I cannot express how much I love this salad. I know what you're saying - it's a salad ... how good can it really be? Really though, this salad is excellent in every way. I'm telling you now you should try it and here's why:
First, it's easy. You basically steam the squash, cook the lentils, put them on greens, cover with dressing, and you are good to go.
Second, it's super-healthy. You are practically getting a whole day's servings of vegetables in one meal, plus the lentils are one of the best sources of non-meat protein out there.
Third (and perhaps most importantly), it's really tasty and very filling. The combination of the squash, lentils, and flavorful balsamic vinaigrette are a perfect blend, and leave you feeling content and satisfied when you're done.
Oh yeah, and did I mention how pretty it is? And one more thing (I told you I just can't stop talking about it!), the leftover ingredients can be easily stored away then combined the next day into a fantastic lunch.
Feel free to try the salad now...
Butternut Squash Lentil Salad with Soy Balsamic Dressing
4 SERVINGS
PREP: 15 minutes COOK: 20-30 minutes READY IN: 45 minutes
| SIMPLE | HEALTHY | YUM |
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5-6 cups total)
- 1 cup green lentils (sometimes called brown lentils)
- 6-8 cups fresh baby spinach (or other salad greens)
- 2 cups chopped red cabbage (optional)
- sesame seeds and/or pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas)
For the Dressing (*or see my Simple Tip below):
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon honey
DIRECTIONS
- Steam the butternut squash for 20-30 minutes, until you can poke them easily with a fork but they aren't mushy. (*See the Simple Tip below for tips on steaming.)
- At the same time, sort the lentils (I have found rocks before amongst my lentils), and place in 3 cups salty water (I add 1-2 teaspoons salt) on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to med-low and let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from heat and drain immediately.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together.
- Place the desired amount of spinach (or other greens) and cabbage (if using) on a large plate. When the squash and lentils are ready, arrange on top of the greens, and pour the dressing over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and/or pepitas, and serve immediately.
*Simple Tips:
- While I do love the dressing that goes with this salad, I often don't feel like going to the trouble of mixing my own dressing. This salad also works extremely well with a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette.
- Recipes often call for butternut squash to be roasted, but I prefer steaming because for me it is simpler. We have a combined rice cooker/steamer, so it is really easy to just put the squash into the steamer basket, turn it on, and it's perfectly steamed within 20 minutes. If you don't have a steamer, check out this video on how to improvise a steamer.
NUTRITION FACTS
1 serving (without dressing) 279 calories 1.9 g fat 53.3 g carbs 16.4 g protein 6.2 g sugar
1 serving (with dressing) 410 calories 15.9 g fat 55.4 g carbs 16.7 g protein 7.7 g sugar
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food
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