Intrigued? I was, too. I can’t take credit for this lovely combination of ingredients. This masala lentil salad comes from Gena Hamshaw’s new vegan cookbook, Power Plates: 100 Nutritionally Balanced, One-Dish Vegan Meals.
Perhaps you have come across Gena’s blog, The Full Helping, and come to appreciate her warm writing style and wholesome vegan recipes. If not, you’ve been missing out.
This salad combines tender roasted carrots, protein-rich lentils and fresh greens and mint with a garam masala-infused vinaigrette. Raw red onion contrasts beautifully in both color and flavor, and pumpkin or sunflower seeds offer some welcome crunch.
I love sharing recipes from new cookbooks because it lets me share ideas I never would have come up with on my own. I wouldn’t have thought to add garam masala to a salad dressing, but it’s really nice. Noted, thanks Gena!
My only change was using spring greens instead of arugula, since the store was out. (Isn’t that the worst?) I didn’t add Gena’s optional drizzle of pomegranate molasses, but I can see how a sweet-and-sour finish would make this salad even more delicious.
This salad is hearty enough to serve for dinner and keeps well for a couple of days, although you might want to store the vinaigrette separately to make sure the greens don’t wilt.
This recipe is vegan, like all of the recipes in the book. If you’re looking for wholesome, one-dish vegan or dairy free recipes, you’ll find lots of great recipes in Power Plates! Be sure to look for it in bookstores and let us know how you like the salad in the comments.
Masala Lentil Salad with Cumin Roasted Carrots
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Various
- Cuisine: Indian-inspired
This striking salad combines tender roasted carrots, protein-rich lentils and fresh greens and mint with a garam masala-infused vinaigrette. This delicious, healthy vegan salad will fill you up! Recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 ½ pounds carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup dried beluga or French green lentils, or 2 cans (15 ounces each) lentils, drained and rinsed
- ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 cups firmly packed baby arugula, mizuna, or baby kale
- ⅓ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Masala Dressing
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon minced or finely grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (scale back if you don’t completely love garam masala)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pomegranate molasses (optional; I didn’t use any)
- Toasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts
Instructions
- To make the salad, preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the carrots in a large bowl. Drizzle with the oil and maple syrup, sprinkle with the cumin, and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to the lined baking sheet, spreading them in a single layer. Season generously with coarse salt and pepper. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the carrots are fork-tender and browning.
- Meanwhile, put the lentils in a pot and add water to cover by 3 to 4 inches. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 20-30 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold running water, then let drain completely. (If you’re using canned lentils, you can skip this step.)
- Put the carrots and lentils in a large bowl and let them cool for 10 minutes. Add the onion, arugula, and mint.
- To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk until evenly combined.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Drizzle with about 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, if using, and offer toasted seeds on the side.
Notes
Reprinted with permission from Power Plates, copyright © 2018 by Gena Hamshaw. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Jana
This salad really does look lovely! Already put it on my to-do list.
I just noticed that the nutritional information doesn’t work anymore – this was the case with every recipe I checked. I hope you are not planning to get rid of it entirely.
However, I love your blog and cookbook, found some new staples and favorites thanks to you! Greetings from Germany
Kate
Hi Jana, I am working to get that fixed! I’m not planning to get rid of it :) I’m sorry for the inconvenience!
Bob
This one is for the books!
Kate
I agree!
Gaby Dalkin
NEEEEED to try this!
Kate
Love to hear what you think, Gaby!
linda
This sounds so yummy! I would like to try it as listed but my husband doesn’t like mint…what else can I use?
Kate
Hi Linda – You could leave out altogether. Or use cilantro instead.
Deborah
Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Kate
Let me know what you think, Deborah!
Antri C. | Beauty Blogger & Reviewer
I love every single recipe you posted :) they are all yummyyy :) xoxo
Kate
So kind, Antri!
Nicole
I just made this recipe today. It’s soo delicious Instead of carrots I used sweet potatoes. Thanks Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome, Nicole!
Dawn
I gotta be honest.. this is the first recipe in a while that really made me sit up and look at it…. I am gonna try this…the sweet from the maple syrup combined with the peppery arugala and the toasted sunflower seeds…. added in the garam masala….I’m curious… on paper this looks flippin amazing!!!
