I enjoy experimenting with Buddha bowl recipes because they are quick, easy, and versatile. There is no limit to the ingredients you can throw together all within 30 minutes or so.
This bowl uses two spices I have been looking forward to experimenting with. Za’atar and Sumac. This Middle Eastern bowl uses sumac for the vinaigrette and the base of the lentil salad. The za’atar for the roasted carrots. Once everything comes together, it is a vibrant, healthy, and flavorful combination that I am excited to share with you!
It wasn’t originally my plan to have this bowl be grain-free. With a bit of reading, I discovered lentils are a common staple of Middle Eastern cuisine. Then why not use lentils instead? They are a superfood, very friendly to the wallet, and contain high amounts of protein.
Foodie Fact: ounce for ounce, lentils have as much protein as a steak. Great for you plant-based food lovers!
Interestingly, the sumac berries that produce the spice, commonly used in cooking, come specifically from the Rhus Coriaria shrub. This shrub is native to southern Europe and western Asia regions. Once the sumac berries are harvested, dried, and ground, the spice has a dark red color. As a matter of fact, the name sumac comes from the Aramaic word Summaq, which means “deep red.”
Foodie Fact: Sumac berry comes from the same genus family as the cashew!
When I tasted sumac for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised. It possessed a very astringent and lemony flavor. That just solidified my desire to use sumac with the pickled red onions. It adds a splendid tang that anyone looks for in a pickled vegetable but also helps retain the vibrant red hue of the onions!
As an alternative to adding plain lentils as a boring base for the bowl, I wanted to make the lentils into a flavorful salad that would be more of the star of the dish instead of just a sideline. I add the vinaigrette to the lentil salad instead of just as a topping; that way, the lentils, the apricots, and the herbs all have time to soak up the vinaigrette while preparing the other sides.
Other than sumac, the vinaigrette combines other delicious and fragrant Middle Eastern spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and clove.
The salad has the addition of dried apricots. I always enjoy a touch of sweetness in my lentil salad, but they can sometimes be tough and chewy right out of the bag. While the lentils are cooking and cooling down, I will prepare the vinaigrette. I add the chopped apricots to the bowl with the vinaigrette. That way, by the time I add the rest of the ingredients, the apricots have had time to soften.
That’s just me, but I believe it works nicely, especially if you are planning to eat the salad right away.
A funny side note: I just made this recipe on a whim, but I highly doubted it would be “blog-worthy.” After putting all the components into my bowl, I mixed them together and took a few bites. I looked at Josh and said, “Holy shit, I didn’t think this recipe would be this good!” Therefore, it became “blog-worthy.” Now, I never doubt there could be a possibility that I’m just absolutely crazy, so if you make this dish, let me know. I’d love to know what you think.
Much appreciated!
Middle Eastern Lentil Bowl with Za’atar Roasted Carrots and Sumac Pickled Onions
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked French green lentils
- 3/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup mint, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped (recipe notes)
- Tomatoes, olives, chickpeas, for toppings (recipe notes)
Sumac Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Whole lemon, juiced
- 3 drops lemon essential oil*
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon sumac powder
- 1 teaspoon allspice powder
- 1 drop cinnamon essential oil* (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
- 1 drop cumin essential oil* (or 1 teaspoon cumin)
- 3 teaspoons maple syrup
- Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Sumac Pickled Onions
- 1 large red onion, cut into half-moon slices
- Half of lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 teaspoons sumac powder
- 5 drops lemon essential oil*
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Za'atar Roasted Carrots
- 1 pound carrots
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon za'atar seasoning
Herbed Yogurt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 1 teaspoon parsley, cilantro, or basil (recipe notes)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the sumac pickled onions. I do this at the beginning of the recipe so the onions have time to pickle. Put the sliced onions into a lidded container and add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sugar, olive oil, sumac, lemon essential oil, and salt. Put on the lid and give a good shake to combine. Put in the fridge until needed. (recipe notes)
- Preheat the over to 400 degrees F.
- While waiting for the oven to heat up, make the lentil salad. Combine the lentils, dried apricots, mint, parsley and sumac vinaigrette and toss togeter. Put aside and let the flavors soak into the lentils.
- Toss the avocado oil and za'atar with carrots and let roast for about 15 minutes.
- While the carrots cool, combine in a small bowl the yogurt, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to make the herbed yogurt.
- To serve, divide the lentil salad among bowls. Add the roasted za'atar carrots, olives, tomatoes, chickpeas, pickled onions, and herbed yogurt. (recipe notes)
Notes
- I like to make the sumac dressing immediately and then add the chopped apricots to the dressing so they have time to soften before adding them to the salad.
- I added a delicious chickpea salad I found at Whole Foods (as pictured) that tied in nicely. You can add plain or, for crunch, roasted chickpeas!
- Add any herbs you have on hand besides the mint for the herb yogurt. You could also add basil, cilantro, or oregano essential oil. Just be careful of the potency!
- For the sumac onions, I periodically shake the container while cooking to make sure they are evenly pickled.
