This easy lentil salad makes the perfect lunch and it’s also great for picnics, potlucks, and BBQs. The recipe is super easy, entirely vegan, and packed with nutrients and flavor!
Why This Recipe Works
I absolutely love legumes and we eat beans and lentils almost every day. They’re the perfect source of plant-based protein for vegans and vegetarians!
This lentil salad is one of my favorite salads for summer! It’s great for hot summer days when you don’t feel like cooking much. And it also makes a great side dish for BBQs.
After you have cooked the lentils, it takes less than 10 minutes to put everything together. So it’s perfect if you don’t have much time but you still want something tasty and healthy.
It’s healthy, light, fresh, satisfying, and super filling! And it’s really budget-friendly. You don’t need any fancy ingredients and you can find everything in any regular grocery store.
I absolutely love the combination of brown lentils and crunchy cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes. The freshly chopped parsley and mint provide this salad with a ton of flavor.
For the dressing I used olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Super easy and delicious!
I’ve made this salad so many times and it’s always a huge hit!
What Goes Into This Recipe:
- Lentils – you can use brown or green lentils. You need dried lentils for this recipe.
- Cucumber – I used a large English cucumber.
- Parsley & Mint – both fresh. Use it generously for the best flavor.
- Tomatoes – I used regular size tomatoes, but you could also use cherry tomatoes if you want.
- Bell Pepper – I used a yellow pepper.
- Red Onion
- Olive Oil – I usually use orgnic, extra virgin olive oil. Make sure to use a high quality oil. It really makes a difference in taste!
- Mustard – you need Dijon mustard.
- Lemon – fresh lemon juice.
- Garlic
How To Make This Recipe
1. Step: Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the package. Don’t cook them for too long. They should be just tender. I like to cook dried lentils in my Instant Pot. I usually cook them for 9 minutes.
2. Step: Cut the cucumber, the tomatoes, and the bell pepper into medium-sized pieces. Finely dice the red onion.
3. Step: Finely chop the parsley and the mint.
4. Step: Juice the lemon.
5. Step: Make the dressing: Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and stir well. Then place everything in a large bowl and toss until evenly combined.
Recipe Notes
- I like to cook dry lentils in my Instant pot as this is a very quick and hands-off method. But of course you could also cook them on the stovetop. Just follow the instructions on the package.
- I usually prefer freshly cooked lentils, but if you’re in a real hurry you could also use canned lentils. This makes this salad much quicker and it comes together in less than 10 minutes. Rinse the lentils well before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.
- For the perfect flavor, make sure to generously use fresh parsley and mint.
- If you’re looking for a bigger meal, you could serve this salad with Hasselback potatoes or garlic smashed potatoes.
FAQs:
How Long Does The Lentil Salad Last?
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, this salad lasts 3-4 days.
Any Ideas Concerning Replacements and Add-Ins?
I like adding diced avocado to this salad for a change. But please keep in mind that avocado won’t keep very well, so only add it if you know you won’t have any leftovers.
Adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes is also a great idea! If you want you could replace the red onion with green onion.
Related Recipes:
- Vegan Chickpea Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Quinoa Black Bean Salad
- Mexican Salad
- Southwestern Pasta Salad
- Orzo Pasta Salad
I Love To Hear From You!
I hope you like this lentil salad as much as we do around here.
If you give it a try, I’d love to know what you think about it. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!
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Sina
Lentil Salad
Equipment
- 1 pot or pressure cooker
- 1 chopping board
- 1 large kitchen knife
- 1 lemon juicer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils
- 1 English cucumber
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 3 tomatoes
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 small red onion
For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
For the Salad:
Instructions
- Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the package. Don't cook them for too long. They should be just tender. I like to cook dried lentils in my Instant Pot. I usually cook them for 9 minutes.
- Cut the cucumber, the tomatoes, and the bell pepper into medium-sized pieces. Finely dice the red onion.
- Finely chop the parsley and the mint.
- Juice the lemon.
- Make the dressing: Place all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and stir well.
- Then place everything in a large bowl and toss until evenly combined.
Notes
- I like to cook dry lentils in my Instant pot as this is a very quick and hands-off method. But of course you could also cook them on the stovetop. Just follow the instructions on the package.
- I usually prefer freshly cooked lentils, but if you're in a real hurry you could also use canned lentils. This makes this salad much quicker and it comes together in less than 10 minutes this way. Rinse the lentils well before adding them to the rest of the ingredients.
- For the perfect flavor, make sure to generously use fresh parsley and mint.
- If you're looking for a bigger meal, you could serve this salad with Hasselback potatoes or garlic smashed potatoes.
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