Warm and inviting, this Sweet Potato Lentil Salad with cabbage and spinach and a bright zippy lemon ginger mustard dressing is just what you need after the holidays. It’s SUCH an incredible salad! A feast for both the eyes and the taste buds. One bite and I couldn’t stop munching … The creamy lentils, tender sweet potato, caramelized onions, crunch-ewy cabbage and soft spinach all play so nicely together. And the dressing ties it all together so perfectly. Toasted almonds on top provide that yummy crunch factor.
It’s a colorful, delicious salad to brighten up the doldrums of winter. I don’t exactly recall how I found it. But from the moment I laid my eyes on this Sweet Potato Noodle Salad from Downshiftology, I couldn’t WAIT to make it! I adore lentils and have used them in many a salad.
Also, did you know that lentils are traditional New Year’s Day food?
Eating lentils is a tradition that dates to ancient Roman times. To mark the New Year and to wish friends and neighbors prosperity, the ancient Romans would gift a scarsella, a leather purse full of lentils, with the wish that they would turn into gold coins.”
~ Easy Milano
Italians still eat lentils for New Year’s today as they symbolize abundance. They are thought to bring wealth and good luck. It’s said that the more you eat after the stroke of midnight, the more luck and prosperity will come to you in the new year.
This Sweet Potato Lentil Salad is Rich in Health Benefits
Nutritionally, this salad is certainly abundant in protein vitamins, minerals and fiber – all the things your body needs after a season full of rich holiday eating. It is a superb way to start the new year. Even if you didn’t stay up until midnight to eat it.
- Lentils provide protein and fiber along with protective phenols, which aid in heart health, along with folate, potassium, iron and vitamin B1
- Sweet potatoes aid in digestion and weight loss, help fight imflammation and chronic diseases. Plus they also help reduce blood sugar spikes and lower blood pressure. Sweet potatoes contain many key vitamins and minerals as well
- Cabbage (especially red cabbage) is loaded with vitamin C and fiber as well as anthocyanins which help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure.
Of course, the spinach and onions add even more nutrients for your body!
Whether you’re making this for New Year’s or some other occasion, I think you’re going to love it. It’s hearty, vibrant and warm. The flavors and colors just pull you in.
Recipe adapted from Downshiftology. I used pre-cooked lentils that I found in my freezer. Honestly, I don’t recall exactly how I cooked them, but most likely there were onions, garlic and a flavorful broth involved.
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Warm Sweet Potato Lentil Salad for the New Year
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup cooked green or brown lentils (about 1/2 cup uncooked) – cook in chicken or veggie broth for extra flavor!
- 1 – 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium vidalia (or other sweet onion), sliced thin
- 11 oz. sweet potato, spiralized or cut into “shards”
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
- 2 cups red cabbage, sliced thin
- 3 cups (packed) baby spinach or kale leaves
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley leaves
- bacon salt (or regular salt), to taste
For the dressing:
- 2 Tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon spicy brown or dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- A pinch of salt
For the top: toasted, sliced almonds or pine nuts, extra cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- Cook the lentils just until tender and season them to your liking.
- While lentils are cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent, then add the sweet potato and garlic. Cover and continue cooking for several more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potatoes start to soften.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooking, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Add the cabbage to the pan and saute until tender, then stir in the lentils and spinach just until wilted. Remove from heat and add half the dressing. Taste and add more as needed to your liking.
Notes
RECIPE SOURCE: Sumptuous Spoonfuls – https://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/ … © Copyright 2023, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.
