Sheet pan roasted vegetables with lemony lentils
Zucchini, peppers, red onion and cherry tomatoes roasted until caramelized and tossed with lentils in a bright lemon-Dijon dressing, a colorful dinner that keeps for days.
- 45 min total
- 20 min hands-on
- Follow-a-recipe easy
- Serves 4
- About $2.48 a serving
- 360 calories
- Good the next day
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 4 servings.
- 1 cup lentils, brown or green, rinsed
- 2 zucchini, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 1 package cherry tomatoes
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
From your pantry
- 3 cups water
- 1½ tsp salt, divided
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- 1½ tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 360 calories, 15 g protein, 45 g carbs and 15 g fat, and costs about $2.48 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No zucchini? Yellow squash works.
- No red bell peppers? Yellow bell peppers work.
- No red onions? White onions or yellow onions work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
- No feta cheese? Goat cheese works.
- No fresh parsley? Cilantro works.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the oven to 425°F.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
the zucchini, pepper, onion and tomatoes on a with 2 tablespoons of the oil, the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and 1 teaspoon salt, and spread them out.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Sheet pan. A sheet pan is a flat metal baking tray with a low rim all the way around. The rim catches juices, and the wide surface lets food spread out and brown.
How you’ll know: Everything fits in one layer with a little space between the pieces.
Dolly’s tip: Room between the pieces is what makes them brown. Use two pans if they’re crowded.25 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway, until soft and at the edges.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Brown. Browning means cooking until the outside turns brown, which is where a lot of savory flavor comes from. Give food room and time without stirring, or it steams and stays gray.
How you’ll know: The food looks brown rather than gray, and the kitchen smells toasty and savory.
Timer: 27 min
Meanwhile, put the lentils and water in a and over high heat.
Saucepan. A saucepan is a pot with tall, straight sides and one long handle. It’s for things that need depth, like rice, sauces or a few boiled eggs.
How you’ll know: The food fills it about halfway, leaving room to bubble without spilling over.
Bring to a boil. It means heating a liquid on high until it’s fully boiling before you move on. A lid on the pot gets it there faster, which makes it a good moment to chop something.
How you’ll know: Big bubbles break all over the surface, and they keep coming when you lift the lid.
High heat
20 to 25 minutes, until tender but not mushy. .
Simmer. Simmering means keeping a liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles rising gently. It cooks food evenly and lets a sauce thicken without scorching on the bottom.
How you’ll know: Small, lazy bubbles break the surface every second or so, and nothing is churning.
Drain. Draining means pouring off liquid, like tipping pasta into a colander or spooning extra fat out of the pan. Pour hot grease into a can or jar, not the sink, where it hardens and clogs the pipes.
How you’ll know: Only a few drips are left, and the food isn’t sitting in a puddle.
Medium heatTimer: 22 min
the lemon zest and juice, mustard, pepper, the rest of the oil and ½ teaspoon salt in a big bowl.
Whisk. Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.
How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.
the warm lentils in the dressing, then add the vegetables and toss gently.
Toss. Tossing means gently lifting and turning food so everything gets coated, like pasta in sauce or vegetables in oil. It coats every piece evenly without mashing anything.
How you’ll know: Every piece looks glossy or evenly coated, with no dry spots hiding underneath.
Roast. Roasting means cooking in a hot oven, around 400°F to 450°F, usually spread out on a sheet pan. The dry heat browns the outside and brings out sweetness, especially in vegetables.
How you’ll know: The edges are browned and a little crisp, and a fork slides easily into the thickest piece.
Top with feta and parsley and serve warm or at .
Room temperature. It means letting something sit out until it’s no longer fridge-cold, about 30 to 60 minutes for butter or eggs. It helps things blend smoothly, but never leave raw meat out over 2 hours.
How you’ll know: It feels cool, not cold, and butter dents easily when you press it.
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
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