Black Lentils with Oven-dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

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These black lentils are visually stunning, with red oven dried tomatoes, pink pickled onions, green fresh herbs and white and blue gorgonzola cheese, all against a dramatic black background. This lentil salad is healthy and delicious. It's also a great make-ahead dish and travels well.

black lentils layered with oven-dried tomatoes and gorgonzola

Black lentils are less well known than their red, yellow, brown and green cousins. But you should get to know them because they are delicious! Black lentils are often called “beluga” lentils, because these tiny black jewels look just like Beluga caviar. They have a robust, earthy flavor similar to black beans. Black lentils cook quickly, usually in half an hour or less, and hold their shape well, making them ideal for salads.

Black Lentils are a Healthy Source of Plant-based Protein

Black lentils are also extremely healthy, with a whopping 26g of protein in a half cup, which makes them a great plant-based alternative to meat and other animal proteins. Their black color comes from anthocyanin, the same antioxidant found in other super healthy blue and purple foods like blueberries. According to the Cleveland Clinic, anthrocyanins can help lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, help protect and improve brain function and slow the growth of certain cancers.

This recipe for black lentils is an adaptation of one from the wonderful vegetarian cookbook "Plenty," by Yotam Ottolenghi. Ottolenghi is a British-born Israeli chef that has written 9 cookbooks cookbooks so far, including "Simple," which the New York Times declared book of the year. He also writes columns for The Guardian and The New York Times and presides over a London empire of 7 Mediterranean restaurants.

I have taken Ottolenghi's Castelluccio lentil salad recipe in "Plenty," and substituted my preferred black lentils. I have also made several alterations to his technique that I feel improve both the flavor and visual appeal of the dish.

Ottolenghi's cookbook "Plenty" from which the inspiration for this black lentils recipe comes

This recipe is very versatile. Serve Black Lentils with Oven-dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola as a main dish, a wonderful brunch buffet addition or as a side dish to serve with Mediterranean mains, such as Middle Eastern Chicken - Glazed with Pomegranate Molasses or Za'atar Chicken with Lemon-Parsley Salad.

Ingredients for Black Lentils with Oven-dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

Black Lentils

Black lentils (Beluga lentils) are available in higher end grocery stores and specialty markets. You can also buy them online from companies that specialize in legumes like the wonderful Rancho Gordo or your can buy organic black lentils like these from Rawseed on Amazon.

Gorgonzola Cheese

I prefer a creamy, rather than crumbly, gorgonzola or other blue cheese for this black lentils salad. My current favorite is Champignon Grand Noir, a cow's milk blue cheese from Bavaria, German. Bold and creamy, it's also lactose-free due to the natural maturation process during cheese-making.

plum (Roma) tomatoes

thyme
extra virgin olive oil
balsamic vinegar

red onion
red wine vinegar
sea salt

black lentils
garlic
black pepper

parsley
chives
dill

gorgonzola or other creamy blue cheese

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions for Black Lentils with Oven-dried Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

Quarter the plum tomatoes lengthwise and place them cut side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment or foil. Place thyme sprigs on top and then drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic and a sprinkle of sea salt. Roast the tomatoes at 275ºF for 1 ½ hours. They will look slightly shriveled when they are done. Set aside. Note: Make extras of these oven-roasted tomatoes. They're wonderful on salads.

red onions wilting in red wine vinegar for black lentil salad

While the tomatoes are roasting, place the onion in a small bowl and drizzle the vinegar over them. Add 1 teaspoon sea salt and toss. The vinegar and salt will wilt and "pickle" the onions. Toss another time or two while you make the lentils.

Black lentils cooking in plenty of salted water

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the lentils and cook until tender (about 30 minutes, but test after 20 minutes). Drain lentils well in a fine mesh sieve and then place in a medium bowl. Let cool for 15 minutes and then add the olive oil, garlic and black pepper to taste. Stir to incorporate and let the mixture cool completely.

When ready to serve, add the herbs to the lentil mixture. Then pile the lentils on a serving platter, layering the onions, tomatoes and gorgonzola as you go. Drizzle remaining juices from the tomatoes on top.

Hint: Cook the lentils in salted water, as if you were making pasta. Salting the water salts the black lentils from within as they cook, creating wonderful flavor. Also, make sure there is plenty of water. This ensures a faster cooking time, and more importantly, your lentils remain separate beautiful gems and a not mushy, gummy mess.

Substitutions

Feel free to use any kind of blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese that you like. You can even substitute fresh goat cheese or feta crumbles for the blue cheese. Or possible substitutions include:

Green Lentils - If you don't have black lentils, green lentils, such as French puy lentils or Castelluccio lentils also hold their shape well and work well in this recipe.

Other Herbs - Use other fresh herbs based on what's available or what you love, particularly chervil, basil or tarragon.
Vegan - Use vegan crumbled blue cheese instead of the gorgonzola.

Storage

Store in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Most of the ingredients in this black lentil salad hold up well. Except for the herbs, which will wilt overnight. The black lentils will still taste terrific, but won't look quite as pretty.

These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Top tips

Do yourself a favor and make extra oven-dried tomatoes! The oven-dried tomatoes in this black lentils recipe are absolutely delicious on their own. You can also use them as a topping for green salads and as a condiment with simply roasted chicken or salmon.

FAQ

What are black lentils best for?

Black beluga lentils look like caviar and hold their shape well when cooked. This makes them ideal for salads and other side dishes. They have a rich earthy flavor that tastes similar to black beans. Black lentils don't work as well in lentil soups and dishes like Indian dals, because they don't break down to thicken liquids as well as red and yellow lentils do.

Are black lentils healthy?

Black lentils are considered the healthiest of the lentil varieties, because they are rich in an antioxidant called anthocyanin, which gives the little beans their beautiful black color. The Cleveland Clinic, points out that anthocyanin can help reduce the risk of many chronic healthy issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers. And if you're looking for a plant-based source of protein, black lentils are an excellent choice, with 26 grams of protein per half cup.

Do black lentils need to be soaked?

No! All lentils are fast cooking due to their small size and relatively large surface area. The fresher your lentils, the faster they will cook. If you have lentils that are beyond their “best by” date, you may notice that they take a bit longer to cook. In general, black lentils should be tender in a little less than a half hour.

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