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Spring Lentil Salad with Roasted Asparagus & Potatoes

Spring Lentil Salad with Roasted Asparagus & Potatoes

Chelsea Colbath
A cross between lentil salad and warm potato salad with roasted asparagus, kalamata olives, and a lemony vinaigrette. This salad has lots of moving parts, but comes together quickly if you are working while each element cooks.
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TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound baby or fingerling potatoes*
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
  • 1 cup dry French lentils + water to cook
  • 1 pound asparagus
  • 1/2 cup kalamata olives

Vinaigrette

  • juice and zest from 1 lemon
  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 cloves garlic grated on a microplane or finely minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

Instructions
 

  • 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper (not essential- just makes clean up easier). Slice potatoes in half and place on pan. Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper. Put in the oven and set a 15 minute timer.
  • 2. While potatoes roast, cook the lentils. Put lentils in a medium pot, and cover with at least 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes.
  • 3. Slice off an inch from the bottom end of the asparagus spears and discard the ends, then slice the bundle of asparagus in half, then cut each half in half again. Essentially, you are cutting each spear of asparagus into 4 pieces. When the potato timer goes off, add the asparagus to the pan and roast for another 10 minutes.
  • 4. While lentils, potatoes, and asparagus finish cooking, slice the olives in half. Then make the vinaigrette. Put all vinaigrette ingredients into a large bowl, and whisk to combine.
  • 5. Drain lentils, then add them to the vinaigrette with the olives. Whenever potatoes and asparagus come out of the oven, add them to the lentils. Toss everything to combine, then taste and add an extra pinch of salt or pepper, if needed. Serve warm, or let cool and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftovers can be eaten cold or at room temperature.

Notes

*I often find teeny little potatoes sold as 'baby potatoes', but fingerling potatoes are a great substitute. You can also use full-sized yukon gold potatoes, just cut them into smaller pieces.