Warm Lentils with beets, wilted chard (or beet greens), goat cheese and fresh herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal using fresh farmer’s market ingredients! 

Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! #halfcuphabit #justaddpulses | www.feastingathome.com

One of the first things to appear at our farmers market this spring was the beautiful rainbow chard. I love all the colorful stems and its tangy flavor.  Here it’s paired with warm lentils, roasted beets and a little goat cheese,  becoming a tasty nutritious supper.

Chard does wonders to somber lentils, brightening them up,  and bringing out the best in them. It’s a good marriage. Plus, I really love the feeling of using up all the pulses sitting my pantry, and pairing them with something fresh and seasonal. A good balance. Economical too.

To start, roast the beets and cook the lentils. They will both take about 30 minutes. If in a pinch, many grocery stores these days offer beets that are already roasted and lentils that are already cooked.

Saute onion and garlic, then add a mound of chard. About 4 cups packed. Gently wilt. You could also chop up your beet greens and wilt them instead of the chard.

Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! | www.feastingathome.com

Add 2 cups of cooked lentils.

Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! | www.feastingathome.com

Add the roasted beets and season with salt, pepper and just a little balsamic.

Sprinkle with goat cheese and gently fold it in so becomes warm and creamy.

Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! | www.feastingathome.com  Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! | www.feastingathome.com

Toss in fresh basil, thyme or Italian parsley.

Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! | www.feastingathome.com

Divide among two bowls and enjoy.

Warm Lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. A simple tasty vegetarian meal! | www.feastingathome.com

I hope you enjoy this simple hearty meal of Warm Lentils, Beets and wilted chard! Tasty, filling, healthy and delicious too.

xoxo

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Warm Lentils with chard, roasted beets, goat cheese and spring herbs. | www.feastingathome.com

Warm Lentils with Wilted Chard, Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 31 reviews

Description

A simple tasty vegetarian meal- Warm lentils with wilted chard, roasted beets and goat cheese- satisfying, filling and delicious!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 34 beets ( enough for 2 people)
  • 2 cups cooked lentils
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 a red onion- diced
  • 3 garlic cloves- rough chopped
  • 4 cups (packed) swiss chard or rainbow chard- chopped (or sub beet greens, baby spinach)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, more to taste
  • 1/4 cup goat cheese crumbles
  • 23 tablespoons fresh basil, or Italian parsley.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 F.  Scrub and trim beets and cut into ½ inch slices or wedges. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and roast until tender, about 25- 30 minutes.

If cooking lentils, place ¾ cup dried lentils in a small pot and cover with 3 inches of water and a pinch salt. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat down to a simmer, cook about 25-30 minutes or until tender but still hold their shape. Drain.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add diced onion and saute 3-4 minutes. Turn heat  down to medium, add garlic and cook 2 more minutes, until golden and fragrant.

Lower heat to medium low. Add chard and gently wilt, just slightly, about 2-3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 2 cups cooked lentils to the skillet, gently folding them in and warming. Season again with salt and pepper.

Add beets and splash with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar.  Let vinegar cook down for just a couple of minutes so it’s not so acidic. Taste, add more vinegar if you like, cooking it down. Sprinkle with goat cheese and herbs. Taste again, if it tastes bland it most likely needs salt. Serve immediately.


Notes

Makes 2 extra hearty portions.

2 cups cooked lentils is about ¾ cup dry.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 487
  • Sugar: 22.3 g
  • Sodium: 322.8 mg
  • Fat: 14.8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 70 g
  • Fiber: 23.3 g
  • Protein: 23.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Comments

  1. I really missed the boat on this. I like all of these ingredients individually, but it did not come together for me. Based on all the positive reviews I may attempt it again.






  2. I am utterly astonished by how delicious this is. We’ve been trying to find a way to work lentils into our diet more, though my wife and I both hate the texture, so we’ve been trying out new recipes every couple weeks to try to find the right one. This one looked okay, but I am blown away by the final result. I’d say is that we were only able to eat a quarter serving each and that was still what I would call overly generous. I don’t know how I could have possibly eaten double. Also, I used French lentils and only simmered them for 18 minutes. It was so much better than any lentil I’ve ever had–instead of being mushy, they were just right (once rewarmed and having soaked up a bit of the balsamic flavour). I also sauteed the onion and garlic with water instead of oil to save on calories. Every bite was more complex than the last, such a lovely medley of flavours and very filling. We’ll be making this again and again.






