This fresh and flavorful Mediterranean-style lentil salad is packed with flavor and protein! It is perfect as a side dish or as a lunch idea.
Lentils can be the perfect food. They’re cheap, good for you, and packed with plant-based protein. Plus, they have a shelf life of up to 3 years! I mean, what other food can boast of those credentials? Here’s a premium lentil recipe to add to your arsenal, and boy is it delicious. This fresh and healthy Mediterranean-style lentil salad is topped with fresh veggies, feta cheese, and pistachios. It’s a delicious way to add protein to a vegetarian meal as a side or to take to work for lunch throughout the week. Alex and I couldn’t stop eating it!
An even easier lentil salad? Try our French lentil salad.
What’s in this lentil salad?
This lentil salad is bursting with fresh flavor: the burst of lemon vinaigrette contrasts with the earthy lentils and is punctuated with fresh mint and crunchy paprika. Alex and I made a large batch of this and ate it for lunch and as main course salads for days! It’s also perfect as an eye-catching side dish (we’re planning to bring it to Christmas dinner). But it works any time of the year, so prepare it for winter dishes or as a summer salad on the patio. This is what this lentil salad contains:
- Black or French lentils: This type of lentil is small and will hold its shape when cooked, making it perfect for salads. If you can’t find black, use French lenses.
- Spicy Dressing: The salad is covered with a vinaigrette made from lemon, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard and spices.
- Paprika, Shallot, Arugula & Radish: Lentils are combined with colorful and crunchy fresh vegetables. Radishes aren’t necessary, but add a lovely pink color as a garnish.
- The feta crumbles: The feta cheese adds a salty component that finishes off the salad.
- pistachios: For even more protein, light green pistachios add some crunch.
What Makes French and Black Lentils So Special?
Both black and French lentils are worth searching for in this lentil salad! The most common types of lentils are green, red and brown lentils. You could have had them in lentil soup or curry. Brown, red and green lentils break down easily when cooked, making them perfect for soups and curries. In this Indian masoor dal, the lentils take on an almost mashed texture.
Black lentils (Beluga lentils) and French lentils (Puy or du Puy), on the other hand, keep their shape when cooked. This makes them perfect for using in salads as the texture holds together.
Where can I find black lentils?
Black and French lentils should be available at your local grocery store! It’s harder to find black lentils, so French is pretty much interchangeable. We like to use black lentils in this salad because the color is beautiful and the flavor is a bit milder than French lentils. But both will do it! If you’re having trouble finding them, you can buy them online here.
Leftovers are even better!
A big part of this lentil salad is that it saves well and leftovers taste even better! The dressing will marinate with the lentils even more and they will absorb the flavors better. This recipe is a perfect weeknight office lunch contender. Alex and I also used it for take out dinners as it was perfect for putting veggie protein on a plate!
Ways to serve this lentil salad
This lentil salad is one of our favorite salad recipes and is perfect for all sorts of occasions! It makes a healthy, vegetarian side dish for an easy grab-and-go lunch or dinner. Here are some ways we suggest serving it:
Can you omit the feta?
This lentil salad is vegetarian, but not entirely plant-based because of the feta cheese! Feta brings the perfect savory and savory element. We recommend using feta or trying another cheese crumble like goat cheese. If you’re serving it to a crowd, you can leave the feta on the side for people to adjust to their liking.
For a 100% vegan lentil salad, we recommend a dairy-free cheese crumble if you have a good brand. Or omit the cheese altogether and add some more kosher salt to the salad.
More feta cheese recipes
But if you like feta: it adds the best flavor! Here are some of our favorite feta cheese recipes:
This lentil salad recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten free. For vegans, plant-based, and non-dairy, omit the feta and add more salt to taste or use a non-dairy cheese crumble.
The description
This fresh and flavorful Mediterranean-style lentil salad is packed with flavor and protein! It is perfect as a side dish or as a lunch idea.
For the lenses
For the lentil salad
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot
- 1 Red pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint or chives (optional)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt + freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup Baby arugula and more to serve
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup Pistachios, plus more for garnish
- 3 Radishes, for garnish
- For the lentils: In a large saucepan or deep pan, simmer the lentils with the broth, water, kosher salt, thyme, and garlic powder until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Pour off excess liquid.
- Prepare dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, onion powder, and oregano. Stir in olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until creamy and emulsified.
- Cut vegetables: Finely chop the shallot. Thinly slice the red bell pepper, then cut the slices in half to give pieces about 2 inches long. If using herbs, chop them up.
- Serve the salad: Place the lentils in the large bowl with the dressing. Add the shallots, pepper, herbs, baby arugula, feta cheese, and pistachios. Add ½ tsp kosher salt and freshly ground pepper and stir to combine.
- Surcharge: Serve with arugula if desired. Garnish with thin slices of radish and sprinkle with feta and pistachios. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days (if making these for lunch, omit the pistachios). It saves a lot and the leftovers are even better!
- Category: salad
- Method: Cook
- Kitchen: Mediterranean Sea
