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This delicious Lentil Salad is anything but boring! It’s filled with green lentils, fresh veggies, and herbs and drizzled with a honey dijon dressing. Enjoy it as a flavorful, nutritious side dish or a light, vegan main entree.
I have so many hearty salads to try! Add this cold spaghetti salad, this TikTok viral carrot salad, or chickpea tuna salad to the menu next!
I’m on a major salad kick and this lentil salad is easily one of my new favorites. It’s fresh, colorful, and packed with incredible texture! If you’re looking to incorporate more wholesome, plant-based protein into your diet, lentils are a great addition!
Another great salad recipe I think you will also love is my wedge salad recipe that I made with no bacon.
Recipe highlight
- Easy to make: Once you get your veggies chopped, this can be tossed together in just 5 minutes!
- Made with good-for-you ingredients: This lentil salad is packed with fresh whole food nutrition and will actually fill you up!
- Delicious flavor: Bring this out as a side with your favorite main dish or enjoy it as a light vegetarian meal, either way, it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients needed
- Lentils: Green lentils work best for salad because they hold their shape and don’t get mushy.
- Vegetable broth: Cooking the lentils in veggie broth or stock will infuse them with delicious flavor.
- English cucumber: A refreshing, crunchy addition to this recipe.
- Tomatoes: For juicy sweetness.
- Bell pepper: I used a yellow bell pepper but any color will work.
- Red onion: Brings a fresh bite to the salad.
- Olives: You can use Kalamata olives like I did, or choose another favorite variety.
- Herbs: Chopped Italian parsley and chopped fresh mint leaves add fresh herby flavor.
- For the dressing: A simple mix of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, dijon mustard, honey, garlic powder, kosher salt and black pepper adds a zingy, bright taste.
Variations and substitutions
- Add more protein: If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, add in some chopped grilled chicken like this honey mustard grilled chicken or serve alongside Salmon like this Crispy baked salmon!
- Use different veggies: You can add in whatever you have in your fridge or whatever sounds good to you. Artichoke hearts, snap peas, corn, or sliced mushrooms would be delicious in this salad.
- Add nuts and/or cheese: Sprinkle on some toasted nuts like peanuts, almonds, pecans, or walnuts. Some crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese would also be a welcome addition.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: To cook the lentils, first rinse them well in a colander under cold running
water. Transfer to a saucepan and add in the broth. Bring to a boil, then
reduce to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, prepare the veggies by chopping and dicing them. Place them in a large salad bowl.
Step 3: In a small jug whisk all the dressing ingredients.
Step 4: Once the lentils are done cooking, drain and let them cool; add them to the
bowl with the veggies. Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
- English cucumber: I recommend the longer, more narrow English cucumber rather than a regular cucumber. English cucumbers are sweeter and contain very few seeds. They are much more likely to stay fresher longer and less likely to become soggy.
- To cool the lentils quickly: You don’t want the lentils to be hot when you combine them with fresh vegetables. To cool them quickly, place them in the freezer and toss occasionally until cooled.
- To take the bite out of the onions: If onions are a bit strong for your taste, soak them in a small bowl with cold water while you prep the other ingredients.
- Add the dressing just before serving: To keep the salad fresh, it’s best to toss the salad with the dressing just before serving.
- If you do not want to cook the lentil in broth, you can use water.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, canned lentils are already cooked. They just need to be rinsed well and they are ready to use. You can use canned lentils for this recipe; however, you will have more control over their texture if you cook them yourself.
Brown and green lentils are best in salads and can be used in a wide variety of recipes because they maintain their shape after cooking. Red and yellow lentils are best for soups and stews where their mushy texture works well.
Lentil salads can be served warm, room temperature and cold. With salads like this one that are made with crisp cucumbers and fresh juicy tomatoes, it’s best served chilled.
Serving suggestions
Lentil salad goes great with everything from chicken to steak. Here are some delicious pairing options:
- Blackened Shrimp
- Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Baked Harissa Chicken
- Honey Mustard Salmon
- Lemon Garlic Cod
Storage recommendations
- Make ahead: You can get a head start on this salad by cooking the lentils a day or two in advance. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare the salad.
- Storing: Even though this lentil salad is best fresh, it will keep well for about 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Pro tip: If you want to keep your salad from becoming soggy, store salad and dressing separately.
More salad recipes to try
- Avocado Quinoa Salad
- Zesty Quinoa Salad
- Spicy Cucumber Salad
- Persian Shirazi Salad
- Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Chicken Cobb Salad
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Greek Chicken Pasta Salad
- Avocado Chickpea Tuna Salad
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Simple Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked green lentils, rinsed well
- 3 cups vegetable broth or stock
- 1 English cucumber, finely diced
- 6 vine tomatoes, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup pitted olives, halved
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
Dressing:
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, zest and juice of
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- To cook the lentils, first, rinse them well in a colander under cold running water. Transfer to a saucepan and add in the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the veggies and place them in a large salad bowl.
- In a small jug whisk all the dressing ingredients.
- Once the lentils are done cooking, drain and let them cool; add them to the bowl with the veggies.
- Drizzle with the dressing and toss to combine.
Video
Notes
- Make ahead: You can get a head start on this salad by cooking the lentils a day or two in advance. Store them in the fridge until you’re ready to prepare the salad.
- Storing: Even though this lentil salad is best fresh, it will keep well for about 2-3 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Awesome Salad. Thank you.
This is amazing salad