Lukewarm lentil salad on baked leeks can be a delicious side dish or a hearty meal. Prep time is quick and the ingredients are simple – shredded parmesan (vegan or not, it’s entirely up to you), chili oil, herbs, and a few spices.
Cooking the lentils in a simple flavored broth instead of just water and marinating lentils with a gorgeous lemon dressing makes all the difference – you’ll love it!
What is leek?
Leeks, broad leeks, winter leeks, Italian onions, common leeks, Spanish leeks, ahose, meat leeks are all common names for our local leeks. It is a group of varieties of field garlic originating from the Mediterranean region. Leeks are a mild-tasting member of the onion and leek family. They grow upright in elongated stalks instead of bulbous bulbs. Below they are white and light green, above the green becomes stronger and darker. The layers are thinner than those of onions.
Unlike onions, leeks don’t really taste good in their raw state. The leek must be cooked, because only when it melts tenderly in the mouth does it develop a surprisingly rich and mild onion flavor. Leek can also be used as a substitute for onions in any dish that is served warm, such as this well-known and popular party soup “potato and leek soup”.
Leeks often have a lot of dirt between the layers. So clean it well. Cutting and chopping leeks is easier than slippery onions. For roasted leeks, you should use the white and lighter green parts (the dark green part is usually chewy).
Roasted leeks become tender, caramelized as they cook and have a delicious flavor that pairs perfectly with this vegan lentil salad, served lukewarm.
if you like our lukewarm lentil salad on baked leek, you might also be interested in these recipes:
- Moroccan Black Lentil Salad
- Tender miso onions from the oven
- quick Mediterranean white bean salad
- baked sweet potatoes with beet feto topping
- Mediterranean chickpea salad
- more salad recipes
Lukewarm lentil salad on baked leek
Ingredients
For the leek:
- 2 leek big
- 3 tbsp. native olive oil*
- ½ tsp chili flakes*
- 2 tbsp. vegan Parmesan* or parmesan
- kosher salt*
- Pepper*
For the lentils:
- 150 G Lenses*
- 1 Red onion
- 1 spring onion
- 1 clove of garlic small
- 1 tbsp. native olive oil*
- 500 ml vegetable broth (optional)
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- kosher salt*
- Pepper*
- 1 small bunch parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with the chili flakes.
- Cut the root off the leek and cut the lower closed part into pieces of equal length, cut in half and wash carefully.
- Use the top green leaves for another meal.
- Place the halved leeks, cut side up, on a baking sheet lined with baking paper or in a casserole dish. Brush the leek with the chili oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake the leeks in the oven for about 30-35 minutes. 10 minutes before the end of the baking time, spread the Parmesan on the leek.
- In the meantime: peel the onion and cut into small cubes. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the diced onions in it until translucent.
- Peel and finely dice the garlic. Add the garlic to the onions and sauté briefly.
- Add the lentils to the onions and sauté for about 2 minutes. Now pour in the vegetable stock (or water) and cook with the lid on for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are done.
- Wash the spring onion, drain well and cut into fine rings.
- Rinse the parsley and shake dry. Also cut finely.
- When the lentils are cooked but still have a bite to them, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the parsley and spring onions. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Arrange the baked leeks on plates or a platter and serve the warm lentil salad on top.