Viktoria's Table

With a pinch of salt, and a handful of love

Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions

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Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions, topped with crunchy pine nuts and briny capers – it’s a symphony of textures and fall flavors, and a fantastic meal in itself, this salad doubles up as the perfect potluck dish, or Thanksgiving side.

Mushroom salad with caramelized onions, black lentils and capers | www.viktoriastable.com

Last weekend, we packed our bags, and headed for a 4 hour drive up north, to the Mendocino coast, to attend the annual mushroom and wine festival.  I’ve read about it so many times in prior years and always wanted to go.  I finally saw an ad about a guided wild mushroom foraging tour, and I was sold on the spot.

I booked the tour a couple of months in advance, and that became the pivotal point in our trip.  I had notions of finding all kinds of beautiful and unusual mushrooms that I’d only seen in pictures, and picking bags full of delicious wild mushrooms that I could later cook into various dishes.  I imagined that I’d sample interesting mushroom specialties at the local restaurants, and buy unique mushroom gifts.  As time approached, the kids got pretty excited too, inspired by my whimsical descriptions.  We couldn’t wait!

Wild mushroom foraging in Mendocino coast, California | www.viktoriastable.com

poisonous mushrooms

I guess I should have done more research, and leave my enthusiasm aside.  As it turns out we’ve picked the worst possible year for mushroom foraging.  Of course it makes sense – after four consecutive years of severe drought in California, even the coast, where it’s always foggy and misty, is dried up so well, that mushrooms are nowhere to be seen!  Even as our guide explains it’s a very bad year, and they haven’t found much, I still think she must be exaggerating a bit and continue to hope for the best.

Wild mushroom foraging in Mendocino coast, California | www.viktoriastable.com

false turkey tail, and chanterelle mushrooms

Oh well, let’s just say, it was a nice walk in the woods 🙂  We didn’t see many mushrooms, and most of what we saw were tiny, poisonous ones.  We learned that the Mendocino coast is really the place to go in good years, as it harbors over 3000 different fungus species, the most famous of all being the Candy Cap mushroom.  This little mushroom is highly prized for its intense maple syrup-py  scent, and it’s also very rare. In fact you can only find it in the Pacific North West, and only about 400 pounds are harvested annually.   It’s mostly used for its aroma, and not so much for its taste, and we were later lucky to sample this local delicacy, turned into ice cream at Frankies, in Mendocino. It was really delicious, and tasted and smelled exactly like maple syrup! I only wished I could find dry candy caps to bring home and try maybe a candy cap flan, or creme brulee (mmm)…

Candy Cap Mushroom Ice Cream, Frankies, Mendocino | www.viktoriastable.com

Candy cap mushroom ice cream at Frankies, Mendocino

The lack of mushrooms (not just in the forest but interestingly in the local restaurants too) only left me craving mushrooms even more than before. So when we came back home, I went to the store to buy whatever mushroom variety they had (wild or not). I could find some good looking oyster mushrooms that I combined with regular brown ones, and the first thing I made was this mushroom salad.

Mushrooms and black lentils | www.viktoriastable.com
I combined the mushrooms with caramelized onions which is a classic combination, and added black lentils for some substance. The black lentils tiny pearls remain small and whole after cooking, and retain their bite, which is exactly what I need for this salad. They are also very pretty in this dish.

Mushrooms and black lentils | www.viktoriastable.com

I mixed in a good amount of pine nuts and capers, and the salad turned out fantastic. The mild buttery taste of the pine nuts, combines really well with the earthy aroma of the mushrooms, and the briny, salty capers provide bursts of acidity, just enough to make the flavors pop.  You can serve over a bed of arugula or other greens, or just eat it as is.  I’ve even packed the salad as a school lunch! It has the kids approval stamp, so that alone makes it a keeper in my book!

Mushroom salad with caramelized onions, black lentils and capers | www.viktoriastable.com

For more mushroom inspiration, check out some of these faves:

Everyone’s favorite chicken scallopini with mushrooms and artichokes. This is the most popular recipe on the blog so far.

Here’s another favorite fall salad recipe – Roasted cauliflower salad with mushrooms and hazelnuts

Stuffed mushrooms in creamy pesto sauce. This one is a winner on many levels – it’s super delicious first of all, it makes for an elegant appetizer, and it’s quick to make.

