Brown Rice and Lentil Salad over Arugula
This easy salad packs a big nutritional punch. Brown rice, green lentils, pine nuts, arugula and feta combine into a healthy and tasty side dish.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 550kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown basmati rice, rinsed
- 3/4 cup french green lentils, rinsed
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 4 oz feta cheese
- 4 cups arugula
Salad Dressing
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp minced shallots
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine rice with 2 cups of water and cook according to package directions until tender. Start the rice first, since brown rice takes longer to cook than lentils.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
- Add the lentils, salt, bay leaf, and thyme. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but not falling apart.
- Drain and blot dry and then transfer them to a medium bowl. Add the rice to the bowl with the lentils.
- Mix all the salad dressing ingredients together and pour the dressing over the lentils and rice, stirring to mix it in.
- Allow them to cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Then add the pine nuts and feta. Toss to combine.
- To serve add arugula to four salad bowls and then spoon the lentil mixture over. To serve as a side dish to a crowd, roughly chop the arugula and mix it in just before serving.
Notes
- Pine Nuts: To toast the pine nuts, bake them in a 350F oven for 3-4 minutes.
- Rice: Standard long-grain brown rice found on US shelves will also work in this recipe. However, brown basmati cooks up drier and firmer, which makes it especially good for salads.
- Lentils: If you can't find green lentils in the store, you can order them on-line.
Nutrition
Calories: 550kcal