Summer lentil salad

Few things are better than eating a nice, fresh salad on a warm summer day. This summer lentil salad is the perfect option for that, since it is easy to make and very nutritious. We hope you will bring it to your next picnic!

We love the dressing shown in the recipe. The mustard, honey and lemon juice blend perfectly and create a delicious flavor. Nevertheless, if you do not wish to make it, we suggest not to skip dressing your salad. Lemon juice, olive oil, or your choice of vinegar may work fine, but not dressing the salad might cause it to be too dry and less enjoyable.

While it is not necessary, soaking the lentils will help to reduce the cooking time. If you can, put the lentils to soak 30 minutes before making the summer lentil salad. Be aware, however, that the cooking time will be shorter. It is important not to let the lentils get too soft, since you want them to be whole and maybe even a tiny bit firm.

Green and brown lentils are interchangeable, so don’t hesitate to use whichever kind you have at hand. Red lentils, however, tend to fall apart much more than the green and brown ones. We do not recommend using red lentils in the summer lentil salad; they are best saved for another recipe, such as the Italian lentil soup or the carrot and lentil soup with cashews.

Unless you want to keep it vegan, we suggest adding feta cheese to your summer lentil salad. The salty and sour flavor of the feta cheese makes those bites extra special and delicious. Since you can add the cheese directly to the plates, just serve it on the side so everyone is free to decide if they want cheese and how much of it.

Ingredients

For the salad

• 1 cup green or brown lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh mint
• 4 oz feta cheese (optional)

For the dressing

• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• lemon zest
• Salt & pepper

Instructions

For the salad

1. In a small pot, add water, the lentils and bay leaf and boil for 15 to 20 minutes until the lentils are soft. Be careful not to overcook them.
2. While the lentils are cooking, cut the cucumber and bell pepper into small cubes. Finely chop the red onion, fresh parsley and fresh mint as well.
3. When the lentils are soft, drain them and let them cool down. You may rinse them carefully in cold water if you wish. Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf.
4. Mix all the ingredients, including the (optional) crumbled feta cheese and the dressing in a large bowl.

For the dressing

• In a small bowl or cup, mix the Dijon mustard, honey, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Grate some lemon zest on top, and mix the dressing well.

Notes

• The recipe is for 4 servings.
• Prep time: 10 minutes.
• Cooking time: 15 minutes.
• If you wish to make it vegan, replace the honey with maple syrup and skip the feta cheese.

Similar recipes

If you like the summer lentil salad, you may also like the following recipes:

• Fennel and chickpea salad
• Green lentils with fennel
• Moroccan lentil soup
• Roasted fennel
• Chickpea avocado salad
• Italian lentil soup