Description
This Mediterranean-inspired lentil salad recipe is bursting with flavor! Cold and refreshing, it’s made with simple ingredients in just 30 mins!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup uncooked lentils- French lentils, black lentils, brown lentils (2 1/2 cups cooked)
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes- or grape tomatoes, sliced in half, about 2 cups
- 1 English cucumber- or Turkish cucumber, diced, about 2 cups
- 1 bell pepper- yellow or red, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, very finely diced
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 1/4– 1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large lemon, zest and juice
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
Instructions
- Place lentils in a medium pot with 4 cups water and bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook until al dente. Check at 15 minutes, then check every few minutes. Drain, soak in cold water.
- While the lentils are cooking, prep the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, mint and parsley and place in a large bowl.
- Add the drained, cooled lentils to the bowl.
- Grate the garlic over the bowl, add the lemon zest, olive oil, salt, pepper and cumin and fresh lemon juice. Give a good stir to combine well. Adjust salt and lemon to taste. As the salad sits, the lentils may soak up the salt and lemon, so add more as necessary- especially if making this ahead- always taste before serving.
- Store in an airtight container the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Serve as is or over a bed of dressed baby arugula; add feta cheese if you like. Enjoy!
Notes
Optional additions: ½ teaspoon sumac, feta cheese, kalamata olives, arugula or baby spinach, splash red wine vinegar.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 176
- Sugar: 3.7 g
- Sodium: 301 mg
- Fat: 7.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.4 g
- Fiber: 4.1 g
- Protein: 7.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg