The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Denver Steak & Lentil Salad with Avocado, Rocket & Basil Pesto
Tender British Denver steak is the star of this show-stopping salad - you’ll sizzle it till perfection, then serve over peppery rocket, chunky avocado, tangy olives and juicy tomatoes. Stir sweet caramelised onions through fluffy quinoa. A creamy pesto dressing brings it all together. Italian sunshine on a plate.
High protein
1/3 daily fibre
11 plants
Low sat fat
Serving size
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp green pesto (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 10g sunflower seeds
- 40g mixed salad leaves
- 1 unwaxed lemon
- 20g rocket
- 250g puy lentils & wholegrain quinoa (48% Cooked Whole Grain Quinoa (Water, Quinoa) 48% Cooked Puy Lentils (Water, Puy lentils) Onion Olive Oil Laurel Salt)
- 30g Pitted Kalamata Olives (Kalamata Olives, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Lactic Acid (E270))
- 1 avocado (use half)
- 1 onion
- 110g baby tomatoes
- 2 Denver steaks
Nutritional Information
Calories: 710
Protein: 49g
Carbs: 38g
Fat: 40g
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp green pesto (use half) (Rapeseed Oil, Broccoli, Spinach, Broad Beans, Basil, Sunflower Seed, Garlic, Salt, Yeast extract powder (Yeast Extract, Salt), Pumpkin Seeds, Porcini Mushrooms, Kale, Golden Linseeds, Citric Acid, White Quinoa, Ascorbic Acid.)
- 30g Pitted Kalamata Olives (use half) (Kalamata Olives, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Lactic Acid (E270))
- 10g sunflower seeds (use half)
- 1 unwaxed lemon (use half)
- 1 Denver steak
- 250g puy lentils & wholegrain quinoa (use half) (48% Cooked Whole Grain Quinoa (Water, Quinoa) 48% Cooked Puy Lentils (Water, Puy lentils) Onion Olive Oil Laurel Salt)
- 20g rocket (use half)
- 110g baby tomatoes (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 1 avocado (use a quarter)
- 40g mixed salad leaves (use half)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 732
Protein: 49g
Carbs: 38g
Fat: 42g
Denver Steak & Lentil Salad with Avocado, Rocket & Basil Pesto
Tender British Denver steak is the star of this show-stopping salad - you’ll sizzle it till perfection, then serve over peppery rocket, chunky avocado, tangy olives and juicy tomatoes. Stir sweet caramelised onions through fluffy quinoa. A creamy pesto dressing brings it all together. Italian sunshine on a plate.
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Pull out a large frying pan, a large bowl & a small bowl
Prep time
- Remove the steaks from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Season both sides with salt and pepper
- Dice the half avocado into 2cm chunks. Halve the tomatoes and olives. Thinly slice the onion
Get sizzlin'
- Heat the large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on high heat. Once hot, add the steaks and cook (as a guide: cook for 2-3 mins on each side for medium, or 3-4 mins for medium-well)
- Quickly sear the edges of the steaks, then remove from the pan. Leave to rest
Heat the grains
- Reheat the frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for 5-6 mins, until softened
- Add the lentil quinoa mix and break it up with a wooden spoon. Add a splash of water and cook for 2-3 mins, until piping hot
Make the pesto dressing & assemble
- Finely chop the rocket
- In the small bowl, mix the pesto with the chopped rocket, juice from half the lemon and 1 tsp olive oil
- In the large bowl, add the salad leaves with the avocado, tomatoes, olives, lentil quinoa mix, half the sunflower seeds and half the pesto dressing. Toss to combine
Plate up
- Slice the steaks against the grain
- Share the salad between bowls, topped with the steaks. Dollop on the remaining pesto dressing
- Garnish with the remaining sunflower seeds and lemon, cut into wedges for squeezing over
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