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This simple lentil salad combines protein-dense green lentils with vegetables in a tangy lemon dressing. It is excellent for mid-week lunches, dinners, BBQs, potlucks, picnics, and garden parties.
Using green lentils makes this healthy salad naturally gluten-free, protein-dense, and packed with fiber. Adding fresh herbs, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and a lemon-oil-based dressing creates a fresh, bright, healthy lentil salad recipe, that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
It is a delicious summery appetizer or side dish that pairs with many dishes, travels well, and is excellent for picnics, potlucks, BBQs, and more.
Ingredients
- Lentils: Green lentils keep their shape when cooked and have a slightly peppery flavor, making them perfect for salads. Black lentils maintain shape and offer an earthy taste, while brown or red lentils become softer and mushy when cooked.
- Vegetable stock: Or water – to cook the lentils.
- Vegetables: cucumber (I recommend English or Persian varieties, which have fewer seeds), red bell pepper, and red onion.
- Herbs: I used a combination of fresh parsley and mint.
- Dressing: Extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses (optional), minced garlic, salt & black pepper.
How to make lentil salad
Cook the lentils: Remove any debris or stones from the lentils. Rinse them in a fine-mesh sieve. Unlike other legumes, lentils don’t need soaking beforehand. Then, place them in a saucepan with the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Let them simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender but still firm. Afterward, drain and rinse them with cold water to halt the cooking process and quickly cool them, and your lentils are ready for the salad.
Chop the vegetables: While the lentils are cooking, prepare the fresh veggies. Rinse and finely dice the cucumber and the bell pepper. Peel and finely dice the red onion. Remove the mint leaves from the stems and chop them. Chop the fresh parsley with the stems. You can already place all the chopped ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Prepare the salad dressing: Juice the lemon. Mince or grate the garlic directly over a small bowl. Add the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and whisk until well combined.
Combine and serve: Combine the cooled lentils, chopped cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and herbs in a large bowl. Pour the dressing and toss to combine. You can serve immediately or allow it to “marinate” in the fridge for a few hours. Serve the lentil salad on its own or with pita chips or croutons for added crunch. Enjoy!
How to store
Any leftover lentil salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. It’s great as a quick cold lunch or dinner.
More Mediterranean salads
If you try this healthy lentil salad recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 20 oz dried green lentils 1.5 cup
- 3 cups vegetable stock or water (to cook the lentils)
- 4 oz cucumbers 3 small
- 3 oz red bell pepper 1/2 medium-sized
- 5 oz red onion 1 medium-sized
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves stems-removed
Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 large lemon
- 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses optional
- 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp minced
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Remove any debris or stones from the lentils. Rinse them well in a fine-mesh sieve.
- Place them in a pot with the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender but still firm.Once cooked, rinse under cold water.
- While the lentils are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Rinse and finely dice the cucumber and the bell pepper. Peel and finely dice the red onion. Chop the fresh parsley and the mint leaves.
- Prepare the dressing. Juice the lemon. Mince the garlic. In a small bowl, add all the dressing ingredients – olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses (optional), minced garlic, salt, and pepper – and whisk well.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cold lentils, chopped cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and herbs. Pour the dressing and toss to combine. Serve the lentil salad immediately or let it "marinate" in the fridge for a few hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