  3. Big hit during supper this evening! Thank you for this, will be a repeat dish in our house for sure!!
    Have a lot of Swiss Chard in our garden!!






  4. Wow! This is my first ever comment on a recipe online, so that shows you how excellent this is! So much flavor without needing much seasoning. I was really impressed with how it all came together. Definitely bringing this one out to impress guests (when we can host again!)






  5. Was not expecting this to taste as good as it did! I made with spinach instead of the chard. It was so flavorful and the fresh roasted beets were delicious. Will definitely be making this again.






  6. Hi there, is it possible to use yellow split pea “lentils”? That’s currently all i have in my pantry and I need to use them up!

    1. You could give them a try- understanding that they could get pretty mushy and not hold their shape- without that outer shell. Flavor would be fine, texture, iffy. 😉

  7. I have been looking for ways to use the Chard growing plentifully in my garden. Thanks for such a delicious option.
    I really appreciate all you wonderful recipes.

  8. I loved this recipe. I’m a roasted beet lover so this recipe really did it for me! Thx so much, I will enjoy this often!
    Paddy Mogan






  9. I have been trying to cook with what I have in the fridge, pantry and garden. This recipe helped me clean up some random small bits of food like the last bit of fresh goat cheese, the last of my spinach and chard for the season and some beets in the freezer. I caramelized the onions, added a bit of rosemary&garlic seasoned salt and the best part was a bit of 18 year prime aged balsamic vinegar, which I did not cook, just added at the end as dressing. The flavors don’t hit you in the face but they really meld well for a balanced mildly flavored but NOT bland dish. My husband liked it too!






  10. I have to admit to being a bit hesitant to try this, thinking it was just the usual vegetarian ‘hearty’ dinner suggestion which just turns out to be a lunch! However, this was really excellent. I sautéed the beetroot stems with the onions (no point wasting the nutrients in the stalks) and added fresh chilli. We topped with parsley and the beetroot leaves. We also used spinach which was fine.

    This was really a great combination and was surprisingly filling, so thanks for sharing.






  11. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but it sounded so interesting and the goat cheese reassured me lol. It was so good!! Such great flavors and it was so satisfying.






  12. Dear Mam,
    Hello. I live in India and think your recipes are the best during lockdown. I am from Canada and have been living here for a few years now. Thanks.






  13. Perfectly satisfying and awesome refueling recipe for ultra-distance athletes! Substituted rainbow chard, used salt-free seasoning, and pecorino sardano. Provides multiple servings and perfect for leftovers. Will put this into regular rotation in hard training season and off-season.






  14. Love this recipe!
    I’ve made it 3 times now. If I can’t find chard, baby kale or spinach is still a good substitute. My first recipe with beets and now I love them.






  15. Just made this recipe and boy am I in love! Definitely use all the recommended spices, onion, garlic and lentils. I used feta along with my garden beets and chard leaves and this was fabulous. My son and hubby were on the fence. I think it depends on the person. I am not sure how some can say this was bland unless they omitted items from recipe. I give this two thumbs up and a bendy – my highest praise.

  16. I absolutely love your recipe! I am writing vegetarian recipe round ups on my blog in 2018 (to encourage people to try meatless monday- everyone has to start somewhere) and would love to feature you. You can check out my blog (for beginner environmentalists) at sunshineguerrilla.com. Is it alright if I share this link to your recipe?

  17. thank you for this recipe.
    the warm lentils, chard and beets have become a welcome rotation for meatless mondays ( and even if it isn’t monday )!

  18. I really wanted to like this recipe. While the pictures are stunning, the meal itself was very bland.

    1. Hi Hailey- I’m so sorry you found it bland. I’m wondering if you added enough salt? Sometimes this simple thing makes all the difference. I also added goat cheese to mine….just out of curiosity, did you leave it out? I know it’s optional…just trying to get to the bottom of this, because I personally hate bland food too. 🙂

  19. Gorgeous recipe! Where did you get those serving bowls?
    Am in search of something that can also be used in the microwave for oatmeal.






  20. Hi Sylvia,
    I’m a new follower of your blog, and I have to say that this lentil, beet, and chard dish looks so inviting. It’s colorful and nutritious and your photos are outstanding. I’ve got all the ingredients, so i’ll be giving this a try. Thanks

  21. Hi Sylvia,
    This looks GORGEOUS!!
    Thank-You for sharing!!
    Quick Question – What lentils did you use for this recipe!?

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