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A bowl of lentil salad with chopped cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, parsley, and sliced almonds, served with a spoon and fork on a light-colored surface.

Lentil Salad

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With feta, mint, and a bright, lemony dressing, this lentil salad recipe has Mediterranean vibes, along with big flavor and texture!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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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:

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.
    A silver saucepan filled with uncooked green lentils soaking in water, placed on a light textured surface.
  • 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.
    A glass measuring cup filled with a small amount of lentil salad dressing sits on a light, textured surface.
  • 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.
    A pink bowl filled with a colorful salad containing chopped red bell peppers, cucumbers, red onions, lentils, feta cheese, and fresh herbs, with a spoon resting inside the bowl.
  • 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

Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 13gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 15mgPotassium: 571mgFiber: 12gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1197IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 4mg
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