Lentil, Rocket, and Pomegranate Salad

Name: Lentil, Rocket, and Pomegranate Salad
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Levantine
Ingredients: 2 cans canned cooked lentils; 4 cups rocket; 1 cup pomegranate seeds; 1/4 red onion; 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses; 2 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tsp sumac

Cooked lentils, rocket, pomegranate, and onion with a sumac-pomegranate dressing.

Vegan

Cooking time: 10 min
Hands-on time: 10 min
Difficulty: Easy
Cuisine: Levantine
Calories: 280

Canned lentils make this genuinely a ten-minute salad; rocket and pomegranate provide the bitterness and sweetness it needs.

Before you start

Before turning on the heatUse plain canned lentils and rinse gently so the lentils do not break.
The twenty-minute promiseThe clock runs from the first cut to serving. There is no hidden soak or marinade and no pre-cooked ingredient unless it is clearly labeled canned or ready to eat.

Ingredients

4people

Amounts follow the number of people

For the salad

2 cans canned cooked lentils — drained and rinsed
4 cups rocket — washed and dried
1 cup pomegranate seeds — fresh
1/4 red onion — thinly sliced
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses — for the dressing
2 tbsp lemon juice — fresh
2 tbsp olive oil — for the dressing
1 tsp sumac — for the onion

To double the recipe, use a wider pan or bowl and adjust salt, acid, and spices by tasting rather than arithmetic alone.

Equipment

Large mixing bowl — The wide bowl distributes the dressing without crushing the ingredients.
Sharp knife and chopping board — Set it out before starting so the recipe stays within its short cooking time.

Method

Drain the lentils, dry the rocket, and release the pomegranate seeds if needed.
3 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The ingredients are drained, dry, and ready to mix.
Tip: Clinging water dilutes dressing, so drying is part of the recipe.
Whisk pomegranate molasses, lemon, oil, and a pinch of salt.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The dressing is emulsified and tastes slightly stronger than it should on its own.
Tip: Taste the dressing on a leaf or bean from the salad, not only from the spoon.
Rub the onion with sumac and one spoonful of dressing until slightly softened.
1 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
Pieces are similar in size so each forkful holds more than one ingredient.
Tip: Keep leaves and herbs slightly larger than the beans or grains so they do not disappear.
Toss the lentils, rocket, and onion with most of the dressing.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
Every ingredient has a light coating and no dressing pools at the bottom.
Tip: Fold from the bottom of the bowl instead of pressing down on the ingredients.
Add the pomegranate seeds and remaining dressing and fold once more.
2 min
You’ll know it’s ready when
The salad is balanced, crisp, and ready to serve.
Tip: Add fragile ingredients last so they keep their shape.