This very springy bowl uses a base of warm lentils tossed in a simple dijon dressing to soak up all of that flavor. Leeks and carrots get roasted in the oven until the leeks are silky smooth and carrots are fork tender. Peas and feta join the party for a bright and light vegetarian spring dinner!
Ingredient Highlight
Leeks! These alliums are rich in iron, folate, vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin C along with flavonoids (particularly kaempferol), which can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body.
Servings 4
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- 1 cup green, brown, beluga or French lentils (just under 3 cups cooked)*
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 6 oz feta, broken into smaller chunks (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 boiled eggs (or use fried, optional)
- Chopped toasted nuts or seeds, for topping
- Chopped parsley or dill, for topping
- Black pepper, for topping
- Lemon wedges, for topping
For the leeks/carrots/peas:
- 2 leeks
- 4 carrots (about 12-14 oz), halved lengthwise, then halved again lengthwise
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
- * This makes enough for each person to have just under ¾ cup lentils, so feel free to increase to 1 ¼ cups or 1 ½ cups if you want more or leftovers (just add a bit more mustard, vinegar, oil, and salt to compensate).
Instructions
- In a medium pot, add the lentils and enough water to cover by 2-inches. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender, but not mushy. Depending on how fresh/old your lentils are, they will cook a lot faster or slower, so keep an eye on them and taste as you go. Drain the lentils and return them to the pot. Stir in the mustard, oil, vinegar, and salt until well combined.
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Cut the leeks in half lengthwise (watch video). Rinse them under water to remove any dirt in all of those layers. We are eating the whole leek, so don’t trim off the tops!
- In a 9×13-inch baking dish, add the leeks, carrots, olive oil, and salt and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread everything out into an even layer, placing the leeks cut-side-down. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Add water and peas to the baking dish, cover tightly with foil, and bake for 10 more minutes. Your leeks should be very soft and carrots fork tender.
- Remove the leeks and carrots and use a sharp knife to cut them into more manageable, bite-sized pieces, then return to the baking dish.
- Serve the leeks/carrots/peas over a bed of the warm lentils. Top with plenty of feta cheese, an egg (if using), a generous drizzle of your best olive oil, nuts, herbs, black pepper, and a generous squeeze of lemon.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook 1 cup green or brown lentils + toss in dijon dressing
- Boil 4 eggs (or use fried)
- Toast nuts or seeds, for topping
- Chop parsley, for topping
- Prep 2 leeks (see recipe)
- Prep 4 carrots (cut in half lengthwise, then halve again lengthwise into 4 quarters)
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the feta and substitute with chopped green olives.
- Substitute fennel for leeks (or use both), just cut the fennel into ½-inch thick slices.
- Add grilled sausage for a meaty protein boost.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover lentils, carrots, leeks, and peas until just warm. Top with feta, egg, nuts, and herbs.
- Chop everything up and toss it together to make a lentil salad. Toss in some greens for a leafy green salad (just add some more olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste). Top with all the toppings.
This is awesome!