Lentil Vegetable Salad with Miso-Harrisa Dressing

Lentil Vegetable Salad with Miso-Harrisa Dressing

I have a new favorite meal. Are you shocked? I know I say those words obnoxiously often on this site but the truth is I always mean it. And this meal is no exception.  I've made it two nights in a row  (per Taylor's request!) and I can safely say that I am addicted to The Silk Road's Moroccan Harissa spice bend. You can easily make this spice blend yourself, but I just so happen to have a few extra jars in my kitchen and I am happily using them up. In case you are wondering, it is still snowing here.  Being housebound has not been very fun. Thankfully we have all of my favorite ingredients on hand in the kitchen and a well stocked bar. It also helps that Henry is pretty stoked to be running around the farm in 2 feet of snow. Anyhow, back to this salad. If you haven't tried harissa yet you are in for a treat. The combination of harissa and miso is a match made in heaven. I've made a similar dressing before but I tweaked it quite a bit and I am really loving this new version. Be aware that different brands of harissa can vary greatly in spice. I love spice so I tend to go heavy with it. However, it's a good idea to always start with less and add more as needed. You can purchase harissa as a spice blend or as a paste. Either will work here but I prefer the spice blend. If you aren't housebound or stuck in a blizzard I highly recommend running to the nearest grocery store to pick up all the goods to whip up this salad.  Pour a glass of red wine and dig in!

Lentil Vegetable Salad with Miso-Harissa Dressing

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried brown lentils
  • 1 TBS grapeseed oil (or oil of choice)
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 4 large carrots, sliced into 1/4 inch chunks
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas (if canned rinsed and drained)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup parsley
For the Dressing:
  • 1/4 cup white miso
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 TBS water
  • 1-2 TBS harissa spice blend (less if you are sensitive to spice)
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 TBS rice wine vinegar

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Stir in lentils, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until lentils are tender. About 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl combine the carrots, cauliflower, and chickpeas. Toss with 1 TBS oil and place in a single layer on a prepared baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender and lightly browned (about 25 minutes) tossing veggies once halfway through cooking time.
  4. To prepare the dressing combine all the ingredients together and whisk until smooth. If dressing is too thick add a little more water to thin it out. Taste test and set aside. (The dressing should be incredibly flavorful. If it's too salty or spicy add a little more water or olive oil to mellow it out)
  5. Once veggies and lentils are both done cooking combine them in a large bowl. Stir in the raisins and drizzle with dressing. Top with finely chopped parsley and serve warm.

Notes

Use this recipe as a guide. Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary.

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