This black lentil salad is a hearty dish that brings together the earthy flavor of black lentils with fresh as well as roasted purple vegetables, purple basil, and a flavorful dressing!
About this black magic beluga lentil salad
Beluga lentils have a naturally dark, glossy appearance that makes the salad visually appealing. They also hold their shape after cooking, adding a firm, pleasant bite. With its lovely color and with crunchy purple veggies and a flavor packed dressing, this salad is great to serve on Halloween! A few purple corn tortilla chips with this salad is the perfect appetizer you are looking to serve this Halloween.
Black lentils are a good source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber, making this salad a filling option for lunch or dinner. Black lentils make a hearty base for a vegetarian or vegan meal without the need for meat or dairy.
You can customize this by adjusting the dressing to make the salad more tangy, spicy, or citrusy or add any fresh veggies. You could add roasted purple cauliflower or purple sweet potatoes to the recipe. Add cotija cheese instead of feta. Alternatively add dill havarti cubes or your favorite cheese.
A huge variety of veggies are added to this salad and this enhances the nutritional profile of this salad. Grapes add color and sweetness. When you think of the sweet flavors with the beet and grape bite, the ginger comes into play with its sharp spicy flavor followed by the kalamata olives with a tang. It is like a medley of flavors in layers. It is SO satisfying!
You can make this easily for a weeknight dinner too. While the veggies are roasting in the oven, set the lentils to cook and malke the vinaigrette. Then all you need to do is assemble the salad and serve.
That dressing....
The earthy lentils pair well with fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and a sweet, spicy, tangy dressing, creating a balance of flavors and textures in every bite. The dressing is simply amazing! The purple basil flower vinegar adds a beautiful color to the dressing and the salad! It is rich in aroma and flavor. Every summer, I make use the flowers from the purple basil and make this vinegar. Your simple salad becomes a special one with this vinegar!
This salad also has tons of basil! Purple basil! It adds color to the salad and lovely basil flavor in every bite.
Ingredients
To make this delicious black magic beluga lentil salad, you will need the following ingredients:
Beluga lentils - These are black colored lentils. Since they retain their shape well after cooking, these lentils are great for salads. They add healthy proteins and fiber.
Purple veggies - purple potatoes, purple cabbage, purple bell pepper, beet, eggplant, onions - they provide plenty of fiber and nutrition to this salad. Roasted potatoes, beet, and eggplant are softer while the cabbage, onion, and bell pepper provide the crunchy texture and flavors.
Cucumber and tomatoes - Adds crunchiness and a pop of color to the salad.
Kalamata olives - They add a huge punch of flavor! That flavor explosion is beyond everything. I would recommend not to miss this. However, if you do not have this add black olives. Or add a mixture of both the type of olives for maximum flavor.
Feta - Adds a ton of flavor to the lentil salad. Alternatively, you can use cotija or dill havarti cubes.
Salt - gives flavor
Purple basil flower vinegar - This adds aroma and purple color to the vinaigrette. If you do not have this, use red wine vinegar instead.
Purple basil - the purple basil leaves complement the color profile while enhancing the aroma and flavor. Instead, use regular basil if you do not have this basil.
Black sesame seed and powder - the seed adds nutty flavor and texture to the salad while the powder adds extra flavor to the vinaigrette. Black sesame seed is rich in protein, calcium, and iron.
Lemon juice - adds a citrussy flavor and brightens up the dressing
Maple syrup - sweetens the vinaigrette. You can swap this with honey too.
Ginger and garlic - these are flavor bombs in this salad. Ginger adds a crunch and sharp spicy flavor. Do not skip these two.
Black pepper powder and chili flakes - spices up the salad. You can adjust this as per your heat tolerance.
Serving Suggestions
I prefer to serve it as a light main course and on weeknights, this is a great dinner. You can also serve this black magic beluga lentil salad as a side dish with roasted vegetables, or part of a larger meal when entertaining more guests.
Have you tried this salad with a few purple corn tortilla chips? This could become your next game day dish.
You can also make this salad ahead. The lentil soaks up the flavors. Add the veggies just before serving to maintain the crunchy flavors.
This recipe serves two to three people easily as lunch or dinner. When you serve this as a side, this is great for eight servings. Double the recipe if you are feeding more number of people.
Storage
I recommend storing any leftovers in the refrigerator. The leftovers make a great lunch for the next day with lentils soaking up all the dressing.
More Lentil Recipes
Black Rice Beluga Lentil Pongal
Menestra de Lentejas/Ecuadorian Lentil Stew
Instant Pot Vegan Bottle Gourd and Masoor dhal Curry
#Halloweentreatsweek 2026 Monday Recipes
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!
Welcome to 2026's #HalloweenTreatsWeek event!
This is our 9th year doing #HalloweenTreatsWeek ... has it really been 9 years? Wow!
#HalloweenTreatsWeek is a Halloween blogging event that is hosted by Angie from Big Bear's Wife every October. This event is an online, week-long event that is filled with some amazingly wicked Halloween treats and recipes from some fantastic Halloween-loving bloggers!
Make sure to check out all of the fun Halloween recipes that we're sharing this week!
Today's Recipes:
- Graveyard Boo-Nana Pudding Cups from Big Bear's Wife
- Chocolate Eyeball Cookies from Shoppin' Buggy Recipes
- Mini Melting Witch Cookie Cakes from Southern Halloween Queen
- Empress Gin & Tonic from Art of Natural Living
- Graveyard Brownies from Jen Around the World
- Skull Raspberry Crumble Bars from The Spiffy Cookie
- Pumpkin Patch Brownies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Werewolf Sliders from Karen's Kitchen Stories
More Halloween Recipes
Cranberry/Vampire Blood Pani Puri
Black Magic Beluga Lentil Salad
Ingredients
Purple Basil Flower Vinaigrette
- 4 tbsp Olive oil
- 4 tbsp Purple basil flower vinegar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Black sesame seed powder
- 1 tbsp Garlic Finely minced
- 1 tbsp Ginger finely minved
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper powder
- 1 tsp Chili flakes optional
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup/honey
For the salad
- ½ cup Beluga lentils
- ⅓ cup Purple bell pepper chopped
- ½ cup Purple cabbage finely chopped
- ⅓ cup Onion finely cho[[ed
- 10-12 Kalamata olives sliced
- 10 Black grapes chopped
- ⅔ cup Purple potatoes cubed
- ½ cup Beet cubed
- ½ cup Eggplant cubed
- ½ cup Purple basil leaves chopped
- ⅓ cup Feta
- ½ cup Cucumber
- ½ cup Tomatoes
- 1 tbsp Sesame seed toasted
- 1 tbsp oil
- Water to cook lentils
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Add the purple potatoes, eggplant, and beets in a single layer onto a lined baking sheet. Drizzle a little olive oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Roast for 22-25 minutes, until tender. Remove and let it cool.
- In the meantime, cook the beluga lentils in about two and a half cups water over a medium flame for about 25 minutes just until tender and not mushy. Remove from the flame, drain, and set aside.
- While the lentil coks, make the vinaigrette by adding all the listed under "for the purple basil flower vinaigrette". Whisk thoroughly.
- Add all the veggies and lentils to a bowl. Drizzle the vinaigrette and mix well.
- Transfer to a serving plate and serve as such or with bread or with chips.
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