This is the BEST Lentil Salad! Loaded with a lot of ingredients that are not only good for your body, but for your tastebuds, too. A beautiful medley of fresh veggies and lentils is all tossed together in a mouthwatering lemon dressing.
Summer may be the season of salads, but let’s be honest – salads are delicious all year long! Keep things fresh in your meal routine with vegan salads like Kale Caesar Salad, Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas, Jennifer Aniston Salad (Bulgur Salad), or my classic Chickpea Salad!
The best lentil salad recipe
I’ll admit it – I’m in love with lentils! There’s a whole lot to love about them, after all. They’re budget friendly, high in fiber and a good source of plant protein. Oh, and when served in salads like this, they’re also downright delicious!
While lentils may be the main ingredient here, they’re complimented in a tasty way by an array of bold ingredients like cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, parsley, and feta cheese. All of those ingredients tossed together with my homemade dressing makes it impossible to have just one bite of this Lentil Salad!
Why should you make this lentil salad?
- The dressing is SO good! Store bought salad dressings are fine, but none of them can hold a candle to homemade concoctions. Olive oil is all dressed up with lemon juice, agave, dijon mustard, and more in this easy (and oh so flavorful) dressing recipe.
- It’s perfect for lunch. Next time you’re headed to work, pack this Lentil Salad. This recipe actually hits the spot and keeps you full until dinner!
- It’s loaded with fresh veggies. If you need a way to fit more veggies into your diet, here you go! Lentil Salad is packed with fresh, crunchy cucumbers and bell peppers that’ll help you meet your daily veggie quota.
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
For the salad:
- Dry Green Lentils – You can also use 4 ½ cups of cooked or canned lentils instead.
- Water
- Cucumber – I prefer using english cucumbers because they tend to have less seeds than others. However, you can use whatever kind of cucumber you want to.
- Red Onion – Red onions are preferred for this salad more than any other onion because of their bold, potent onion-y flavor.
- Bell Pepper – While any flavor of bell pepper can be thrown into this simple salad, red bell peppers are preferred because of their vibrant color and slight natural sweetness.
- Parsley – Use fresh, not dried parsley for a delightful herbaceous note.
- Feta – Crumbled Feta Cheese is an optional ingredient, but highly recommended! It compliments the salad perfectly. I use a dairy free version, either homemade, Violife or Trader Joe’s brand.
- Greens – I like to serve my Lentil Salad with some arugula or baby spinach for an extra touch of fresh flavor.
For the dressing:
- Olive Oil – Avocado oil can be substituted if desired.
- Lemon Juice – For this salad dressing, it’s imperative to use freshly squeezed lemon juice only!
- Agave – Agave lends a touch of natural sweetness to this dressing that helps balance out the other savory/tangy flavors.
- Dijon Mustard – Do NOT substitute this ingredient with regular yellow mustard.
- Garlic – You’ll want to mince a fresh garlic clove for the best flavor and aroma. Don’t use pre-minced here!
- Salt – Be careful not to be too heavy handed with the salt. It can easily overpower the other ingredients in this dressing.
- Black Pepper – For the best flavor, use freshly ground black pepper.
How to make lentil salad
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Add the lentils and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse under cold water so they stop cooking and cool fast. Add them to a large bowl.
Chop the cucumber, red onion, red pepper and parsley and add them to the bowl with the lentils.
Whisk all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Alternatively, add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake until well combined.
Pour the dressing over the lentils and vegetables and stir everything together. Stir in the feta, if using, and serve over a bed of arugula or baby spinach, if desired. You can also simply mix the greens into the salad. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
- How long will vegan Lentil Salad stay fresh? In an airtight container in the fridge, this salad will stay fresh for about 2-3 days.
- What else can I add to this Lentil Salad recipe? You can easily toss in some quinoa, farro, or bulgur.
- What lentils can I use? If you can’t get your hands on any dried green lentils, canned lentils will work just fine! You can use green, brown or black lentils, but don’t use red as they just become mushy.
Want to incorporate more lentils in your routine?
Try any of these delicious recipes featuring the mighty lentil:
The Best Lentil Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1 1/2 cups dry green lentils or 4 1/2 cups cooked/canned
- 5 cups water
- 1 medium english cucumber, diced
- 1 cup diced small red onion
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta, optional I used Violife vegan feta
- 3-4 cups arugula or baby spinach, optional
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons agave
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- few shakes ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the lentils and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender but not mushy. Drain and rinse under cold water so they stop cooking and cool fast. Add them to a large bowl.
