. Season with salt and black pepper and toss. Add the Cheddar and toss gently, but don’t overdo it because you don’t want the cheese to turn crimson from the beets. To serve, top with hazelnuts.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,629 user ratings
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Comments

nicola

Next time I will omit the maple syrup, as I prefer a zesty dressing. I will also increase the amount of herbs. It is a really lovely meal to have for lunch on a sunny day.

Nancy

I love lentils. I love beets. I love cheddar. Ditto vinaigrette. I've made lentil salad before pretty much like this, but never thought of adding beets! Brilliant! AND I used store-bought cooked beets, which until now were anathema to me: they're just as good as home-roasted and SO much less fuss... Didn't use syrup, beets are plenty sweet; added chopped walnuts to the cooling lentils instead of topping with hazelnuts. Otherwise, made as written. Just excellent.

Juliet Jones

Don't use canned lentils, they have a metallic taste.

Doris

If I make this again I would double the dressing and maybe add hot sauce or something. Pretty bland as written.

Becky

Threw in all of the cheddar. Who doesn't love pink cheese?

Maria

This was a hit! I used slightly less maple syrup based on previous comments. I used a different method for the French green lentils that we’ve been using for a few months. Soak overnight, then cook in chicken broth with about half a cup white wine and about a teaspoon herbs de Provence and a bay leaf or two.

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