I’m trying to stock my fridge with some healthy options for the week ahead because I didn’t do so well last week. So, this morning I threw together some of my favorite flavors (garlic, lemon, feta) into an easy Marinated Lentil Salad. This salad makes a great side dish on its own, or you can bulk it up a number of ways to turn it into its own meal.
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What Kind of Lentils Work Best for Lentil Salad?
I suggest a firm variety, like brown or green. I used brown lentils, which only take about 20 minutes to cook in boiling water. Green lentils take much longer, about 45 minutes. If you’re unsure of what type you have, check the cooking instructions on the package. I do not suggest using red, yellow, or orange lentils for this recipe, as they do not hold their shape when cooked.
Make Lentil Salad a Meal
If you want to bulk this up, you could add any of the following:
- chopped rotisserie chicken
- chickpeas
- chopped cucumber
- chopped bell pepper
- or even cooked and cooled rice
Serve as a salad or stuff it into a pita! I especially like to mix a dollop of hummus with the Marinated lentil salad, which gives even more garlicky flavor and a wonderful texture contrast to the lentils.
Tomato Options
The most expensive ingredient in this salad for me was the pint of grape tomatoes. They can be quite pricey, so if you want to cut costs even further just replace the grape tomatoes with about 3 diced Roma tomatoes, or whatever variety of tomato is least expensive at your grocery store. I tend to like Roma the best as a second choice here because the flesh is firm and they hold up well to the salad.
Meal Prep It!
This lentil salad tastes great right after mixing it all up, but it gets even better with time in the fridge (leftovers FTW!), which makes it perfect for meal prep! Just remember to give it a quick stir before eating to redistribute that wonderful dressing.
Marinated Lentil Salad
Servings 6 1 cup eachIngredients
LEMON GARLIC DRESSING
- 1 lemon ($0.59)
- 1/4 cup olive oil ($0.44)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced ($0.16)
- 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano ($0.15)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- Freshly Cracked Pepper
SALAD
- 1 cup dry brown lentils ($0.40)
- 1/2 bunch parsley ($0.40)
- 1 pint grape tomatoes ($2.99)
- 1/4 small red onion ($0.24)
- 2 oz feta, crumbled ($1.12)
Instructions
- Cook the lentils according to the package directions. For most brown lentils, bring 3 cups of water to boil in a pot, add the lentils, then continue to boil for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Drain the lentils in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water until they are cooled.
- While the lentils are cooking, prepare the lemon garlic dressing. Use a microplane, zester, or small-holed cheese grater to remove about 1 Tbsp of the lemon’s zest (the thin, yellow, outer layer of the peel). Set the zest aside. Juice the lemon and measure 1/4 cup of the juice to use for the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Set the dressing aside.
- Rinse the parsley well, shake off as much water as possible, then pull the leaves from the stems. Roughly chop the parsley leaves. Cut the grape tomatoes in half. Finely dice the red onion.
- When the lentils are cooked, cooled, and well drained, transfer them to a large bowl. Add the chopped parsley, tomatoes, red onion, crumbled feta, lemon zest, and the prepared dressing. Stir to combine the ingredients and coat everything in dressing.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat. Always stir the salad just before serving to redistribute the dressing and flavors.
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Nutrition
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How to Make Lentil Salad – Step by Step Photos
Begin by cooking one cup of dry lentils. Lentils are incredibly easy to cook. It’s just like pasta. Bring a large pot of water to boil (for one cup lentils, make it at least 3 cups water), add the lentils, then cook until tender (20 minutes for brown lentils). Drain the lentils in a colander and rinse briefly with cool water to cool them off.
While the lentils are cooking, prepare the Lemon Garlic Dressing. Remove about 1 Tbsp zest from the lemon using a microplane, zester, or small-holed cheese grater. Set the zest aside for later. Juice the lemon and use about 1/4 cup for the dressing.
To the 1/4 cup lemon juice, add 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper. Whisk the ingredients together. Set the dressing aside so it has a few minutes to blend.
