People who meet me quickly find out that I am liberal, that I am a feminist, that I am from the Bay Area, and that I have a weird little collection of advanced degrees.

So they’re often quite surprised to find out, a bit down the line, that I’m also Catholic. I get it: I don’t fit the stereotype. But notwithstanding my issues with the Church’s leadership, and aside from whatever faith I do (or sometimes don’t) have, I find peace in the rhythms of the Church: in the pause before dinner to say grace, in the slowing on Sundays to reflect, in the celebrations of Christmas and Easter.

And now, in the season of Lent. Lent is the season to slow down, reflect, live simply, and help others. Part of this is refraining from eating meat on Fridays– and then perhaps donating the extra money to charity.

Enter this lentil salad. It doesn’t require many ingredients beyond what you’ll already have in your pantry, and those it does–lentils, carrots, celery, and onions–are easy on the wallet. Everything simmers in one pot. And there’s no meat in sight.

Though humble, this is deeply satisfying. The lentils are filling but not heavy, the veg add some extra texture, the nuts are fatty and rich, and the goat cheese adds a nice, tangy creaminess.

On the first night, I ate this with a big hunk of crusty baguette, and that was enough. Thereafter, I brought the leftovers to work for lunch. But outside of Lent, I’ve served this as part of a celebration dinner–with mustard-and-butter encrusted salmon, a green salad, and chocolate cakes for dessert.

Humble and simple don’t have to mean bland and boring. This salad is proof.

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Previously:
One year ago: Umami Bomb Mushroom Soup + How to Make Your Veg Taste Better
Two years ago: How to Reduce the Bite of Red Onions

And for my Australians:
Six months ago: Asian Chicken Salad with Snap Peas and Bok Choy
One and a half years ago: Ratatouille

Other ways with lentils:
Lentil, Roasted Tomato, and Gorgonzola Salad
Curried Lentil, Tomato, and Coconut Soup
Yogurt Soup with Lentils, Barley, and Mint
Slow Cooker Dal with Quick-Pickled Onions and Cilantro Yogurt Dollop

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French Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese

Adapted for quantity from David Lebovitz’s My Paris Kitchen
Serves 6 as a main or more as a side

Ingredients

Lentils
2 1/4 cups (405g) French green lentils (preferably lentils du Puy–see note following recipe)
2 bay leaves
7-10 sprigs of thyme
3 small carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
freshly ground black pepper
one big bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 cups (200g) walnuts or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
2 cups (260g) crumbled goat cheese

Dressing
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
scant 2/3 cup excellent olive oil (I know it’s irritating when people call for “good” this or that, but when a recipe is this simple, the ingredients do matter)
2 small shallots, peeled and minced

Instructions

Rinse the lentils and put them in a saucepan with plenty of lightly salted water, the bay leaves, and the thyme. Bring to a boil, then decrease heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the finely diced vegetables and cook for another 5 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Ideally, the lentils and veg finish cooking at the same time, but the most important thing is not to overcook the lentils: you want them to be tender, but not at all falling apart.

While the lentils are cooking, mix the vinegar, salt, dijon mustard, olive oil, and shallots to make the dressing. (I like to do this in a mason jar for easy storage.)

When the lentils are done, drain them and pick out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. In a large bowl, mix the still-warm lentils with about half of the dressing.

Now you have two options, depending on how much time you have:

If you have plenty of time, let the lentils cool to room temperature. Then mix in a few grinds of pepper plus the parsley, nuts, and cheese. Dish into deep plates, drizzle with a bit of additional dressing, and serve.

If you’re pressed for time, don’t wait for the lentils to cool. While still hot, mix through just the nuts and pepper. Plate the salads, top with goat cheese and parsley. Drizzle with a bit of additional dressing and serve. (This approach prevents the heat of the lentils from wilting the parsley and melting all the goat cheese.)

Notes

Buying lentils: Lentils du Puy are the king of all French lentils– their flavor is wonderful, and they hold their shape extraordinarily well when mixed into a salad. If you can’t find them, standard French green lentils will work. (Confused? Just look for the lentils that are dark greenish black and a bit spotted– picture here.) Do not, however, substitute with regular brown or green lentils– they will fall apart and become soupy while cooking.

Storing leftovers: Store leftover salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store leftover dressing in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. When you’re ready for your next meal, let the lentils come to room temperature (or defrost in the microwave), then drizzle with additional dressing. Packing lunch? Dish the lentils into a container and either (1) pour the dressing on top now or (2) bring it with you (for this, I like to use an empty spice jar– no leaks!). It’ll be at room temp by lunchtime.