Warm Millet Roasted Pepper Salad (Printable Version)

Nutty millet tossed with charred bell peppers, fresh herbs, and tangy lemon dressing for a vibrant warm salad.

# Ingredient List:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup millet
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Vegetables

04 - 2 large red bell peppers
05 - 1 large yellow bell pepper
06 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

→ Lemon Dressing

09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Quarter the bell peppers, removing stems and seeds. Place them skin-side up on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes until the skins blister and char in spots.
03 - Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover tightly with a plate. Let steam for 10 minutes, then peel away the charred skins and slice the peppers into thin strips.
04 - While the peppers roast, rinse the millet under cold running water. Combine the millet, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
05 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Add the warm cooked millet, sliced roasted peppers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and chopped parsley to the dressing. Toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
07 - Serve the salad warm or at room temperature as a light lunch or a vibrant side dish.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Millet has this toasty, almost cornlike flavor that most people never discover because they are busy reaching for quinoa instead.
  • The dressing comes together in about thirty seconds and tastes like something from a restaurant.
  • Everything cooks in roughly the same window, so you are not babysitting multiple pots for an hour.
02 -
  • Do not skip the steaming step after roasting the peppers or the skins will cling stubbornly and you will end up picking off tiny shards with your fingernails.
  • Toasting the millet in a dry pan for two minutes before adding water brings out a deep nutty flavor that changes the entire dish.
03 -
  • Let the millet rest off the heat with the lid on for the full five minutes because patience here gives you separated, fluffy grains instead of a starchy clump.
  • Always dress grain salads while the grains are still warm because they absorb flavor far better than they do once cooled.

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