Guest Post: Mediterranean Mushroom and Lentil Salad

Meet your new must-try salad for any backyard barbecue! This refreshing lentil salad is versatile enough to be enjoyed either cold or warm and is packed with sautéed veggies like white button mushrooms, red bell peppers, and kale. Tossed in a zippy red wine vinaigrette and topped with creamy goat cheese, this salad offers the perfect balance of flavours and textures to complement any grilled favorites. Plus, you can whip it up in less than 30 minutes, making it a stress-free and delicious addition to your party prep.

Recipe by Louisa Clements of Living Lou

Mediterranean Mushroom and Lentil Salad

Serves: 6-8

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For salad:

• 2 540mL cans of lentils, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 454g packages of sliced white button mushrooms
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• 6 cups of finely chopped kale (about 1 small bunch)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup crumbled goat cheese, or feta

For dressing:

• 1 large clove garlic, grated
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 6 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Add drained and rinsed lentils to a large salad bowl.
2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil, mushrooms and bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently until red pepper is softened and the water from the mushrooms has almost completely evaporated. About 8 minutes.
3. Add finely chopped kale and cook for another 2 minutes until kale is softened. Season with salt. Stir vegetables into lentils.
4. While vegetables are cooking, prep dressing. In a medium measuring cup or jar, whisk all ingredients together.
5. Pour dressing over lentil and vegetable mixture, if serving warm, sprinkle with cheese and serve. The goat cheese will melt throughout the salad.
6. If serving cold, refrigerate and add the cheese just before serving.

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