Prepare the vegetables for the salad. Rinse 1/2 bunch of parsley and shake off as much water as possible. Pull the leaves from the stems, then give them a rough chop (about 1 cup once chopped). Slice the grape tomatoes in half. Finely dice the red onion. I really don’t like including small amounts like “1/4 red onion” in recipes, but red onion is one of those ingredients that is very potent and you really only need a small amount. To avoid wasting the rest of the onion, consider adding it to salads, pizzas, frittatas, or pickling the onions for longer storage.
Once the lentils are cooked, cooled, and drained, add them to a large bowl along with the lemon zest, chopped parsley, tomatoes, diced onion, and 2oz. crumbled feta.
Pour on the prepared Lemon Garlic Dressing…
Then just stir everything up until evenly combined and coated in dressing. The salad is pretty irresistible as is, but it gets even better as it sits in the fridge and those lentils absorb all that awesome flavor!
This is not going to last me long… I can’t stop scooping forkfuls into my mouth! In reality, though, this Marinated Lentil Salad makes about 6 cups, so depending on how you serve it, it’s about six servings. Ideas for bulking it out further can be found in the intro! Enjoy!
This is my fave lentil salad recipe to date! I’ve been making one of salads for over 30 years and this one is outstanding, maybe the lemon zest? I added half a can of garbanzo. Love it!!
Fantastic, and lasts for several days. The dressing is delicious, making any additions just as good as the basic original recipe. I made it using black lentils, which are my absolute favorite. It made for a gorgeous colorful plate of food too, with the green, red and white of the parsley, tomato and feta. I also added chopped kale, massaged with oil and salt, orange bell pepper (more color!), and a can of garbanzo beans. Oh, I also threw in some chopped green beans for crunch. Brought it to a pot luck and everyone loved it.
I am saving this one for sure!
I’ve made this many times because it’s so good! Usually add extra lemon juice. Love the ideas to use red pepper and cucumbers. So good! I use Bulgarian feta, add a little extra.
Loved this easy and quick salad! I’ve made it a few times and change it a little bit each time. My fav is adding cucumber and red pepper. I also ran out of garlic one time, and replaced it with garlic powder. Surprisingly, it was almost as good. I also add a bit of honey and a bit of white wine vinegar to the dressing. Will be making regularly!
I rarely leave comments but this recipe is so good. The flavour is very lemony and it tastes like summer. I’ve made it over a dozen times now and never make any changes except I add 1.5oz more cheese. Also small tip: add the onions and garlic to the the dressing and let it sit for a bit! Thanks!!!
Very tasty, but next time I’ll scale back on the garlic. It’s even better with a little Dijon mustard.
I didn’t love this one. It tasted fine, and it was a great way to use up some garden bounty, but something was missing. Did I need more lemon? Maybe a jalapeno? Did I cook the lentils too long? I’m not sure. In many of your recipes, I do find some ingredient amounts confusing. How big is half a bunch? How much is the whole bunch? In my grocery store, a bunch can be anywhere from about 1/2 cup to 6 cups, and I have parsley growing in the garden. Weight in ounces or grams, or measuring cup amounts would be very helpful for something like that.
Rarely leave comments but I have to give this recipe a boost. I have several marinated lentil recipes that I use but this one tastes as good as any of them and its ingredients are easier to come by. I just made it and am already thinking of making it again.
I recommend using black (beluga) lentils if you can get them, and I used the marinated red onion that I often have on hand (an easy Moosewood Cookbook recipe). Delicious!
I used to make this all the time but struggled with 2 things: failing to get through all the servings before it turned and not being particularly predisposed to enjoying the lentil part. I’ve thought about adding chickpeas or something to dilute the lentil-ness but then we come back to a single batch being too large to finish (since it’s just the two of us). Any suggestions for the lentil-averse?
How about reducing the lentils by half and adding in some chopped cucumber or bell pepper? Or perhaps just try making a smaller batch. If you go to the recipe card near the top where it has the number of servings listed in the little box, you can reduce it and the ingredients will adjust for you. :)
I’ve made this dish four or five times now, and love it. I add Israili couscous or orzo to balance the protein in the lentils, especially if theres a vegan visitor, in which case the feta is optional. It also makes more, so more leftovers. It works well for a picnic, and is easy to take on camping trips, pre-prepped.
