If you are looking for a way to sneak more lentils into your life, this salad is a delicious way to do it. Lentils pack nearly 18 grams of protein into each cooked cup, and when you pair them with freshly diced veggies, you’ll have a flavor party in your mouth. Assemble this salad recipe over the weekend and enjoy it for the next 5 days. It’s delicious chilled, straight from the fridge for an easy meal prep idea. If you’d like to change things up, top it with a sprinkle of feta cheese, or baked chicken breasts, or serve it as a side dish with your favorite main course.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The beauty of this lentil salad recipe is you can use any vegetables and herbs you have on hand. Feel free to swap the red bell peppers for cherry tomatoes or baby spinach. You can use lemon juice instead of vinegar if that’s what you have. Buying pre-cooked lentils from the store will save you time, but you can cook them from scratch in about 25 minutes. Use brown, black, or green lentils for the best results. (Red lentils are too mushy for salads.)
How to Make Lentil Salad
- Cook the lentils. If you are not starting with pre-cooked lentils (they are available canned or vacuum-sealed in the chilled section of the grocery store), add the dry lentils to a saucepan and cover them with water. You can use chicken broth or add a bay leaf to the cooking water if you’d like to add more flavor. The lentils will triple in size as they cook, so make sure you use a large enough pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Be sure the lentils are always covered in liquid during this time so that they will cook evenly. When the lentils are tender, pour them through a fine mesh strainer to drain any excess cooking liquid. Set them aside to cool. Don’t have enough lentils? That’s okay, too! I’ve made this recipe with just 3 cups of cooked lentils (about 2 cans or a 1-pound vacuum-sealed pack), and it still turns out delicious with a higher veggie-to-lentil ratio. Add salt to taste when using fewer lentils because you won’t need as much.
- Prepare the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Whisk well to mix.
- Add the veggies. Add the diced red onion, cucumber, celery, and red bell pepper to the bowl of dressing, and toss well.
- Mix it all together. When the lentils have cooled, stir them with the sliced almonds and raisins. Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding a little extra salt, if needed, to boost the flavor. Set the salad aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes. The raisins will plump as the salad rests, and then it’s ready to serve. Use a slotted spoon for serving to allow any excess liquid at the bottom of the bowl to drain away, and garnish with fresh parsley or fresh mint leaves. Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake the jar well before serving again to ensure the dressing is evenly distributed. The salad tastes even better the next day! Looking for more lentil recipes? Try Instant Pot Lentil Soup, Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, Red Lentil Soup, or Lentil Bolognese for more ideas. If you try this lentil salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below, letting me know how you like it.
