Brown Butter Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

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Joanna

Firstly; it's absolutely superb. Secondly: serving 4-6 is ...uh....optimistic. I'd put it more 3-4 at best. For those who don't like goat cheese, feta works quite nicely.

Jess

This dish made a perfect meatless Monday meal. You’ll definitely want to make sure the lentils still have a bite to them and the goat cheese adds a great creaminess to the dish. I added pepitas for an extra layer of texture.

sspencer

I made this tonight and thought it was very good. I'm vegan so had to modify slightly--I used good quality olive oil in place of butter and cubed avocado in place of cheese. I also tossed in some pepitas as someone else here suggested. I would definitely make it again, but I might also try it with basil instead of sage. I felt like the sage bordered on being too strong for my personal taste. But overall a great dish that went over well with me and my partner.

Elizabeth

Made for lunch. Directions were perfect. Used a Japanese sweet potatoe. Very delicious and hearty! Would add some more acid (lemon juice or pomegranate seeds) if I made it again.

KylieJ

This dish was fantastic. Just a few modifications to use what I had on hand: -cooked lentils in 2 cups water, 2.5 cups chicken stock (highly recommend for a flavor boost)-used roasted carrots instead of sweet potatoes -used crumbled feta instead of goat cheese -added olive-oil packed tuna on top for extra protein I will absolutely make this again and perhaps swap out the maple syrup for Dijon mustard in the vinaigrette (I love the briny tang!). Looking forward to the leftovers!

Julia

We added a fried egg on top and it was a delicious dinner. I added some mushrooms that needed to be used up and balsamic instead of red wine vinegar. The goat cheese added important depth to the flavors but I think feta could work too.

Victoria

Made with butternut squash, which took a bit longer to cook than specified, maybe 35 minutes. Had only dried ground sage, of which I used 1 tsp. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly. This was very good! It was just a tad sweet for my taste, so next time I might cut back just a bit on the maple syrup and/or increase the vinegar.

John

This recipe SLAPS. I made it with farro and added what I had on hand--chopped dates, apples, and some candied pecans. The goat cheese brings it all together.

PandemicBaker

Really good. Even my lentil-skeptical husband enjoyed it. I'd like to make it a more complete meal. Has anyone tried including kale or chard? Adding some tahini/yogurt or pom molasses (instead of maple syrup) at the end? Serving it with farro or wheatberries?

D-Lish

Such a unique lentil dish. My modifications were as follows: 1) sheep’s milk feta instead of goat cheese; 2) I simply poured the browned sage butter over the lentils and diced butternut squash and mixed; 3) each time I reheat (leftovers), I finish with a big lemon squeeze for acidity/brightness (didn’t add any vinegar) and stir in a heaping helping of fresh chopped cilantro and parsley. A-MAY-ZING!

Karin

This was great! I highly recommend the goat cheese; it really makes it. I did this as a make-ahead for Easter. I cooked the lentils. Made the vinaigrette in a jar (Have a way to warm it up; the butter solidifies.) And roasted the potatoes and kept them separate. Warmed it all up and combined at the event. It was a little complicated, but not too bad and the results were delicious. It's also beautiful.

Julia

I made it last night for dinner and tried a bite of it cold for lunch today so I could answer your question. I found it to be okay cold, but much better warm. Maybe if you tossed in some arugula to make it more salad-like it would be better cold or room temp.

Melissa

Use blue cheese on top instead of the goat cheese. The blue cheese is a perfect complement to the flavors in this dish.

Ann M

Someone else mentioned that they used a good olive oil instead of butter.

Lisa

This is a yummy dish that I will definitely make again. Followed the recipe exactly, only doubled it for more leftovers. The next day, I used the defrost setting on my microwave in an attempt not to remove the flavor of the red wine vinegar. (It worked! I got the lentils just slightly above room temp!) Also I recommend adding more fresh Italian parsley to keep the brightness of flavor in the dish. Feta worked very well, can highly recommend.

Lynn

Two words I never thought I could ever say: too buttery! Next time I will reduce the butter slightly and increase the olive oil slightly.

lisa

Fast. Delicious. Definitely made better with vegan goat cheese I added. Wilted some spinach in turned off pan brown butter was made in. Watch butter closely. Went from toasty to burnt very fast

Bob

Delicious. Slight changes:- season potatoes with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.- used feta- added some fried sage- added some baked prosciutto for a crisp element (yum)

SJ

So delicious - among the best recipes I’ve found from NYTimes Cooking. The only change I made is to add some wheat berries. I think I preferred the dish without the goat cheese (the vinaigrette is more evident) but it’s wonderful either way. Yossy Areli’s recipes are amazing!

