Warm Quinoa Salad with Lentils and Cauliflower
Warm quinoa salad with lentils and cauliflower is equal parts savory deliciousness and unimpeachable nutrition. Vegan, gluten-free, and make-ahead friendly.
Servings: 4
Calories: 132kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup (70 grams) dry french lentils
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) good vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small head cauliflower about 1 pound/(545 grams) (see note 2)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup 2 ounces/(57 grams) dry weight capers
- 1 cup cooked quinoa see note 3
- ½ cup (60 grams) chopped walnuts, toasted (see note 4)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- In a small pot, stir together the lentils, broth, herbes de Provence, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam for 10 minutes more. If any liquid remains, drain it.
- Cut cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
- In a medium pot, bring an inch of water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover pot, and steam until tender. Drain.
- Warm the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion along with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and browned in spots, about five minutes.
- Add garlic and capers and cook, stirring, one minute more.
- Stir in cooked quinoa and heat through.
- Tip quinoa mixture, lentils, and cauliflower into a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle with the walnuts and lemon juice and mix gently to combine.
Notes
- French lentils are also called Puy lentils. They cook up creamy while holding their shape, making them perfect for salads — and have a delicate, complex, earthy flavor.
- I like to use vibrant purple cauliflower for this recipe when I can find it. It reacts with the lemon juice to create the most stunning mottled pink and purple color in the finished dish. It tastes the same as white cauliflower, so you can 100% use whichever variety you've got.
- These days my favorite way to cook consistently excellent quinoa is in the Instant Pot. You can find both IP and stovetop instructions for great quinoa in this post.
- To toast the walnuts, simply place them in a small, dry frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring every minute or so, until fragrant and lightly browned — about five minutes total.
- This salad is also great cold or at room temperature. It keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week, so it's great for meal prep and making ahead. You can reheat it in the microwave before serving if you like, or skip that step if you prefer.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 527mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g