Kate
She knows what she is doing! It’s stunning and delicious. Thanks for trying it, Dawn!
Liz Browne
To die for! This will be made very, very regularly.
Kate
I love it! Thanks for sharing, Liz.
McKenne
I really need to make this soon. With all the spices and the vegetables you have added it seems like such a colorful and flavorful salad. And like love the taste of garam masala in food since it really brings out the flavor.
Kate
It’s delicious! Let me know what you think when you give it a try.
Jane
I’m a big fan. Have your cookbook. This was fabulous. A real food keeper! Used pomegranate molasses- very good. Made next night w roasted broccoli and Brussel sprouts but not nearly as good as w carrots. Had all these lentils w little experience w them. Glad to put them to good use. Even carnivorous hubby loves! This is huge! Many thanks!
Kate
Thank you for the support!
KP
We made this recipe and loved it! The tastes all come together very well. We used spinach instead of arugula or kale, and substituted agave for the maple syrup. Will definitely make this again! The nutrition information isn’t working in some browser versions, but I love that feature when it works!
Kate
Hooray!
Sara
This is delicious! Loved the garam masala flavor in the dressing. Used arugula, and made recipe as-is. Loved everything about this. Will be making again soon!
Kate
That’s great, Sara!
Francoise
Whoa ! this is a great recipe! I made it tonight and I am looking forward to having the leftover this week. I love that Kate only publishes recipes that use items you can pretty much find in your pantry .
Kate
Wonderful!
cara mengobati ejakulasi dini
I’m really excited that spring is finally here, but it’s also a little hard to believe that we’re almost
Kate
I know! Me too. Thanks for the review.
Heather
This tasted great and is very good for you. I didn’t have pomegranate molasses either but used some regular. The pumpkin seeds were a great idea and I have no problems with garam masala myself and had plenty to use up since many recipes don’t call for it.
Kate
Thank you, Heather for the review!
Breanne
I made this for my lunch salads this week – super unique flavors here! I really like the garam masala dressing. Thanks Kate!
Kate
You’re welcome! What a great lunch, Breanne.
Rana
Such a beautiful salad and a welcome combination of exciting, new flavors for my tired salad rotation! I didn’t have lentils so I used quinoa instead and added some dried cranberries and toasted almonds, which gave it some moroccan-inspired vibes.
Thank you for featuring Gena’s recipe! Her recipes (and yours, of course) always inspire me to get in the kitchen even after long days, and her writing is often poignant and personal, which I love. Thank you both for your thoughtful writing and reliably-amazing recipes!
Kate
Well, thank you Rana! I’m happy to hear you are familiar with Gena’s recipes already. It’s a great cookbook!
The Foodie Journey
Combining two of my favourites, Cumin and Lentils! Definitely gonna have to make this one :)
Kate
I would love to hear what you think!
Bill
Yum, Another hit!
Kate
Well, thank you Bill!
Kati | Kasannes
This looks really delicious. I love salads.
Kate
Great!
jane
a few weeks ago you featured a thai soup, from a new cookbook you recommended, Power Plates, which i immediately bought. thank you. However i can”t seem to find that great soup recipe. it’s not in that book, or yours, which i also own.
thanks
Kate
Do you remember the name of the soup, Jane? You can always search for the recipe in search bar of the blog if you think it is from there.
Jean
Love this. It is great both with and even without the greens. It would be fun to swap in other veggies for the carrots — brussels sprouts maybe. (This is not a criticism — I am genetically incapable of not riffing recipes.) Clear part of my rotation going forward. Thanks and pats to Cookie.
Kate
You’re welcome, Jean! Thanks for your comment and review.
Lisa
This is delicious. I added the onion and dressing to the hot lentils & hot carrots. Then when I served it with the arugula and mint I gave it a squeeze of lemon juice, splash of red wine vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.
Kate
Tasty! Thank you, Lisa.
Mary
I absolutely LOVE this recipe and made it yesterday(Sunday). Any chance I could use it for a special meal I’m preparing on Thursday? Do you ever get an extra day out of it? My schedule is too busy to make it on a weekeday. Thanks!!