- Chop the cucumber, red onion, red pepper and parsley and add them to the bowl with the lentils.
- Whisk all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl. Alternatively, add all ingredients to a mason jar and shake until well combined.
- Pour the dressing over the lentils and vegetables and stir everything together. Stir in the feta, if using, and serve over a bed of arugula or baby spinach, if desired. You can also simply mix the greens into the salad. Enjoy!
Notes
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The salad will keep for 2-3 days covered in the refrigerator.
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May add in some cooked quinoa, farro or bulgur.
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Canned lentils work just fine. You can use green, brown or black lentils but don’t use red as they just become mushy.
Will this be a good lunch/dinner for diabetics? Add a little chicken for more protien even though lentils are protien.
Really enjoyed how fresh and healthy this tasted. We were shocked that even adding in the spinach from the beginning with the dressing didn’t make the spinach soggy after a few days in the fridge.
Hi Tricia. I’m so glad you loved the salad! Thanks for sharing your feedback and wonderful review!
This could be my new favorite salad. So fresh and healthy. I used Trader Joe’s cooked lentils which makes putting the salad together even easier. The dressing is perfect for this salad. I had some TJs cooked beets and threw them in too. So so good. I’m serving this with your gilled tofu Nora. I love all your recipes. Thank you!
HI Diane. I can read the ‘fun’ you are having with trying out new food recipes! I just love it! Thank YOU for your wonderful review and delightful comments! I’m thrilled you are loving my recipes, and appreciate you! Wshing you happy cooking!
Fast, fresh and delicious!! Thanks Nora!
Great meal, quicker to prepare than I expected and super nourishing as I am currently sick and wanted something healthy. Thank you!
Soooooo good! Best lentil salad I’ve had. I subbed radishes for cucumbers since I’m not a fan of the latter, and subbed green onions for the red since that’s what I had. Served over baby spinach leaves. Delicious and nourishing.
Thanks for sharing your great ideas and wonderful feedback! I’m so glad you loved the salad!
This salad was delicious! Added a small amount of celery & some cut up cherry tomatoes. Served over baby spinach. This was very light, enjoyed every bite! Will definitely be making it again. Thanks Nora
Thanks for your wonderful feedback, Mary! I’m so glad you loved the salad! Your serving idea sounds delicious! You are welcome!
I’ve never cooked with lentils. Do I still have to boil the canned ones or are they ready to use
Hi Penny. The canned lentils are already cooked and ready to be used. Enjoy!
How much is one serving?
To know exactly you’d have to divide the whole recipe by 8, but I believe it’s about 3/4 cup of salad.
I love this so much I ate it every day until it was gone. The minute I swallowed the last bite I put a pan of water on the stove to start another batch. The second time I added chopped apples, walnuts, and diced beets. Everyone needs to make this salad. Thanks for another winner, Nora ❤️
Probably one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten in my life and the healthiest too! Nora’s recipes are unmatched! Literally… they’re all amazing!
Thanks for your amazing feedback and review! I’m thrilled you love the lentil salad! I appreciate you using my recipes! Happy cooking!
This salad is awesome! Reminds me a lot of my favorite salad from Costco that they stopped carrying a while back! We like to add cooked quinoa to it and serve with tortilla chip “dippers”. So filling and satisfying! Thanks so much Nora, your recipes never disappoint!
Hi Carrie. I love your serving suggestion! Thanks for sharing that, as well as your wonderful review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Thank you so much for all your delicious and wonderful receipes xx
You bet, Dawn! I appreciate your uplifting feedback! Thanks for your fabulous review!
What a light and delicious meal for a hot summer evening. We had it with fresh Italian bread. Fortunately I found vegan feta from follow your heart. (I don’t like violife’s feta. It tastes like goat cheese which I never liked) . This would be a great dish to take to a potluck.
Hi Cheryl. I agree that this is a wonderful summertime meal! I’m glad you found that feta that you love! Thanks for taking time to share your feedback and ideas!
Can this be made with brown lentils or maybe even red
Hi Justine. You can use green, brown or black lentils, but don’t use red as they just become mushy. Enjoy!
Can this be made with brown lentils or maybe even red
I think I may have just answered you, however just in case! You can use green, brown or black lentils, but don’t use red as they just become mushy.
Excellent Summer salad with so many possible variations.
Thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes. I am a huge fan!
Hi Chris. I am thrilled that you loved the salad! I appreciate you using my recipes and am glad you are loving them! Thank you for sharing your awesome review! Happy cooking!