Lentil Salad

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!

Course Salad

Cuisine American, Mediterranean

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 405kcal

Author Sina

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.

Nutrition