Please explain how two ingredients made of white flour “balance” the protein of the lentils. I have never heard of this phenomenon. Love this salad! I make it very often and never tire of it, it’s so refreshing on hot summer days.
Lentils + a grain (rice, pasta, couscous, etc.) supply a “complete” protein. All 9 amino acids you need, without having to add in other protein sources. Dairy, eggs, and meat naturally contain all 9, but most vegetable sources, no matter how high the protein content, don’t. By pairing beans and legumes with a grain, you create a dish with complete protein.
Absolutely loved this salad. So easy and so good. My go to now. Even the dressing is perfect.👍😍
I was unsure about eating lentils cold but this salad was awesome and very filling! This is definitely going to be a staple for summer cookouts.
I modified this recipe quite a bit. I omitted the parsley because I don’t like it, and used balsamic vinegar instead of lemon, as I’m trying to use up what I have in my pantry before I move.
The salad was lackluster at first, but OMG, did it get delicious overnight! I added sunflower seeds for extra crunch. I think olives go great in this, even as a replacement for the feta if you’re vegan! (Though you might want to add some vegan mayo to the dressing, I think having something creamy is key to cutting through the super starchy lentils).
I’m excited to try it with chickpeas next! I also usually trust Beth on the amount of onion and garlic, and while the onion was spot-on for me, I think needed an extra clove of garlic.
Now I need to go back for seconds!
I can never tell the difference between green and brown lentils…. but it came out just as good! Love this recipe!
Can I use red lentils instead of brown?
Red lentils aren’t a good choice for this salad because they break down into a mush when cooked, instead of staying individual lentils that can be stirred into a salad.
Wow! What an amazing flavor! Perfect light yet packed with protein lunch, thank you!
Okay, YUM! This is delicious. I was trying to make lunch without running to the store, and this recipe was perfect. I forgot to add the feta, and it was still a winner.
I have been having this for lunch for weeks! YUM!!!! So tasty and fresh. I add a tiny bit of apple cider vinegar if I want a little extra zing. And a little extra feta….health is balance!!!! Lol
This is SO delicious. I just made it for the third time because my husband likes to take it to work for lunch/snack. The flavor combo is perfect. Fresh parsley, little texture from the lentils, oregano and the salty feta. I added some cucumber, cut into half matchstick size (if that is a size).. Yum Yum Yum.
This is amazing. Even better as leftovers.
This recipe may be my new BB favorite – and I’ve made a LOT on here! I added an English cucumber and extra feta. YUM!!!!!
I didn’t have feta so I added blue cheese. I also added some toasted walnuts. I also used a cutup beefsteak tomato instead. So good! I’m going to make this often for lunch!
This is the GREATEST recipe I have ever made. Honestly, it’s that good. Many thanks!!!!!!!
A surprisingly tasty salad with simple ingredients. I think the key is to not overcook the lentils (i used the French green puy lentils) and fresh lemon or lime juice. I used lime juice and it was perfect. I think it’s delicious with or without the feta (if you are vegan, a great option without cheese). Thanks for a delicious recipe!
This was delicious. I couldn’t find parsley so I used cilantro. Had some this evening and can’t wait to have it for lunches. This would also be good to bring to potlucks. Yum.
This is so good! I’m really looking forward to my lunches this week, if it lasts that long!
This a a great salad, full of flavor! A fav of mine!
Very versatile recipe! I used up what I had on hand – shallots in place of onions, omitted the parsley, and added cucumber. I’m thinking about adding quinoa as well. I can tell this is going to taste even better tomorrow!
My 12 year old daughter this is her favorite dish that I make! I love it too!! Sooo good!
Winner winner! Great work Molly!
Delish!
Thank you Bernie!
I can’t wait to make this salad. It looks amazing.
Thank you Denise!
