8 nutritious lentil salad recipes you’ll love. Get inspired!

Legumes not only taste great, but also have many health benefits.

That’s why we bring you recipes for lentil salads in 8 different variants, which will not only delight you with taste, but also provide you with a lot of vitamins.

Try dishes with red, green and black lentils in colorful combinations.

Enjoy your meal!

Lentil and cucumber salad with dressing

Lentil salad with cucumber, red onion, dates and parsley is incredibly tasty and at the same time so simple. It’s spicy, fresh and light, topped with homemade lemon dressing.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1 cup green lentils
• 4 cups of water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 piece of green kombu seaweed (approx. 8-10cm)
• 1 large cucumber, finely chopped
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup Medjool dates, finely chopped
• 1 small parsley

For the dressing (use half of the recipe below):

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Rinse and collect the lens.
2. Add the lentils, water, bay leaf and kombu to a medium saucepan.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low, cover the pot and cook for 16-20 minutes.
4. Lentils should be soft but not mushy.
5. Drain the lentils and let them cool for a few minutes.
6. Add diced cucumber, red onion, dates and parsley.
7. Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.
8. Drizzle the resulting dressing over the finished salad and mix.

Chicken salad with green lentils

A delicious lentil salad with chicken, walnuts and a creamy dressing will become your favorite healthy dish that you will enjoy making over and over again.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups dried green lentils
• 2 carrots, peeled and quartered
• 1 medium onion
• 3 whole cloves of garlic
• 6 cups chicken broth (or water)
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• 4 cups arugula, baby spinach, or other lettuce (optional)
• 3 cups cooked chicken, diced
• 1 cup scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup walnut halves or pieces

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup white wine or apple cider vinegar
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup olive or canola oil
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup

Method

1. Rinse the lentils and transfer to a large pot.
2. Add carrots, onion, 3 whole cloves of garlic, chicken stock (or water) and bay leaf.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
4. Reduce to a simmer, skim off any foam, cover and cook for about 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender but hold their shape.
5. While the lentils are cooking, combine the dressing ingredients in a blender.
6. Blend until creamy and set aside.
7. Once the lentils are cooked, drain and discard the carrot, onion, garlic and bay leaf.
8. Place the lentils in a large bowl, add the dressing and toss gently.
9. Add the chicken to the lentils, mix and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
10. Just before serving, add the scallions, walnuts and parsley.
11. Serve over salad as desired.

Lentil salad with carrots and feta dressing

You only need 6 ingredients for this hearty and elegant salad, and the result will be an absolutely luxurious affair that your whole family will love.

Ingredients

• 500g carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 8cm pieces
• 7 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup French green (Le Puy) lentils
• 1 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped dill
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C.
2. Toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Scrape into a large serving bowl.
4. Meanwhile, in a small pot of boiling water, cook the lentils until al dente, about 15 minutes.
5. Drain well.
6. Add the lentils to the carrots along with the cucumber, dill, and 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
7. Blend the feta with 2 tablespoons of water and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil in a blender until smooth.
8. Salt it.
9. Pour the dressing over the salad and serve.

Beluga lentil salad with vegetables and white wine

This Beluga Black Lentil Salad is not only easy to make, it’s also vegan and the perfect way to warm you up during fall and winter.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• ¾ cup white wine
• 1 cup black beluga lentils, rinsed and drained
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Method

1. In a large saucepan or wok, heat the oil over medium heat until the oil shimmers.
2. Add the onion, carrot, celeriac and salt.
3. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
5. Increase the heat to medium-high and add ½ cup of the wine.
6. Let the wine simmer for 1-2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium.
7. Add the lentils, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water.
8. Bring to a boil and cook for about 25 minutes until most of the water has evaporated.
9. Add remaining wine and mustard.
10. Stir and then cook for another 5 minutes.
11. Serve warm as a side dish or as a main course with a piece of crusty bread.

Lentil-beet salad with goat cheese

French lentil and beetroot salad is an incredibly versatile dish that can be served as a main course for lunch or as a simple side dish at a party or garden barbecue.

