Lentil salad recipe with portobellos, packed with flavor with lemon, basil, and avocado.
This is a perfect vegetarian recipes. Need a healthy lunch or vegetarian recipes, one that is not only satisfying, but healthy? How about using some of those lentils that have been sitting in your pantry forever! I love french lentils, some do not, but I think part of the reason people don’t like them is because a lot of time they aren’t cooked properly.
They should be cooked until they are just done. Just like rice there is a small window between underdone, perfect, and overdone. You need to continue to test the lentils as they get closer and closer to being just done.
Once cooked, strain the lentils and immediately place them on sheet pan to cool down. Once cooled you can add anything you want to the French lentils to make a delicious salad. I opted for asparagus, cucumber, and portobello along with some fresh herbs. Here is the recipe I hope you enjoy it!
Delicious Portobello and Lentil Salad
For the Lentils
- 1 cup green lentils
- 4 cups water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup celery (small diced)
- 1/3 cup onion (small diced)
- 2 tsp salt
Vegetables for the Salad
- 1/2 cup cucumber (small diced)
- 1/2 cup asparagus (roasted and sliced)
- 1 tbsp basil (fresh chopped)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 whole lemon (zested)
- salt (and pepper to taste)
For the Portobellos
- 4 each portobellos
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt (and pepper)
For the Salad
- 4 oz romaine hearts
- 1 whole avocado
- 2 whole red radish (julienne)
- 1/8 cup basil (leaves)
- 3 tbsp oil and vinegar from portobellos
- 1/2 cup jalapeno pumpkin seed aioli
How to cook lentils
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Place all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook the lentil for about 25 minutes until they are tender all the way through but not over cooked.
Strain the lentils reserving the liquid for another use and pour out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment to cool. Set aside
How to saute portobellos
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In a bowl add portobellos, balsamic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Let it marinate for 10 minutes or longer. Then in a saute pan on medium heat add the portobellos to the pan with the oil and vinegar (you could grill the portobellos if desired)
Cook for 5 minutes on one side and then flip over and cook for another 5 minutes. Flip the portobellos back over and turn the heat off on the pan. Let them sit in the pan for another 5-10 minutes.
To finish
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Place lentils, cucumbers, asparagus, basil, oil, vinegar, lemon, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well and adjust the seasoning if need be. Using a ring mold place a spoonful of the cilantro sauce down on the plate inside the mold.
Then add a few spoonfuls of the lentil salad to the mold and press down slightly so the lentils stay intact when you remove the ring mold. Then slice the portobello a few times and place on top of the lentils.
In a small bowl add some basil leaves, radishes, romaine hearts, avocado, salt, pepper, and toss with the leftover juices from the mushrooms. Remove the ring mold and place the salad on top of the portobello. Serve and enjoy!