I love Budget Bytes so much. Mostly because the recipes are so simple and delicious, but also because they’re so affordable and many times I have the ingredients in my pantry. The recipes don’t require me to make special trips and I don’t have to look for hard to find items. I’ve been trying to eat a more plant-based diet, but it’s been an adjustment incorporating enough protein on days when I don’t eat meat. This is a great meal or side dish to whatever else you’re eating. Delicious and simple! Everything came together while I was cooking the lentils. If I still lived in the US I would 100% use the cooked ones at Trader Joe’s because they’re super yummy. Next time I will add chickpeas and cucumbers! Can’t wait to eat it tomorrow.
Thank you!
Simple,easy,delicious! In my experience when adding dressings to salads like this, I add the dressing when the dish is still hot. it absorbs the dressing better and adds to the flavor.
Thanks!
Yes great tip!
I roasted a couple of chicken thighs and shredded them into the salad. Then I deglazed the roasting pan with a bit of chicken stock, reduced the liquid a bit, and added that to the dressing. Also a couple of finely chopped scallions since I had them in the fridge, and, as other commenters have suggested, some sliced cucumber.
Great and healthy recipe!
This sounds so yummy!
What is the nutritional info per serving?
Thanks!
This is really delicious and easy to put together. It is very versatile. I bought precooked lentils from Trader Joe’s because I’m lazy and added cucumber and avocado. The flavors especially with the feta make this pop. I think next time I’ll add some halloumi cheese. Thank you so much for the recipe. It’s a definite keeper.
OMG. Halloumi cheese addition sounds amazing!!! I need to add this next time too.
This is absolutely delicious and perfect for summer meal prepping! I added a chopped cucumber and served it over some greens with a big scoop of hummus.
Love love love!! I used it as a meal prep for last week to have lunches each day and I was really nervous as I hadn’t really made lentils before. I ended up looking forward to eating it each day!! It is DELICIOUS, and super easy to make. I added avocado to it some days to give it some extra protein.
This was amazing! I didn’t think I could make salad at home that I actually like. I added bell peppers, cucumber, and quinoa, and I used pickled onions. But next time I think I will try kale. Thank you so much for sharing this. Cheap and healthy and tastes heavenly.
Thank so much for this recipe! One of my favorites!
Do you think mint would be OK to replace the parsley? And I would like to add cucumber.
I just can’t imagine the mint taste difference.
Sure, this salad is very versatile and you can customize it with many different ingredients. I think cucumber would go great! :)
I used dill instead of parsley and it was amazing! Highly recommend!
I’ve made this with a cucumber and a bit extra feta, and found it makes great lunches for work along with a piece of fruit.
The best lentil salad ever!
We had this for dinner abd really liked the refreshing taste. I added some chopped, cooked chicken to round it out to a mire filling meal rather than a side dish. The leftovers were still great the next day.
Can I used canned lentills?
Yes, they would probably work well for this salad. :) Just drain them very well!
Best lentil salad i have ever done. Try it with germinated lentil for another taste (really good too).
I added a third clove of garlic, a little extra parsley (about 2/3 bunch total) and half a cucumber. It’s just what I needed between all the holiday junk food.
Delicious …. i use cilantros instead of parsley…. so yummy …
Finally made this today, exactly as written.s Yummy! The recipe will be residing in the “tried and true” folder on my desktop from now on. What I particularly like about this is that it is so flexible. I’m already planning for next time; will definitely add diced seedless cucumber, as someone suggested, and add a touch more EVOO – or will I marinate the lentils overnight with some rotisserie chicken and add couscous heated up in chicken broth for a full meal – or will I just throw in a can of oil-packed tuna – Needless to say, .I’ll be using this recipe a lot.
P.S. Couscous is pasta, not a grain.
SO yummy!! I’m trying to eat more protein and iron so I added white beans (and a little dill) and it’s just to die for!! Great summer salad!
I’m trying to find ideas to use leftover cooked green lentils and came across this. About how many cups cooked does the 1 cup dry yield?
Probably about 2.5 cups.
This is an amazing recipe! I also added some cucumber. So good! My husband is Lebanese so we make Mujadara often. This is a nice new idea with lentils.
I love your site! Your garlic creamy mushroom soup is now a family fav. Headed over there to comment right now.
