Warm Lentil Harvest Salad with Roasted Vegetables

This warm lentil harvest salad with roasted vegetables is an absolute delight for the cooler seasons.

Roasted sweet potato, brussels sprouts, red onion and warm lentils are topped with the most divine Maple Mustard Tahini Dressing.

This hearty salad is a savory dinner made with minimal effort that’s sure to become a new favourite, especially since the whole thing is made in one pan.

Having a few really good sheet pan meals like this One Pan Roasted Chicken with Chickpeas and Tomatoes and Sheet Pan Spring Salmon with Potatoes & Asparagus in your back pocket for busy weeknights is a must. And, this lentil harvest salad is a new recipe you need to add to your list!

The combination of just crisp lentils with roasted sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and red onion tossed with a maple mustard tahini dressing is a bite not to be missed.  By adding chopped dates and crunchy pumpkin seeds you get a comforting and cozy meal with a ton of textures and flavours, an absolutely delicious salad!

If you’ve never had a sheet pan warm salad before, this is the one to try!

Why you’ll love this warm lentil salad

• Fiber-rich lentils add a boost of protein to this salad too, giving each serving 20g of protein!
• This warm salad is versatile and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways – right out of the oven, room temperature or cold.
• Everything is roasted on one sheet pan making for a simple dinner and easy cleanup.
• Packed with vegetables like sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts that provide a variety of nutrients and are packed with fiber too.
• There’s no need to cook the lentils beforehand – just use canned cooked lentils.

Ingredients needed to make this harvest salad with roasted vegetables

Sweet potatoes: sweet potatoes are full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber and are so good when roasted! In a pinch, you could use chopped butternut squash insteaad

Brussels sprouts: make sure to cut the stems / bottoms off first before halving or quartering the brussels sprouts; I like to quarter the brussels sprouts if they are on the larger side

Red onion: red onions go really well with the other fall flavours and become tender once roasted

Lentils: use canned lentils that have been drained and rinsed as these will roast quickly along with the other vegetables; I do not recommend using dried lentils but if that’s all you have, make sure to cook (boil) them first and drain them before making this recipe

Olive oil: olive oil is a must to add to the vegetables and lentils before roasting

Fresh rosemary: rosemary is one of my favourite herbs to use in the Fall and Winter; it adds a warming flavours to this sheet pan warm lentil salad. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, you can substitute with 1 tsp dried rosemary.

Maple syrup: maple syrup is a key ingredient in the dressing for this lentil and roasted vegetable salad

Mustard: mustard is the second key ingredient in the maple mustard tahini dressing; my favourite mustard to use is Smak Dab White Wine & Herb but you can also use dijon mustard

Tahini: creamy, nutty tahini brings the entire creamy dressing together

Dates: chop up medjool dates to add an extra flavour element to this salad and balance out the roasted vegetable flavours; they’re also packed with antioxidants!

Pumpkin seeds: pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas add the most delicious crunch to this warm lentil salad

How to make this warm lentil salad

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2: Make the dressing: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the tahini, mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice, pressed garlic clove, kosher salt and black pepper. Once combined, add 3 tbsp cold water and whisk until it becomes a creamy, smooth dressing. If desired, add an additional 1 tbsp cold water and whisk again.

Step 3: In a large bowl combine lentils, the chopped sweet potatoes, halved or quartered brussels sprouts and chopped red onion. Add olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh minced rosemary. Toss everything together in the bowl and make sure everything is well-coated.

Step 4: Add the lentil mixture from the large bowl onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet and spread out into an even layer.

Step 5: Roast for 20 minutes, tossing everything on the pan at the 20 minute mark. Put back in the oven and roast for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven.

Step 6:  Serve the salad in a large serving bowl or on a serving platter and add the chopped dates and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle the dressing over, toss and then enjoy! Alternatively, you can add the chopped dates and pumpkin seeds directly to the sheet pan, drizzle with the dressing and serve right from the sheet pan onto plate.

Expert tips

• Make sure you use as large a sheet pan as possible so everything roasts thoroughly. I use a sheet pan that is 21 inches by 15 inches
• If you don’t have sweet potatoes, you can swap for butternut squash or even carrots.
• Broccoli can be swapped in for brussels sprouts if thats more of your preference.
• Make this warm lentil salad go even further by serving with peppery arugula.
• You can also top this salad with your favourite protein or serve with a protein like roast chicken.
• Red onions can be swapped for chopped shallots if you desire or if that’s all you have on hand.
• If you don’t have fresh rosemary on hand, swap for 1 tsp dried rosemary.

Common questions

What if I don’t have a large sheet pan?
If you don’t have a sheet pan where you can spread out all of the vegetables and lentils in one layer, try using two smaller sheet pans to provide more space for all of the ingredients.

What are the best lentils to use for this lentil salad recipe?
You can use any type of canned lentil – most common in grocery stores are brown lentils or green lentils. I do not recommend using dry lentils in this recipe unless you are going to cook them first and then add them to the sheet pan.

Can I meal prep this salad?
Yes, you sure can! To meal prep this sald, bake this warm lentil salad ahead of time, let the salad fully cool and then portion into airtight containers. It will last about 3 days in the fridge.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. It’s delicious cold out of the fridge or take out of the fridge a bit before you’re ready to enjoy to bring to room temperature.

More salad recipes to enjoy from the blog

Winter Citrus Chopped Salad

Easy Thai Inspired Noodle Salad with Peanut Sauce

Fall Harvest Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing