Roasted sweet potato, lentil and rocket salad – this hearty salad is filled with Ras el Hanout spiced roasted sweet potato and carrot, puy lentils, rocket and toasted pecans. Post sponsored by Appletiser.
The UK has been having the hottest Summer I have ever experienced in my life. It has been too warm out most days to eat heavy dishes and I have been craving lots of salads and barbecue foods to help beat the heat. Also, with all this hot weather, nothing beats an ice-cold glass of Appletiser to help you relax and cool down!
This roasted sweet potato, lentil and rocket salad is one of my favourite salads for all occasions. It is hearty and filling enough to have as a stand alone meal, but not so heavy that it weighs you down. It is also a well balanced meal with plenty of vegetables, and protein from the lentils and pecans
This recipe is another in my series for Appletiser – one recipe a month for a meal that is the perfect pairing with a glass of Appletiser. Just like the delicious drink my recipes are all free from added sugar and contain at least one portion of your five a day!
This delicious, hearty salad is filled with spiced roasted sweet potato and carrot, puy lentils and fiery rocket (arugula to you Americans). Toasted pecans add a lovely crunchy element and the pomegranate molasses dressing is tangy and sweet.
The salad is perfect eaten just on it’s own as a light meal; but if you want to add to it then I think that it would be lovely served alongside some grilled fish or kebabs; either meat, fish, paneer or tofu based. And Appletiser is the perfect refreshing drink to sip on while you eat!
The thing that I love most about this roasted sweet potato, lentil and rocket salad is that it is so versatile; obviously it is great in the Summer eaten al fresco, but it is so hearty that it also makes a lovely Winter salad too; especially because it can be eaten warm.
As written, the recipe is vegan, but a lovely twist to it is to sprinkle over some crumbled feta cheese. The saltiness works really well with the sweetness of the roasted vegetables and earthiness of the lentils. You can even try making your own vegan feta if you like, there are lots of recipes available on the internet.
Roasted Sweet Potato, Lentil and Rocket Salad Recipe:
Roasted Sweet Potato, Lentil and Rocket Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 2 medium/large sweet potatoes
- 2 large carrots
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 heaped tsp Ras el Hanout
- 250 g (9oz) cooked puy lentils
- 60 g (2oz) rocket arugula
- 70 g (2.5oz) pecans
Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
- juice of ½ lemon
- generous pinch salt
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Peel the sweet potatoes and chop into dice. Peel and slice the carrots.
-
Toss the sweet potatoes and carrots with the olive oil and Ras el Hanout then spread them out in a baking tray and roast for about 30 minutes, turning them halfway through, until they are tender and lightly browned.
-
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk together all of the ingredients until well combined.
-
Toast the pecans in a skillet until they smell nutty.
-
Heat the lentils according to the instructions on the packet.
-
Tip the rocket into a salad bowl and scatter over the lentils and roasted vegetables followed by the pecans. Drizzle over the dressing and serve with your favourite barbecue foods and an Appletiser.
This post is sponsored by Appletiser, thank you for supporting the brands that allow me to continue doing what I love – playing with food and making a mess of my kitchen.