Made mine vegan for two:
1. Halved the recipe
2. Omitted parsley and onion since I didn’t have them on hand. Added a bit of dried parsley to the dressing.
3. No feta to make it vegan
4. Stirred in about two cups of arugula at the end and served as an entree salad
Do you think it would work with red lentels? I have some and would love to use up
I don’t suggest red lentils for this recipe because red lentils break down and get mushy very easily when cooked, as opposed to brown and green lentils which hold their shape.
That’s why you only cook red lentils for 10 minutes. Delicious! and it would be pretty, too.
I will make this salad today and come back to rate the results.
I’ve actually made this with red lentils, and the other reply is right but you can still use red lentils by cooking them carefully and for not very long, only just until tender. I’d google times for them but it is doable.
Good recipe! I followed it as written and found it to be very salty. Next time I think I’ll skip the added salt and then add as needed. I would also probably use less parsley next time I make it. Awesome way to use lentils though!
I made a bit of an oopsie with the recipe and used spinach instead of parsley.
I looked at the recipe while at work on my cell phone, made an assumption that the green stuff was spinach, and then made a mental note that I needed to pick up feta cheese at the supermarket after work. When I got home, I started cooking my lentils, and then chopping the rest of my veggies. I pulled my container of spinach out of the fridge and chopped that up, looked at the recipe to get the measurements for the dressing and realized I needed parsley instead of spinach. Oops. My mistake turned into a nice change in the recipe.
If you’re a bonehead and make the same mistake, it will turn out nicely in your favor, that is of course, if you like spinach, and think it’s a wonder food such as myself.
This recipe reminded me a lot of tabbouleh, even without the parsley in it.
I bought a big bag of lentils at the Farmer’s Market a week ago and have been scowering the site looking for other recipes, tomorrow I’m trying the Dav Nirvana! Cannot wait!
Amazing recipe, 2 thumb up!
Spinach would be awesome in this! I love happy mistakes! :)
How long does this keep in the fridge?
About 4-5 days.
So good! I also discovered it’s pretty good heated up with some pasta and parmesan, oddly enough.
One of my all time favorites. I love that this recipe satisfies so many cravings, is very filling, and healthy. It’s definitely a staple in my house.
Such a crowd pleaser! Served it with tortilla chips and everybody loved it
Just went into my favortie recipes collection!
Thank you
This week I made lunch boxes with this salad, a hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumbers, and whole wheat crackers. It’s delicious, healthy, and filling! I made it last term, but my office-mate requested that I made less smelly lunches so I left out the red onion and some of the garlic, and added more feta for flavor. The recipe as written is pretty pungent for a small office.
I used Red Lentils! Not a good idea on my end. New to the lentil thing. but still made a addition to the salad.
I just made this! It lasted quite a while in the fridge and was great both just on its own and in a wrap with some hummus, as suggested. I used shallot instead of red onion, since I had one, and added yellow peppers and cucumber for extra veggies. I will be making this again!!
I forgot to add: I used my Instant Pot for the lentils, and they were perfect!
Love this recipe!! We leave out the feta to make it vegan and it is still delightful. My new favorite lunch is wrapping this lentil salad, fresh spinach, a little bit of tahini and drizzle of sriracha in a whole wheat tortilla. Heavenly!
I’ve been making something pretty close to this salad. Never thought of adding feta. What a great idea.
Yummy. Just made this and it’s delish.
Making this tonight. Do you think it would do well as a freezer meal?
I think this one is better fresh. You’ll lose the vibrant fresh flavor of the tomatoes and parsley if it’s frozen.
Could you please post the nutritional fact sheet?
Thanks
Another amazing recipe, thank you so much!
Just made this tonight for the first time and it was so amazingly good that I will save the recipe on my desktop so I can make it again and again. I made it exactly as written except that I had to use a yellow onion due to lack of having a red one. My husband agreed that it will become a staple in our home. Easy, healthy and sooo delicious. Thank you for another great recipe!
