Lentil Salad Recipe
This easy Lentil Salad packs nutritious plant-based protein, flavor, and texture. It’s the ultimate make-ahead lunch or dinner and tastes even better the next day!Note: This recipe calls for green lentils, but it would taste just as delicious with brown, French green, or black Beluga lentils. I do not recommend using split lentils (i.e., red or yellow) as they will be too mushy.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry green lentils see note above
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard plus more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup English cucumber seeded and diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ red onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils in a fine mesh strainer under cold water to remove dust and dirt. Check for discolored or broken lentils and discard them. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with non-stick cooking spray.
- Transfer the rinsed, drained lentils to a medium pot and fill with approximately 3 cups of water (enough to cover them by about 1 inch). Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the lentils are tender (not mushy), about 15-25 minutes. Check for doneness occasionally.
- Drain in a fine-mesh strainer, then spread them over the prepared baking sheet to cool.
- As the lentils cook, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and cumin in a medium bowl—season with additional salt, lemon juice, and mustard to taste.
- Add the cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and parsley to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with about one-third of the dressing and gently toss to coat. Add the cooked and cooled lentils to the bowl and drizzle with the remaining dressing. Toss until just combined with the vegetables.
- Serve immediately or let it sit for 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. Before serving, sprinkle with crumbled feta or toss it directly in the salad. Serve with fresh lemon wedges, if desired.
Notes
- This salad can be served warm or cold.
- Lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking.
- This salad is fantastic for up to 5 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 534mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3mg
