I’ve been a fan of this salad ever since I spotted it on someone else’s table.
Many years ago, when I was a single girl in seminary, I was at Alice’s, a restaurant that used to be in Avenue U in Flatbush (no longer open), and I saw this salad come to someone’s table. It looked good, so the next time I was there, I ordered it. And that’s where the story of this Lentil and Beet Salad started. After that, I’d order this salad as takeout for lunch or dinner or whenever I wanted something healthy and filling. It was my go-to item on the menu.
I finished seminary in Brooklyn, moved back to Deal, got married, and forgot about the salad.
Fast forward more than a decade later (almost two decades); Ouri’s opened their new store in Deal. There it was, in the showcase with all the dips and salads: Alice’s Beet Salad. My long lost favorite salad was there in the showcase, ready for me to buy and enjoy again.
And though there are many salads and dips I do prefer to buy when I see some favorites available on the shelf, this one became so much a Shabbat staple that I prefer to make it in greater bulk myself.
I eat the leftovers for lunch during the week; even a little bit feels so nourishing and filling. It stays fresh in the fridge for at least a couple of weeks and just gets better and better.
Note on using vacuum sealed beets: I find that they are a good substitute for fresh beets, especially when you roast them. Do not use canned beets under any circumstances.
Lemony Lentil & Beet Salad
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup green lentils
- 8 oz vacuum sealed beets, chopped
- Salt, for sprinkling
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Add lentils to a saucepan. Cover generously with water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line and grease a baking sheet. Add beets and sprinkle with salt; spray with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine lentils, beets, lemon juice, parsley/cilantro, and salt. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to serve. Can be made up to a couple of weeks ahead (but I don’t know if that’s advisable because then you’ll eat it before the time you were planning on serving it…because that’s what happens when there’s something filling, healthy, and ready-to-go in the fridge).
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Lentil fan says
I have red lentils at home. You think I can substitute it?
betweencarpools says
The texture of red will be different…
Tova says
How are red and green lentils different?
Victoria Dwek says
No. They are totally different.
Victoria Dwek says
Here’s a recipe for your red lentils instead https://betweencarpools.com/creamy-butternut-lentil-soup/
A says
I make this all the time with the Gefen organic precooked lentils in the bag . Comes out yum and couldn’t be easier!
rachel says
I love canned beets, is there a reason why they can’t be used?
devora says
I just prepared this for Shabbos, and it tastes amazing. I used vaccum packed beets and vaccum packed lentils (gefen) (2/3 cup since they are cooked). I doubled both of them but didn’t double the dressing, and it tastes great. I also used cubes for the herbs instead of fresh (used 3 to =1/4 cup). Thanks so much for this super recipe which will be perfect for shalosh seudos and was so easy!