Roasted Cauliflower and Lentil Salad

By Hetty Lui McKinnon

Updated April 28, 2026

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
45 min
Rating
5(171)
Comments
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This recipe is a great example of how to create a salad that feels like a main meal, as it builds layers of flavor and textural contrast via each element of the dish. Cauliflower and onions are liberally dusted with spices before roasting, capitalizing on the opportunity to inject warmth and complexity. (Remember this for future vegetable roasting!) The lentils are cooked with a garlic clove, which gently flavors them while they soften, gradually melting away into the legumes. Spinach adds freshness and crispness, but you could also substitute with peppery arugula or robust kale, tweaking to suit your taste. Tart and velvety Greek yogurt ties everything together, but adding some olive oil to it yields a creamy whipped texture and a richer flavor. This big and bold salad also keeps well for meal prepping and midweek lunches. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 large red or yellow onion, halved and sliced 

  • 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets

  • 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 cup green or brown lentils

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

  • 2 cups baby spinach (2 ounces)

  • Handful of fresh cilantro or mint leaves 

  • ½ cup sliced or slivered toasted almonds (2 ounces)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

  2. Step 2

    Place the onion and cauliflower onto a large sheet pan. Drizzle with 4 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with the cumin, coriander and smoked paprika; season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and arrange into a single layer on the sheet pan. Roast, tossing once halfway through cooking, until the cauliflower is tender and the onions are caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile, cook the lentils: Add the lentils and garlic to a large pot and cover with about 6 cups water. Salt the water generously and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered,  until the lentils are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the lentils and give them a quick toss in the colander to encourage the garlic to break apart. (It will be hot, so you can also use the back of the spoon to mash the garlic clove.) 

  4. Step 4

    In a large bowl that’s big enough to fit the whole salad, add the yogurt, along with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil plus a pinch of salt. Stir well to loosen it up. Add the cauliflower, lentils, spinach and herbs and toss to coat. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. 

  5. Step 5

    Top with almonds and serve warm or at room temperature. This salad keeps well, stored in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 3 days. 

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Ratings

5 out of 5
171 user ratings
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Comments

CK Johnson

This came together quickly and well! I added some cayenne to the spice mix and would at least double the smoked paprika next time. I doubled the roasting time for the cauliflower and to my taste it could have roasted even longer. Lastly, I juiced half a lemon into the yogurt mixture to lighten the dressing and add citrus flavor. Very nice dinner salad with arugula!

Vito

Really loved this! Added chickpeas to the sheet pan with the cauliflower, and on another sheet pan, put shredded super firm tofu with the same spice mix for protein. Ended up putting the oven on broil for a few minutes at the end. Put the juice of one lemon in the yogurt sauce. With the mint, everything really pops. Tastes elevated and is very healthy for a nice Sunday meal!

David S.

I make roasted vegetables like this at least twice a week, and this is a great way to incorporate them into a dish that also has good proteins like lentils and yogurt. My only suggestion is that a dish like this cries out for harissa--not just a bit of heat (though mild harissa will do) but to complement some of the flavors here. Roasted vegetables are great cold or hot!

Judy

Made this yesterday and it was delicious. Of course I had a few changes: I used 16 oz of Trader Joe's ready-cooked lentils, and I subbed Trader Joe's vegan plain yogurt for dairy. Also used dried parsley instead of coriander. I used way more baby spinach - 4 oz, and 2 handfuls of arugula, along with about a cup of sliced baby cucumbers. Really good and the dressing was more than enough for aditional ingredients.

Kate

This was quick and easy to prepare and turned out delicious. I did add some mushrooms to the cauliflower as they needed to be used. And added harissa as someone suggested. Added a fried egg on top also.

Kathie Sherman

I used the entire 5oz. package of spinach and could have used more. Next time I’ll only make half as much dressing and add lemon juice. Don’t forget the salt!

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