Eve

This was yummy! Definitely on the sweeter side. I think next time I would use some mustard in the vinegarette and potentially sub out maple syrup for some pomegranate molasses for a bit of tartness!

Donna

Yum! Made exactly as written except I used feta cheese (and probably used more). I think the maple syrup was the magic ingredient. Full recipe, enough for dinner for two plus lunch for two.

how i cooked it

Use water and chicken stock for lentils

Julia

Who knew buttered lentils were the food of the gods? I made half a batch of this (I'm the only lentil eater), but will make a whole batch next time. I made some mods: I chopped up a small onion and some garlic and threw it in with the lentils in the instant pot. I cooked the lentils in chicken stock and water, then made the brown butter with sage, but used lemon instead of red wine vinegar. Yummmm.

Martha J.

Delicious! Made the dressing with balsamic rather than red wine, decreased the maple syrup by about half, and served over a bed of greens.

Jamie

Couldn't find green lentils in the store, so substituted green split peas. They cooked in about 25 minutes and provided a great textural contrast to the sweet potatoes. The vinaigrette brings a lot of flavor here, and the tangy goat cheese is a nice foil to the richness of the browned butter.

ATP

Wow. One mouthful and we knew it was a hit. Delicious. Made as is.

Andy B

Excellent dish. Planning to add pomegranate arils next time to make it even more interesting.

abby

added sautéed kale, red onion, dill, lemon and walnuts on top. chefs kiss baby

sadie

Made this recipe broke college student edition:Didn’t have fresh sage so I used dried rosemary but still turned out delicious imo

Aenneken

After I had made this salad for Thanksgiving (it was delish!), I accidentally bought five pounds of salted butter instead of unsalted butter. I decided to use one pound of it for this vinaigrette. Did not disappoint. So tasty! It's awesome with boiled veggies.

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Brown Butter Lentil and Sweet Potato Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you rinse canned brown lentils? ›

A common concern with canned lentils is the high sodium content used to preserve the lentils. The best way to deal with the issue of sodium is to be sure that you rinse your canned lentils under running water – this will remove up to 60 per cent of the sodium content.

How to make and eat lentils? ›

To prepare lentils, first rinse them in a strainer. Next, place one cup of lentils in a large pot with 2½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well.

What happens if you forgot to rinse lentils? ›

A typical packet doesn't say to rinse them. With red lentils the only reaosn I can see for rinsing is to (slightly) reduce foaming; with Puy lentils and some others even that's not an issue and you may lose flavour.

What happens if you don't soak brown lentils? ›

Soaking dried beans and lentils before cooking is not always necessary, but it can help reduce cooking time and improve their digestibility. Here's what happens if you don't soak them: 1> Longer Cooking Time: Beans and lentils that haven't been soaked will generally take longer to cook compared to soaked ones.

What do lentils do to your body? ›

Lentils are rich in a type of fiber that helps your digestive system work as it should and fuels good bacteria in your gut. Fiber may also help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. “Fiber plays an important role in regulating our bowels and protecting the immune system,” says Homan.

What's the healthiest way to eat lentils? ›

Lentils are a nutritious food that's low-fat and high in protein and fiber. While they make a delicious addition to a soup, stew or salad, you should not eat them raw. No matter which type of lentils you buy, you can easily cook them by boiling your lentils in water on the stove.

What is the best thing to eat with lentils? ›

If you have a few root vegetables hanging out in your fridge, those are also great with lentils, like in this warm lentil and root vegetable salad with parsnips and carrots. Lentils are particularly nice with cheese, as in this grilled halloumi and lentil salad.

Can you eat brown lentils straight from the tin? ›

Lentils are sold in two forms: canned and dried. While canned are good for ready-to-eat uses such as a quick salad or side dish, the dried version works well for soups and stews, salads, and sides.

Should I drain the water from canned lentils? ›

It is not necessary to rinse canned lentils before cooking, but you can rinse them by emptying them into a strainer and under cold water. This can help to remove some of the sodium content from the liquid around the beans.

Do you drain brown lentils? ›

Cook the lentils: In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 17 to 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water, let cool. Use in any recipe that calls for cooked lentils.

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