Kate
Sure! Just wait to combine all the ingredients, especially the lettuce. That will allow you to get more days out of it. I hope this helps!
Jim O'Shea III
The one tip I wish I saw more on blogs is that when combining oil into an acid, it should be drizzled slowly while whisking. Please consider passing that on to your followers
Kate
Thanks for the tip!
Suzy
This is perfect dinner for the nights I work late! I made the lentils and the carrots in the morning and combined them in one bowl in the fridge. I put the greens in a separate bowl (I forgot the red onion but it was still yummy!! – will add it next time for sure!). Then I made the dressing in a small jar. Dinner was on the table minutes after I got home. Greens were topped with the lentil carrot combo, I shook the jar up really well and poured it on top of the salad. I divided the salad between our two plates and we both loved it!! Thanks for this great make-ahead recipe!
Kate
Thanks for the comment and review, Suzy! I appreciate it.
Kendra
This was amazing! We added cucumbers to the salad and a little maple syrup to the dressing. All three girls loved it. Thanks!
Kate
That’s great! Thanks, Kendra.
Weslei
Hi Kate! I usually don’t make mains out of salads, but I’ve tried your recipe yesterday and it was delicious. The dressing is so refreshing and warm at the same time, I couldn’t stop eating it. In my recipe I included stir-fried tempeh for an extra filling, in the end it was like a buddha bowl. Thank you very much for sharing, I love your website. <3
Kate
I’m happy you tried it, Weslei!
Dorcas Nepple
I fixed this salad for a Fathers Day picnic at the local air show. I was able to fix it the day before, and added the arugula the next morning. By afternoon, it was perfect. The dressing is balanced–not too much acid from the vinegar, and the mint was not over-powering. Usually, I can think of something to make a recipe more to my taste. This time, I wouldn’t change a thing. My parents loved it and have requested that I bring it over for family potlucks some time. Even my husband loved it. I’m having the last little bit of it for lunch this afternoon. Thanks for the recipe.
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Dorcas.
Chili
I just made this salad and it was delicious! A nice alternative way to use lentils. I find a lot of lentil recipes feel heavy and prefer them for winter, but that was not the case with this one. This salad was fresh and light. Also kept well for lunch the next day.
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Chili! I appreciate the review.
Lindsey
This was amazing! I also used spring greens and subbed cilantro for the mint, and couldn’t believe the flavors once it all came together. My husband was super skeptical but ended up loving it and said it needs to go in the regular rotation – I agree of course :)
Kate
Delicious! Thank you, Lindsey for your comment and review.
Todd Armstrong
Fantastic, such a great example of how good vegan can be including the colors and textures. My daughter and I dined at the beach for this one.
Kate
Thank you, Todd!
Kerri
Excellent! Thanks for sharing. The mint/cumin/garam masala combination give this such a fabulously complex flavor. Made this as a side with mint pesto meatballs and it really worked well. Your recipes are always wonderful!
Kate
Thank you, Kerri!
Shraddha
Loved the recipe Kate !! It turned out great…
Pretty Good. Can’t wait for your new recipes.
Kate
Thank you! Sign-up for the newsletter, if you haven’t already. You can stay up-to-date on all things new.
Christine Dahl
I made this yesterday for my son and daughter-in-law who were in the Mother Baby Center with their first! It’s such a good recipe, loved it! I went very light on the spice because she’s nursing, then served it with Naan and hummus on the side, which went super well with the salad. My daughter-in-law wanted something healthy with protein, so that salad seemed to fit the bill.
This was my second Cookie and Kate recipe, a winner for sure, thanks!
Kate
I’m happy to hear you liked it! Thanks for your review.
Erin
This was delicious! I didn’t have enough carrots so I added a sweet potato. The dressing is perfect!
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks, Erin.
SusieG
Awesome! My go to salad now.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that!
Ann F Gilmore
I made a derivation of this salad due to forgotten items at the grocery store. I used spinach, the roasted carrots, caramelized onions, goat cheese, and pepitas with the dressing. Still good!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Ann!