Here it is in freezing cold December and I’m making this recipe for the second time because it’s as near to perfection as it gets! I spent my summer surviving on various cold pasta and/or grain salads and I only wish this recipe had come out sooner. It is one of my all-time favorites. Also, I love lentils and while they are super healthy and always taste wonderful, this is probably one of the only recipes I’ve come across that also manages to make brown lentils look attractive. Bonus points! :)
This recipe was perfect for camping! It was easy to prep ahead of time and got tastier each day. Definitely making it again.
This was so good! A filling (but not TOO filling) & fresh lunch that is perfect to bring to work. I used fresh basil instead of parsley & added chickpeas and spinach to bulk it out. I also only had red lentils, so I kept a close eye on them while cooking so they wouldn’t be overdone… so far they haven’t fallen apart, but I will definitely use brown lentils next time! I could probably rotate between this and the Mediterranean Farro Salad for my desk lunches forever. Both recipes are delicious and a great way to get protein and veggies. I love actually looking forward to my lunch – thanks Beth!
This is a fantastic recipe! I made it pretty much as written, except I left out the tomatoes and lemon zest (personal preference). I found this did not inhibit the taste at all; in fact, this is one of the tastiest salads I’ve made, and I was looking forward to eating it the next night for supper, it was so good! Pretty easy to prepare too. Don’t hesitate to give this recipe a try, it’s delicious!
Really good! Don’t care for red onion so left that out and added extra parsley to make it more like tabbouleh. Great, quick, healthy recipe.
this was really good. we used dried herbs and lemon juice from a bottle because i didn’t want to go to the store. also was good with hummus mixed in! i accidentally overcooked my lentils in the IP but that didn’t bother us.
Beth OMG- this recipe is delicious! I had a sad 1/2 bag on lentils sitting in the pantry and was looking for a recipe to work them into. I made this by the recipe but threw in a 1/2 cup on black beans I needed to use up. I thought the flavor was a little ‘meh’ when I stirred it up initially, but after a night in the fridge it was AMAZING. I packed this for lunch for three days with a huge handful of fresh spinach. Then the last day I realized I was a little short on the lentil salad so I cooked and added 1 cup cooked pasta twirls (cooled before I mixed together) and a small handful of spinach to bulk things out. It was so good- I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation. With the pasta it would be a great BBQ side.
Ooh, I bet the pasta was really good in there! I love how you kept stretching it to make it last longer. :D
I had almost none of these ingredients except for the salad dressing ingredients and some tomatoes from my yard, so I made the dressing with vegetable oil (instead of olive oil) and added it to white beans, the tomatoes, and olives. I added purple onion to my second batch, and will probably throw in some feta to the third batch, as I cannot stop eating this! I also added some sugar to the dressing as I felt it needed it, and left out the zest. I have long been trying to find something good to make with my homegrown tomatoes & lemons, and now I have this awesome recipe! Thanks Beth!
Simply delicious! I added some couscous to bulk it out a bit and ate it with some leftover turkey breast. Thank you for the recipe!
So delicious! I normally stay away from salads because I just cook for myself and I find leftover salad doesn’t keep well in the fridge, but this really was even better the next day!! I did leave out the parsley though as I don’t like it much. Still very tasty and so so easy to make :)
YOU ARE AMAZING, I coordinate the food bank at my University and I can’t wait to tell our clients about this website.
Thank you so much for all that you do :)
Love this salad! Made it last night and subbed goat cheese for feta just because it was what I had on hand. Also had a few leftover carrots so I chopped them up really finely for some added texture and volume. So delicious and healthy — topped it with some grilled chicken for a full meal. Held up really well for lunch and was even more flavorful!! Will definitely be making again :)
I just made this today and it is a-mazing! Just like anything else I’ve made from your site! I did have to sub for the feta since my market didn’t have any. I used queso fresco instead. I’m sure I’m missing some of the flavor punch from the feta but, mine turned out delicious nonetheless. Now I’m wondering how this would taste with Mexican seasonings and cilantro instead of oregano and parsley…
I made this over the weekend – it was SO GOOD! I used pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s, added cucumbers and cooked quinoa to bulk it up, and used ciliegine/mozzarella (since I don’t like feta). It was so fresh and delicious! Thank you for another winner, Beth!
