This Mediterranean-inspired Lentil Salad is a powerhouse of flavor, nutrition, and textures. It’s also a meal prep champ, perfect for assembling in advance and enjoying all week long!
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we'll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
Lentils, I love you—especially in this salad!
Bag of lentils sitting quietly in your pantry? Time to pull them out!
Once you experience just how tasty and filling they are in a lentil salad (and this Crockpot Lentil Soup), you’re going to be paying them a lot of attention.
I made this healthy lentil salad recipe for lunch a few weeks ago, and while I’d hoped it would be above average, I was not expecting it to captivate and satisfy me the way that it did.
The ingredients are incredibly humble—I mean, lentils don’t exactly scream LOOK AT ME!—but after one bite, this salad had my undivided attention.
Combined with feta, crunchy almonds, and fresh mint, this quiet lentil salad turned out to be a recipe screaming with flavor!
Because there are no greens in this recipe, it’s great for meal prep—it will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator!
5 Star Review
“Made this tonight and it was soooo good. And healthy as a bonus.”
— Doreen —
My Tips for a Perfect Lentil Salad
- Don’t Use Red Lentils. They might share a name, but they are completely different from other varieties of lentils! When red lentils cook, they break apart and become creamy. It’s great for Slow Cooker Red Lentil Cauliflower Curry, but not for a salad.
- Dress the Salad While the Lentils Are Warm. Lentils absorb flavor best while still warm, so don’t wait to add the dressing until the end. This is a rare cooking situation in which impatience is your friend. Embrace it.
- Scoop Out the Seeds if You Use a Regular Cucumber. I recommend using English or Persian cucumber for this recipe, but if you have a garden cucumber on hand, peel it, slice it lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and then dice it.
How to Make Lentil Salad
Cook the Lentils. Simmer until they’re just tender; you don’t want to overcook them and end up with a mushy salad!
Make the Dressing. Whisk the ingredients together, then pour half the dressing over the lentils and toss to coat.
Add the Remaining Ingredients. Toss again.
Serve. Chill for an hour to allow the flavors to meld or serve right away. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Swap the Onions for Shallots. Their flavor is a bit milder than red onion.
- Change Up the Herbs. So many herbs would pair well with this recipe, from earthy sage, rosemary, and thyme, to bright and bold cilantro or dill.
- Make It Nut-Free. Omit the almonds or add sunflower seeds or pepitas.
- Make It Vegan. Use maple syrup in the dressing instead of honey and omit the feta, or use a plant-based feta instead.
What to Serve With Lentil Salad
- Meat. I think a Grilled Chicken Breast or Stuffed Pork Tenderloin would be two tasty options to consider serving with this lentil salad.
- Veggies. In the past, I’ve made this recipe with Roasted Cauliflower and it’s scrumptious!
- Greens. Make your lentil salad go a little further by serving it over a bed of spinach or arugula.
Lentil Salad
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
Ingredients
For the Lentils:
- 1 cup dry green lentils I prefer French green lentils du puy if you can find them!
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
For Assembly:
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional to taste
- 1 English cucumber seeded and ¼-inch diced
- 1 red bell pepper ¼-inch diced
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- ⅓ cup flat leaf parsley chopped (plus extra), divided
- ⅓ cup fresh mint chopped, divided
- ⅔ cup crumbled feta cheese optional
- ⅓ cup toasted sliced almonds divided
Instructions
- Rinse, drain, and pick over the lentils. Place in a sauce pan and cover with 2 inches of water. Add 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer just until the lentils are tender — you don't want a rolling boil, but some of the lentils should be dancing a little bit. You'll need about 12 to 15 minutes total (don't let them turn to mush). Drain, then place in a large bowl.
- Stir together the dressing ingredients: oil, lemon zest (zest it right into the bowl), lemon juice, honey, salt, cumin, chili powder, and black pepper. Immediately pour half of it over the lentils while they are still warm, then stir to coat. Stir in ¾ teaspoon kosher salt.
- To the bowl, add the cucumbers, bell pepper, and onion (soak it in cold water for a few minutes first if you wish to make it more mellow). Reserve a little each of the parsley, mint, feta, and almonds for garnish, then add the rest to the bowl. Stir to combine. If it seems dry, add the remaining dressing as needed.
- Taste and add salt and pepper as needed (I had a big pinch of salt). Sprinkle the reserved parsley, mint, feta, and almonds over the top. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the flavors to marry.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store this Lentil salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir it well before serving.
Nutrition
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
Looks like a yummy vegetarian night option! I have green lentils in my pantry. Would they work? Would the flavor change?
Hi Sara, green lentils should work fine! The flavor change shouldn’t be too drastic. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Girlfriend . . .yum! This is a great weeknight dinner. It came together quickly, and the earthy flavors and differing textures make it more than the sum of its parts. My husband loved it, and I will definitely make it again. The arugula is key!
Hi Eileem, I’m so happy to hear both you and your husband loved this salad! Thanks for taking the time to leave this lovely review.
Can we use canned lentils?
Hello! I think you could use canned lentils, but they might have a slightly different flavor as the lentils in this recipe are cooked in chicken broth. I’d love to hear how it goes if you give it a try!
Made this tonight and it was soooo good. And healthy as a bonus. Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed the salad, Doreen! Thanks for taking the time to leave this review!
Yum! Thank you for all the great recipes! This is a delicious take on a salad. Perfect, hearty meatless meal!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Amy! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
We absolutely loved it! I would definitely make it again. Healthy and hardy!
So glad to hear! Thank you Gina!
Really enjoyed this recipe! It was a nice change from my usual leafy salads. The lentils make it feel more substantial, and I love how customizable it is. I added some cherry tomatoes because I had them on hand, and they blended right in.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you!
I’ve made lentil salads before that were kind of boring, but this one had a lot going on in a good way. The lemon and herbs keep it bright, and the almonds give a nice little crunch. It’s simple but not boring. Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the salad, Heather! Thank you!
I prepped this ahead for lunch this week and it kept really well in the fridge. The flavors got even better after a day or so. I loved the mix of herbs — mint and parsley together made it super refreshing. It’s not overly complicated either, which I appreciate. Thank you so much!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Mara! Thank you!
This is so light and refreshing! Great way to get protein.
So glad you enjoyed the salad, Melissa! Thank you!