Erin
Eating this right now, and it is fabulous. I used canned lentils, so it took no time at all to make. Perfect!
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Erin!
Z
This was so good! I didn’t add any mint but it still tasted amazing. I threw all the dressing ingredients into a jar and shook it and it emulsified beautifully.
Z
Forgot to mention I roasted the red onion along with the carrots because I don’t like raw onion – turned out great! And I omitted the maple syrup and pomegranate molasses because I don’t have a sweet tooth; the carrots and roasted onion made the dish sweet enough!
Kate
I’m glad you liked it! Thanks for sharing, Z.
Rebecca
FABULOUS recipe. Have served it at a number of dinner parties, large and small and I don’t remember having so many requests for the recipe. Moreover, it saves nicely in the frig afterwards for leftovers.
Kate
Thank you, Rebecca! Glad you love the leftovers.
Sarah
The masala dressing is delicious and adds a unique flavor! Good as leftovers as well.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sarah!
Elizabeth Vieira
Oh, wow! Such wonderful flavors!
I used one 17-oz package of Trader Joe’s steamed lentils, and that seems like the right amount. (I wasn’t sure if I would need two packages to equal 2 15-oz cans of lentils, or if some of the weight in the cans comes from water.)
I accidentally minced 1 Tablespoon of ginger root, but that worked out great too. I also used scallions instead of red onions because red onions give me a tummy ache.
So, so delicious! Thank you!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Elizabeth!
TANIA PRICE
Would rend lentils work?
Kate
I’m not a fan of red lentils as they don’t seem to hold up as well or depth of flavor. If you use them, make sure you follow the cooking instructions on package as they don’t usually need as long.
Tania Price
Thank you. Thought that is what I had on hand but turns out it’s a medley of brown, green, and black so hope that works!
Danielle
Just made this salad for dinner (I’m on a salad spree after making the roasted broccoli one earlier since I needed to use up a bunch of arugula) and it was awesome! I love the combo of the garlic, ginger and garam masala with the mint in the salad. It was also a hit with my husband. Thanks for this great recipe! This is truly a stunning combination that I never would have thought to put together.
Kate
Thanks, Danielle!
Sharon
This sounds so good! Where on earth do I find pomegranate molasses? Is it available in Canada?
Sharon
Just found a recipe to make the pomegranate molasses. Simple!
Kate
Hey Sharon! I didn’t use the pomegranate molasses in my recipe. It’s optional. You could probably find it in a Mediterranean/Middle Eastern grocery store or perhaps Whole Foods or a well-stocked health food store. You can also make it, which I tried once—just boil down pomegranate juice until it’s about one-third of the original volume. I think you could find a tutorial online if you want more details, but it is optional. :)
Bethany
So good I could have eaten it all by myself. Too bad I had to share with my husband and kids! Even my three-year-old inhaled it.
Kate
Hooray! Thanks for your review, Bethany.
Diana
This was so flavorful! Made it tonight for the first time and already planning to make it again.
Kate
That’s great! Thank you for commenting, Diana.
Stephanie
Made this salad last night, Delicious! Recipe definite keeper :-)
Kate
Wonderful, Stephanie!
Ralph's Mum
What a great recipe Kate!
And so easy!
I’ve made this twice, once as is and then a second time substituting Cauliflower and Beetroot for some of the Carrots as I had some spare.
I also used Cinnamon, Coriander (ground Cilantro seed) and Cumin instead of the Garam as I had forgotten to get more :)
Both times, totally excellent!!
Thank you so much!!
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Nathalie
Soooo good. And a perfect meal during a confinement (I live in France)… : high in protein, mostly ingredients from the pantry, plus vegetables that keep very well! As we all eat at home twice a day every day, we need inspiration and variety… Our beloved C and K website is more useful than ever! Thank you so much guys!! I hope you’re doing very well during this exceptional and scary period.
Eileen
Another win! We ate this for dinner and then for lunch the next day. As we finished the leftovers, my husband said, “there’s more, right?” and I had to diappoint him and admit that we’d eaten the whole recipe. Since this is nearly all pantry items, it’s perfect for this weird SIP time. By the way, I used pomegranate vinegar for the first meal and forgot for the second, and it was great both ways. Don’t skip the mint and sunflower seeds–they’re wonderful.
