Sweet Potato and Lentil Salad

This sweet potato and lentil salad is brightened up with a zesty dressing, crispy shallots, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and dried cherries. This dish is a perfect summer lunch, or BBQ side dish nice and bright and light. All together it takes about an hour to pull this one together, there’s nothing fancy here, just baking some sweet potatoes, boiling some lentils, crisping up some shallots, and doing a bit of slicing and blending.

Cook Time1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cheese, cherries, cilantro, feta, garlic, lentil, lentils, lime, Onion, sweet potato, tahini, tomatoes

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

9 Small (3-4 inch) sweet potatoes Or 2-3 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 tbsp Olive Oil
½ tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Garlic powder
½ tbsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Fresh black pepper
½ tsp Red pepper flakes

Lentils

1 cup Dried green lentils

Dressing

2 Limes for juice
2 tbsp Tahini
¼ tsp Salt
A couple twists fresh black pepper
⅓ cup Fresh cilantro
1 Clove of garlic
2 tbsp Olive oil
Water optional for texture

Other Toppings

8-10 oz. Cherry tomatoes
¼ Red onion
3 oz. Feta cheese
¼ cup Dried cherries

Crispy Shallots

8 Shallots
1+ Cups Canola or other neutral oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is preheating slice the sweet potatoes in half (or if using large potatoes cut them in half, then half again) keeping the skins on. Place the cut potatoes into a large bowl then add in the oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, cinnamon and toss to get the potatoes covered in oil and spices. Place the seasoned potatoes skin side up ('meat' side down) onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the potatoes for 45-50 minutes, checking them at 40 minutes to see if they're nicely browned and cooked through (just in case your oven runs hot).
While the potatoes are baking place a cup of dried green lentils into a pot and cover them with at least 3 cups of water, and a large pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the lentils for 15 minutes, giving them a stir and a taste every couple of minutes to check their doneness. When the lentils are cooked strain them, and place them aside.
While the lentils are cooking slice up the shallots. Yes, they're annoying to peel, but you'll get through it. Thinly slice the shallots evenly and place them in a pan with enough oil (neutral oil) to just barely cover them (a little less will be fine). Place the cool oil and shallots onto the stove and cook them gently over a medium-low heat until they turn a golden brown color. This should take about 15-20 minutes, if after 10 minutes there is no bubblin and sizzlin happening turn your heat up a little bit. Patience is a virtue here. When the shallots are light brown in the pan, scoop them out and place them on a paper towel to dry, season with a little salt immediately.
For the dressing combine the tahini, olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper in a blender (if you have a magic bullet or an immersion blender they work great for dressings). If you want a thinner dressing drizzle in water until you get the desired consistency, I ended up using about 2-3 tbsp. Place the dressing aside or put it in a squeeze bottle for easier drizzling later on.
Slice the cherry tomatoes in half, and thinly slice the red onion then cut those slices into thirds.
When you're ready to assemble layer the sweet potatoes on the bottom of a large plate. Then place the lentils, tomatoes, and onion on top, then drizzle on the dressing liberally. If you want to flavor the lentils take ⅓-½ the dressing and pre-mix the lentils with it. Continue sprinkling the rest of the toppings, feta cheese, dried cherries, and crispy shallots. That's it, crack open a beer (or a white claw) and enjoy!