Lentil Salad

This lentil salad is a delightful blend of flavors and textures, making it a perfect addition to any meal. Or serve it up for a light lunch—it’s nutrient-dense, with plenty of protein and fiber to fill you up. Additionally, this particular recipe is antioxidant-rich and full of essential vitamins and minerals, thanks to a mixture of colorful vegetables and bright herbs.

It’s not just healthy, however. Thanks to earthy lentils, fresh herbs and a zesty vinaigrette, this salad is a flavorful, refreshing dish. Bonus: Lentils cook quickly, and everything else in the salad is added fresh. You’ll need about 30 minutes of prep time and some additional chill time, then it’s ready to eat. That gives you just enough time to prepare the rest of your meal.

Ingredients for Lentil Salad

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• Lentils: Lentils are easy to cook, and they’re known for absorbing flavors well. They also have an earthy taste of their own, which helps to provide balance to the other ingredients in this salad. Bonus: They’re high in fiber and protein.
• Olive oil: You’ll use olive oil to make a dressing, so choose a lighter extra virgin olive oil that’s appropriate for a dressing and not one that will overpower the other flavors.
• Lemon juice: Many of the other flavors in this salad are earthy and rich; lemon gives a punch of bright, light flavor.
• Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard gives a tart, tangy flavor to the dressing.
• Garlic: To save time, you can buy pre-minced garlic, if you prefer.
• Spices and herbs: You’ll use salt, pepper, dried oregano, dried thyme, fresh minced parsley and fresh mint to give a burst of savory, bright flavors to this lentil salad.
• Cucumber: Cucumbers are bright, crisp and fresh, and they are a lovely counter-flavor to lentils.
• Kale: To save time, you can simply chop the kale and add it to the salad, but we recommend thoroughly massaging it first. This softens the leaf and releases the flavor of the nutritious plant.
• Tomatoes: We recommend slicing cherry tomatoes in half for this recipe, but you can use any fresh tomatoes you have on hand—you’ll just want to cut them small enough (and, if they are particularly seedy, remove the seeds).
• Red onion: Red onion has a milder flavor, but still a distinct onion flavor. It’s lovely in this salad.
• Green olives: Be sure to use pitted olives, or pit them before chopping.
• Feta cheese (optional): Although just a suggestion, crumbling feta cheese on top of this nourishing salad balances the earthy flavor of the lentils and gives a deeper flavor profile to the bright cucumber and fresh tomatoes.

Directions

Step 1: Cook the lentils

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Cook the lentils according to the package directions. Remove them from the heat, transfer them to a bowl and let them cool completely.

Step 2: Make the dressing

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In a large serving bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme.

Step 3: Combine all the ingredients

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Stir in the cooled lentils, cucumber, kale, tomatoes, onion, olives, parsley and mint. Crumble the feta over the top, if desired. Cover the salad, and refrigerate it until chilled, at least 30 minutes.

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Lentil Salad Variations

• Add maple: Adding a tablespoon of pure maple syrup to the olive oil and lemon juice dressing will give this savory salad a richer flavor profile, with just a touch of sweetness.
• Mix in some cheese: While this recipe does recommend crumbling feta cheese on top, you can cube cheddar cheese and mix it in with the fresh veggies. Shaved Parmesan is another delightful addition.
• Serve it for breakfast: For a heart-healthy, satisfying breakfast, fry an egg over easy and place it on top. Serve sourdough toast on the side with sliced avocado, and you’ll have one tasty, healthy breakfast.

How to Store Lentil Salad

Store any leftover lentil salad in an airtight container in the fridge. You can keep it in the serving bowl you made it in, just cover the top well with plastic wrap or another airtight top.

Can you freeze lentil salad?

It’s not recommended to freeze lentil salad because it will alter the texture of the dressing as well as the other fresh vegetables and herbs. However, if you’d like to freeze cooked lentils by themselves, you can. Cooked lentils can be frozen for up to three months, as long as you’ve frozen them properly. We recommend cooling them completely before adding them to an airtight, freezer-safe container.

Lentil Salad Tips

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Why is my lentil salad bitter?

Sometimes, lentils can have a bitter taste. While this particular lentil salad recipe helps with bitterness, if there’s any hint of it you can add some additional salt, fat or sugar (check out the variations above for suggestions). Additionally, be sure to fully rinse your lentils before cooking them.

Why are my lentils soggy?

The trick to cooking lentils so they’re tender and not soggy or mushy is to bring them to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to low until they’re done. You can also use a little less water than the directions call for (for example, 2 cups instead of 3 cups). This will help keep them from retaining too much water, while still allowing them to cook through for a tender, tasty lentil.

What else should I serve with lentil salad?

Lentil salad is hearty, so you don’t need to get overly complicated here. Roast chicken is a common main course to serve with lentils. If you want to have a little fun with it, however, you might try a side of vegetables (this glazed sweet potato dish would pair wonderfully with lentils), crisp, flavorful chicken wings and some soft dinner rolls on the side. Your taste buds, and your belly, will thank you.