Arugula Lentil Salad From Heaven (12 Min, Vegan)
- Updated on Nov 07, 2014
Arugula Lentil Salad with easy to find ingredients. It’s simple, tasty, vegan and really healthy!
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When Howie first told me he’d just tried an awesome new recipe I fully believed him – but my heart sank when he told me it was an Arugula Lentil Salad.
Not because it’s a salad – we’ve made some wicked ones – but because of the arugula.
‘What the buggery is arugula?’ I asked myself. And where would I find such an exotic ingredient in Hamburg?
A quick google told me all I needed to know – this alluring sounding ingredient is none other than rocket (or rucola) in disguise! That’s right, plain old rocket. Easy to find, even easier to eat.
Perhaps it’s ‘cos I’m British that I’d never heard it called that – but we decided to keep the name as it sounds cool anyway.
Whatever the name, this is a really simple, classic dish. It’s very easy to prepare, with just a few ingredients – and follows the ‘less is more’ theme.
The taste lingers on the side of nutty and salty, and is very much one for lovers of savoury.
If you can’t resist, then add some raisins and a drop of honey/agave nectar. See what you think.
Health benefits
Cashews, lentils, arugula. Not a bad list as health goes, really.
Cashews have some amazing properties, including lowering the risk of death through heart and cardiovascular disease, preventing gallstones, helping your bones to grow, and even acting as an antioxidant.
That’s impressive already and it doesn’t end there – check out this ‘cashew’ link for some more brilliant benefits.
Lentils are really no slouch either. They’ll boost your iron and fibre and protein levels, stabilise your blood sugar, and even fight against diabetes and digestive problems. See here for more wonderful details.
We’re certainly not perfect, and while we’re not there yet we do really believe that veganism is a great step forward.
This recipe is just another one of many, many tasty recipes that are quick, healthy and taste great – without animals.
Wanna know something nuts? The cashew isn’t really a nut…it’s a seed. Really.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp cashews
- 1 onion
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 chili / jalapeño
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- 3 slices wholegrain bread
- 1 cup brown lentils, cooked (1 cup = 1/ 15oz / 235g lentils or a 400g can)
- 1 handful arugula/rocket (1 handful = 100 g)
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small handful raisins
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Roast the cashews on a low heat for about three minutes in a pan to maximize aroma. Then throw them into the salad bowl.3 tbsp cashews
- Dice up and fry the onion in olive oil for about 3 minutes on a low heat.1 onion, 1 tsp olive oil
- Move the onion mix into a big bowl.
- Meanwhile chop the chilli/jalapeño and dried tomatoes. Cut the bread into big croutons. Add them to the pan and fry for another 2 minutes until the bread is crunchy. The oil from the sun-dried tomatoes should do.1 chili / jalapeño, 4 sun-dried tomatoes in oil
- Season with salt and pepper.Salt and pepper to taste
- Wash the arugula and add it to the bowl. Add the raisins.1 handful arugula/rocket, 1 small handful raisins
- Put the lentils in too. Season with salt, pepper, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Finally, serve with the croutons mix.1 cup brown lentils, cooked, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp maple syrup, 3 slices wholegrain bread
- Super tasty!
NOTES
Nutrition
Comments
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38 comments
This salad is delicious! I’ve been searching for protein packed salads and this one checked all the boxes. Thank you!
That’s so cool to hear Stephanie! Really pleased you found the lunch for you 🙂
don’t know how to get the high protein meal plan
Hi Wendy,
from what I see you already downloaded the high protein plan. Did you have trouble opening the files or something?
I don’t see where you’re supposed to add the vinegar.
Sorry, I must have deleted that bit, when I updated the recipe.
Right at the end before tossing the salad! 🙂
It’s fixed now.
Thanks for the heads up, Meghan!
This looks delicious, but the recipe isn’t very clear. Do I fry the onion, chili, and tomatoes in the pan with the bread? Or do they go into the salad seperately?
Your absolutley right, Andrew. With both actually: the salad is really good and the recipe description wasn’t very clear. I updated the description answering your questions 🙂
Thanks Howie! I’m making this for the second time tomorrow, it was very tasty
Really great to hear Andrew! This salad is deffo one of my faves as well 😀
This is one of those recipes that you can mess up in every way and it still comes out fine. You can add whatever you want (I added boatloads of steam-wilted fresh kale) and it is fine. You can serve it cold or heated, with rice, or couscous, with a hot sauce or…you get it…it is a real cuisine item. But please, don’t neglect the cashews. The cashews elevate this every-way dish to the real cuisine I am talking about, besides making it more satisfying protein-wise in making you feel full. A delight. Many thanks to Howie for posting.
Hi Trish!! What a great comment, thanks a lot!! Yes, you’re right it’s really a forgiving recipe. It’s one of those salads that show vegan food can be awesome!! 😀
Love when you do those vegan recipes! That looks so delicious.
Thanks Nancy! 😀
Oh my gosh, this sounds so delicious! What a great combo! 🙂