Protein-rich and balanced, no chopping required, Chickpea Lentil & Sun-Dried Tomato Sumac Salad is bound to become your go-to weeknight salad.
This salad is not only satisfying, it's also loaded with nutrients. There's lycopene (a powerful antioxidant) in the sun-dried tomatoes, and tons of fiber and protein from the legumes, just to name a few.
This recipe was inspired by my High-Protein Bean & Corn Salad on this site, as well as this delicious Chili Lime Bean Salad from Plant Based RD (plantbasedrdblog.com) that I've been addicted to recently.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
For the salad:
- Green, brown, or French green lentils
- Bay leaf
- Chickpeas
- Olive oil (optional)
- Tamari
- Sumac
- Dried thyme
- Sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- Capers (optional)
- Arugula
For the dressing:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Toasted sesame oil
- Tamari
- Maple syrup
- Lemon zest
- Sumac
- Fresh lemon juice
📖 Instructions
Lentils:
Lentils are loaded with protein, versatile, and cook quickly. I always have a variety in my pantry for when I'm in a rush to get dinner on the table.
You can use green, brown or French green lentils for this recipe. I used French green as they tend to hold their shape a bit better. Cook your lentils until al dente. Mushy lentils are not ideal for salads!
The cooking time for these types of lentils is typically about 20 minutes, but some lentils take longer to cook. Check the packet for the recommended cooking time.
Cook the lentils with a bay leaf to add more flavor.
Chickpeas:
Meanwhile, toss the chickpeas in the simple marinade, and roast until crispy.
Broil the chickpeas for an additional 2 minutes if you want them even more crispy.
Meanwhile, make the dressing. Mix the ingredients well to combine.
Place the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss for serving.
🥬 Substitutions
- Sumac - if you are unable to find sumac, use lemon pepper seasoning
- Arugula - use baby kale or spinach if preferred
- Balsamic vinegar - use red wine vinegar instead if you don't have any, but omit the lemon zest - you may need to add more maple syrup
- Tamari - use soy sauce instead if preferred
- Roasted chickpeas - the roasted chickpeas with tamari, sumac, thyme, and olive oil are delicious as a standalone snack, a salad topper, or in a Buddha bowl
See this Balsamic-Maple Roasted Veggies and Chickpeas bowl on my website!
🔪 Equipment
Use a microplane or fine grater to zest the lemon.
⏱ Storage
The lentils and chickpeas can be made ahead of time a stored in the refrigerator. Once the dressing has been added, this salad does not stand up well to refrigeration.
💡 Top tip
- Cook the lentils in vegetable broth instead of water for even more depth of flavor.
- Do not assemble the salad ahead of time or it will become soggy. Toss with the dressing right before serving.
- The ingredients in the dressing will separate because of the oil. Mix the dressing right before adding it to the salad. Make sure to toss the salad until the dressing is evenly distributed.
Sumac, a dried red spice used traditionally in Middle Eastern cooking, is sneaking into Western cuisine. It adds a bright, tangy, citrusy tartness to dishes. Once you've used it, you'll want to use it more and more. It's made from the ground sumac berry, the fruit of the sumac flower.
Lemon pepper seasoning. This consists of dried lemon zest and cracked black pepper. It is widely available at most major supermarkets.
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📖 Recipe
Chickpea Lentil & Sun-Dried Tomato Sumac Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- ¾ cup dried green lentils or brown, or French green
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ounces chickpeas canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
- ¼ cup capers (optional)
- 4 to 5 cups arugula
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon tamari
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or to taste
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- Fresh lemon juice to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Cook the lentils: Bring about two and a half cups water to a boil. Add the lentils and bay leaf and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are al dente, adding more water as needed to keep the lentils submerged. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare the chickpeas: Meanwhile, rub the chickpeas between the layers of a kitchen towel to dry. You can remove the skins at this time, if desired.
- Cook the chickpeas: Transfer the chickpeas to a large rimmed baking sheet. Add the olive oil, if using, the tamari, sumac, and thyme to a small bowl. Mix to combine. Pour the marinade onto the chickpeas. Use your hands to rub the chickpeas with the marinade until evenly coated. Roast the chickpeas for about 15 minutes, or until crispy.
- Make the dressing: Add the extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, toasted sesame oil, tamari, maple syrup, lemon zest, and sumac to a medium bowl. Mix well to combine.
- For serving: Transfer the lentils, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, capers (if using), and arugula to a large bowl. Mix the dressing and add it to the salad for serving. Toss well to combine. Add lemon juice to taste.
Notes
- The roasted chickpeas in this recipe are so delicious. You can choose to only make these and add them to your favorite salad, or eat them as a snack. For extra crispy chickpeas, broil for an additional 2 minutes after roasting.
- For low-sodium, use low sodium tamari.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Dina and Bruce
Oh this sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try! Love capers! Love tamari! Love chickpeas!
Nisha Melvani
Thank you for leaving a comment. Have a fabulous weekend.