Wow! I have everything but the feta in my pantry, fridge, and garden. Can’t wait to showcase the last of my garden’s cherry tomatoes & parsley in this delicious salad.
I’m experimenting with keeping the salad parts separate: Lentils & dressing together (I added some sauteed kale), cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, feta chopped up and added fresh each time I eat it… mostly so the cucumbers and peppers stay crunchy and flavorful
I’m a parsley hater, as much a I try. What would be a good herb to substitute?
Basil, although that would be more expensive. You could even just do some chopped up fresh spinach to get that green. :)
What about a bit of shallot in lieu of the red onion? A little less bite, but also less waste if you don’t have plans for the rest of the red onion.
That would be perfect!
This was very good with the addition of several glugs of Crystal Sauce to wake it up a little. One tip is that I found cooking the lentils for the full 30 minutes on the package made them a tad softer than I wanted. I will make this again with a slightly shorter cooking time. Another winner!
Mmmm this is my Kind of dish!! Flavorful legumes all the way… This would also be divine with cumin in place of oregano, or in addition to. I’ve got little mozzarella balls in the fridge that I think I will use up instead of the feta. Can’t way to try this. Thanks for the inspiration!!!!
I did add a little bit of cumin & ground coriander to the dressing to make it more complementary to the Moroccan Spiced pork loin I served with it. I also used fresh oregano because I had it on hand and this salad is absolutely perfect.
Beth, We made this today and everyone in my family enjoyed it very much, even the confirmed lentil dislikers! I substituted the dehydrated oregano with fresh oregano from the garden and added it with the parsley. Just for fun, next time I am going to sprout the lentils for a little more sweetness, texture and nutrition.
I must say we have made great use of your blog since discovering it a few months ago. Every recipe has been a hit! Thanks for sharing your talent for capturing the essence and sophistication of each dish with only a few simple ingredients. We’ve been enriched by it.
hi, I dont really like feta cheese, any other choice of cheese? thank you.
Goat cheese might be alright, but it’s quite soft and it might not mix in quite as well.
Ricotta salata is similar to feta yet much more mild and firm. Shaved grana padano would be excellent as well.
Looks really pretty! And delicious of course. I do a similar salad with addition of couscous. It cooks incredibly fast – just add some hot broth and let it sit in a bowl for five minutes. The texture and taste really adds to the lentils.
Yum! I’ve made a version of this forever with balsamic and basil instead of lemon and parsley. I’ll try it your way next!!
LOVE how you’ve been adding so many vegetarian friendly recipes recently. Looking forward to adding this one to my collection.
This looks great. I’ve always wanted to try lentils but they always seem so difficult to cook with but this one looks really simple. Is there something you could suggest if I don’t want to put tomatoes in it?
Red bell pepper would be equally as pretty and “fresh” tasting. :)
Yum! I added cucumbers, black olives, and chicken, and left out the red onion (since I want to eat it for lunch at work and not feel like I’m wafting awful breath at my coworkers). Fresh-tasting, simple, and tasty!
i just discovered your blog yesterday & so glad i did… i just made this salad & it’s SO DELICIOUS & fresh. thanks for sharing!
Made this last night so I could have it for lunch today. Flavors are even better after being together for a day.
Really nice recipe to show how great fresh ingredients really are.
I just started eating lentils this year…this is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing =)
Yum, yum! We’re eating more vegetarian and this looks both nutritious and delicious. I also want to tell you, Beth, that I made your sweet and sour stir fry with fresh veggies and mushrooms last night. It was a hit. My only substitution was orange juice for the water. Thanks for the great recipe – it’s a keeper.
Another awesome recipe-full of flavor and very budget-friendly!
This looks awesome! I might skip the feta (since I can’t have dairy) and add some hummus to the dressing to give it a little creaminess and tartness.
I can’t wait to make this! Thank you!
we don’t do dairy either, so instead of the feta we used goat cheese. it’s fabulous.
And goat cheese is not dairy apparently
LOL