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 1/2 cup green French lentils, uncooked
• 1 cup of water
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 medium beets
• 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 handful parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 small handful chives, chopped

For the topping:

• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic, pressed
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Wash and loosely wrap each beet in foil and roast in the oven for 1 hour until the beet is tender.
3. While the beets are roasting, add 1/2 cup lentils and 1 cup water to a pot with the bay leaf and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a low heat and cook for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft but not mushy.
5. Once the lentils are cooked, drain the excess hot water, rinse well with cold water and set aside to cool.
6. After baking, remove the beets from the oven and let them cool in the foil.
7. While the beets and lentils are cooling, prepare the dressing.
8. Add all ingredients to a glass or bowl and whisk until well combined.
9. Once cool, gently remove the skin from each beetroot, it should come off easily when the beetroot is cooked.
10. Once the skin is removed, cut the roasted beets into bite-sized pieces.
11. When the beets and lentils have cooled completely, place them in a large bowl and add the chopped onion.
12. Mix it up.
13. Pour over the dressing and mix.
14. Add the crumbled goat cheese and fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss once more before serving.
15. Enjoy your meal!

Red lentil salad with curry dressing

A dish that you will have ready in 20 minutes and you will also enjoy it wonderfully and enjoy a lot of delicious flavors in one bite. The combination of red lentils, sweet plump raisins, salty capers and curry dressing is absolutely luxurious!

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 2 cups red lentils
• 3 cups of water
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup raisins
• ¼ cup capers

For the dressing:

• ½ cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed)
• ¼ cup avocado oil
• 1 spoon of honey
• 1 and ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon curry spice
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Method

1. Add water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. While the water is heating, add the chopped onion and apple cider vinegar to a small bowl.
3. Mix and set aside.
4. Once the water is boiling, add the lentils and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the raisins and cook for 1 minute more.
6. Drain the lentils and raisins and put them in a bowl.
7. Whisk the ingredients for the dressing.
8. Add onion with vinegar.
9. Pour the dressing over the lentils with raisins.
10. Add the capers and mix well.
11. Serve hot or cold straight from the fridge.
12. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Lentil-cabbage salad with bacon and fried egg

Simple to prepare and yet so tasty! Green lentils, bacon, cabbage and poached eggs together create a perfect combination of flavors that you will love.

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 red onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4 slices of bacon
• 206 g of cabbage
• 390 g can of green lentils
• 4 medium-sized eggs
• 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion 5 until soft.
2. Add the garlic and bacon and sauté for another 5 minutes until crisp.
3. Add the cabbage and lentils and cook for 4 minutes.
4. Keep warm.
5. Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil.
6. Crack the eggs into a small baking dish.
7. Add the vinegar to the water, reduce the heat and stir the water.
8. Quickly pour the eggs into the water and boil for 3 minutes.
9. Repeat with remaining eggs.
10. Place the salad on 4 plates and place a fried egg on each portion.
11. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Black lentil, pepper and olive salad

A hearty salad of black lentils and fresh vegetables is perfect as a festive snack or as a light dinner for the whole family.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/4 cup raw black lentils or two 425g cans
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 spring onion, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, or half of each, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, more or less to taste
• 1 cup whole black olives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil as needed
• 2 tablespoons of red or white wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 to 2 teaspoons herbs de Provence, to taste
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

1. If using raw black lentils, rinse well.
2. Combine 4 cups of water in a large pot.
3. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently, about 20 minutes.
4. Drain the excess water from the lentils and rinse them gently in a colander.
5. Allow to cool to room temperature.
6. If using canned lentils, simply drain and rinse.
7. Mix the lentils with the remaining ingredients in a serving bowl.
8. Mix gently and thoroughly.
9. If time permits, let the salad sit at room temperature for about half an hour to allow the flavors to blend.
10. Enjoy it!

Interesting facts about the lens

• Lentils do not require pre-soaking .
• Red lentils are cooked the fastest .
• Avoid cooking lentils in cast iron or aluminum cookware.
• Do not forget to thoroughly rinse the lentils before cooking and take them to remove any dirt and stones.
• Brown lentils are the most common variety and hold their shape well during cooking, making them ideal for use in warm salads, soups and stews.
• Green lentils are great in salads or side dishes. It also keeps its shape perfectly and has a distinct taste.
• Red and yellow lentils are common in Indian cuisine and are used in dishes such as dhal. It breaks down when cooked, so use it mainly in soups or as a thickener for stews. It cooks quickly (usually about 15-30 minutes).
• Black lentils have a rich and earthy taste, a soft texture, and also look beautiful and make a great base for salads.
• French Puy lentils have a rich, peppery taste and complement beautifully with meat or fish.

And which lens do you like best? Write to us in the comments!