Brown Butter Sweet Potato Lentil Salad with Ricotta Salata
This warm salad offers an exciting combination of colors, flavors and textures. We toss golden, baked sweet potatoes and lentils with an unusual dressing of nutty, brown butter, lemon and honey. Then we layer on the flavor with quick homemade pickled onions, slices of avocado and thin wedges of IL Villaggio Ricotta Salata.
Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 6)

  • 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup lentils
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil salt and pepper
  • 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 Tbsp lemon
  • 2 tsp honey salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 4oz IL Villaggio Ricotta Salata
  • 2 avocados, pitted and sliced

Pickled onions

  • 1 small red onion, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

 

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a baking tray with foil and spread sweet potatoes evenly on tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place into the oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.

Meanwhile, prepare the lentils. Add the lentils and 3 cups of water to a medium pot with a lid. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and return to pot.

Prepare the dressing by adding the butter to a medium pan over medium-low heat. Cook butter, stirring often until the butter begins to turn golden brown, about 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the butter. Turn off heat and stir in lemon and honey. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the lentils and add cooked sweet potatoes. Stir in parsley, check again to season with salt and pepper, as desired. Transfer to a serving platter and top with sliced IL Villaggio Ricotta Salata, avocado, and pickled onions.

For the pickled onions place the onions into a 1-pint mason jar or similar heat-safe vessel. In a small saucepan, combine the water, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then carefully pour the mixture into the jar over the onions.

Let the pickled onions cool to room temperature.