Kate
Thank you, Eileen! I’m glad your husband couldn’t get enough. Always a good sign! I appreciate your review.
Will Haryson
Thank you for the such good recipe! It’s really tasty!)
Kate
You’re welcome!
Hilary S Laing
This is a great way to use lentils! I am so ready to eat lentils that are not in soups by this time of year! The roasted carrots are a perfect compliment to the dish. I also spinach for the arugula and it worked well.
Sadye
The dressing was absolutely my favorite part — guess I love garam masala as much as Kate does :) I do wish I’d tossed the carrots partway through; the smaller pieces definitely surpassed “caramelized” but really I should’ve known better.
Kate
Great minds and taste buds, Sadye! Thank you for your review.
Penny
This is so delicious with a soft poached egg on top. Or just by itself. It’s my favorite road trip/cooler meal!
Christina Jasinski
Such a tasty treat on a hot day! I made the carrots and lentils in the morning when it was cool and then threw it together in the evening. The spices and mint come together beautifully and the pumpkin seeds add a delightful crunch!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Christina! Thank you for sharing.
SunnyGirl
Delicious! Had an old bottle of pomegranate vinegar from trader Joe’s so I swapped it for the apple cider vinegar and pomegranate molasses. Will definitely make again but will use fresh lemon juice/zest to brighten it up a touch. Yum!
Meg
I’ve made this several times, it’s a lovely combination of flavours, always gets compliments and requests to share the link to the recipe. I made a pomegranate glaze using unsweetened juice as I couldn’t find any ready made in the store. I think it was worth the (small) effort to make, as I think it added to all the flavours in this salad
C
Used curry powder instead of garam masala and loved it.Great combination of flavors. Mint works beautifully, added a little extra.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, C! I appreciate your review.
Penny
This is my very favorite lentil salad recipe. Sometimes I use whatever greens are on hand: kale, spinach, chard. Serve avocado toast. It’s so good!
Kate
That’s great, Penny!
Susan
I’ve had this recipe in my file for a very long time, and finally made it today for lunch. Very nice recipe! I used homemade pickled onions because I can’t handle plain raw onion, and also added some fried halloumi to up the protein level. I was interested to see that you used a roll-cut for your carrots, a technique I learned in a Chinese cooking class years ago. That’s a much smarter technique than just slicing the carrots, because it’s easier to get all the pieces a similar size, no matter how big or small your carrots. Thanks for a keeper recipe.
Kate
You’re welcome, Susan!
Rebecca
This salad is delicious, I am really excited about it! I thought the dressing was really tasty and an excellent compliment to the flavors in the salad. The mint was also a real winner here I think. Love it! Thanks for the great recipe Kate.
Kate
You’re welcome, Rebecca! I appreciate your review.
Caroline Klein
Hi Kate -I love your recipes and have many of them. Would baby carrots work here? Trying to reduce the labor time…looking forward to your feedback!
Caroline
Kate
Sure! Let me know what you think.
Bluejeanne
Can’t stop eating this…super yum =) did skip the mint tho.
Kate
I’m excited you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing.
Alissa
Made it tonight as written and LOVED it! Awesome flavor and texture combinations and just a little different from the typical salads I make. Will make again! Thank you
Kate
That’s great to hear, Alissa! I appreciate your review.
Rebecca
I LOVE this recipe. This is definitely going into my favorites and I can’t wait to Wow my book club friends with it.:^)
I made according to recipe but chopped up kale for the green (holds up well for a healthy next day lunch) and I made a pomegranate molasses (2c pomegranate juice, 1/4c sugar, 1T lemon juice – bring to boil, then simmer for about 45 min to reduce)which I think adds a beautiful dimension. Super easy to make. .
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Rebecca! I appreciate your review.
Bonnie Newman
I made this dish this morning and brought it to a picnic with friends tonight. Everyone loved it!!
Bonnie Newman
I made this recipe and brought it to a potluck. Everyone loved it! It was totally delicious! Thank you.
Kate
You’re welcome, Bonnie! I appreciate your review.