4.75 from 8 votes
Sauteed oyster and brown mushrooms, black lentils, and caramelized onions are the basis for this lovely fall salad, with pine nuts and capers adding a great flavor boost. | www.viktoriastable.com
Print
Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
50 mins
 

Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions, topped with crunchy pine nuts and briny capers -it's a symphony of textures and fall flavors, and a fantastic meal in itself, that doubles up as the perfect potluck dish, or Thanksgiving side.

Course: Salad
Servings: 6 -8
Calories: 195 kcal
Author: Viktoria
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 - 2 lbs medley of raw mushrooms
  • 2 Tbs butter
  • 2 big onions
  • 3 tbs olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp of black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp of salt
  • 1/4 cup dry black lentils
  • 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup capers
  • a splash of truffle oil optional
  • 2-3 tbs of chopped garlic chives for garnish
Instructions
  1. Clean, and cut mushrooms in small pieces. Saute in 2 tbs of butter with salt and pepper, until completely cooked (about two cups cooked mushrooms).

  2. Chop the onions, and saute in the olive oil, on low heat, until they caramelize and turn golden brown (10-15 minutes). You should end up with 1 cup of cooked onions.

  3. Boil the broth or water, add salt, and the dry lentils. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils is fully cooked without being mushy.  You should get 1 cup of cooked lentils.

  4. Assemble the salad by mixing the cooked lentils, mushrooms, and onions. Adjust the salt, and add truffle oil if desired.  Mix in the capers and pine nuts, and serve over a bed of arugula, sprinkled with lots of garlic / onion chives.

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Comments

  3. 5 stars
    Perfect recipe! Just perfect 🙂
    I made just a small modification, when Ii caramelized the onion, I added a few drops of soy sauce.
    Thank you !

  4. 5 stars
    This is delicious. I didn’t have arugula but used some butter lettuce instead. I also made a balsamic dijon vinaigrette to pour on top. Great recipe! I look forward to trying more 🙂

  5. 3 stars
    Disappointed in the final result. It turned out quite dry and lacking the flavour that brings all the ingredients together. I love mushrooms of all types, but this recipe didn’t do anything for me

    • Hi Sahar,
      I’m sorry it didn’t turn out good for you! The overall flavor should me mildly sweet, earthy, with a touch of acidity. The things that bring all ingredients together for me are the truffle oil, and the brined capers. Alternatively you could add a splash of vinegar to brighten it up (if the capers are more on the salty side). I also wonder if you could increase the oil, since you say it was dry. Usually the caramelized onions and mushroom have enough moisture…
      Best,
      Viktoria

  6. 5 stars
    Do you know the nutrition information, specifically the calories, for this recipe? Thanks, it was delicious!

    • Hi Rosie,

      So glad you liked it! The calories that I’ve provided in the recipe (195 calories per serving) are based on about 6-8 servings. I just did another calorie calculation, and if we assume the recipe makes 6 servings, the numbers per 1 serving are as follows: calories = 231, carbs = 10, fat = 18, protein = 7, sugar = 2.

      Hope that helps!!

  8. I’m thinking about making this for Thanksgiving this year. Are the mushrooms, lentils, and onions usually still warm/hot at serving time or can you make this ahead of serving?

    • Hi Tami!
      The salad is best served at room temperature. You can definitely make it ahead of time, and take it out of the fridge in advance to bring up to room temp. Hope you like it, and Happy Thanksgiving!

  9. 5 stars
    I just made this for my guests at my annual holiday party it was a HUGE HIT! Everyone was asking for the recipe! I served it cold, but it’s also delicious as a hot side dish for a dinner. Definitely make this!!!

  10. Delicious! I was looking for something flavorful, easy and wholesome for winter meals, this hit the spot!

Trackbacks

  6. […] Mushroom salad with lentils and caramelized onions – readers’ top choice! Roasted beet salad with caramelized garlic and goat cheese – everyone loves it! Roasted beets and charred onion salad – one of my top faves! Roasted cauliflower with mushrooms and hazelnuts   Save Print Prep time 15 mins Cook time 40 mins Total time 55 mins   Roasted cauliflower salad with hazelnuts – warm, earthy, slightly sweet, and nutty – this fall salad is absolutely fantastic, and worthy of your holiday table. Author: Viktoria Recipe type: Side dish/Salad Serves: 6 Ingredients […]