Lemony Lentil Salad
My Lemony Lentil Salad is both healthy and delicious! Steamed brown lentils are marinated in a fresh lemon and herb dressing, then combined with tomatoes and parsley. The bright dressing penetrates the warm lentils to give you a delicious flavor in every bite. This tasty salad makes a wonderful lunch or side dish.
A great make ahead recipe, this lentil salad is best prepared the night before to allow all the flavors to develop. This quick and easy recipe is also plant-based, dairy free, and gluten free! To learn how to make this yummy and healthy lentil salad recipe, see the printable recipe card below. Take a look at the recipe video, or get Step by Step Instructions for a more detailed explanation of this recipe. For other recipe variations and menu suggestions, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in this recipe’s Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
LEMONY LENTIL SALAD
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a fine Microplane zester, grate lemon zest, and using the same lemons, squeeze lemon juice.
- To a 12 ounce jar (see Note #2), add lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, Herbes de Provence, garlic powder (or pressed garlic), kosher salt, and pepper. Close lid tightly, and shake vigorously until all ingredients are combined and emulsified. Set aside.
- Finely chop parsley, and set aside.
- Follow package instructions to warm Trader Joe’s steamed lentils in the microwave (about 2 ½ minutes). Carefully remove warm lentils from package (they will be hot), and transfer to a medium bowl (2.5 quart bowl with lid). Using a Fiskie (or fork), gently fork the lentils to separate them.
- Before adding the dressing, allow lentils to cool a bit (see Note #3). Shake the dressing jar once more, then pour the dressing over the lentils, add only 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and gently toss to coat. Cover bowl, and refrigerate overnight (or a minimum of 6 hours).
- When ready, remove lentils from the fridge, heat in the microwave until barely warm (about 1-2 minutes just to remove the chill), and gently stir (see Note #4). Deseed & chop tomatoes into a small dice. Add remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, and kosher salt, and gently toss to combine. Serve room temperature or warm with a wedge of lemon.
Notes
- To save time, I used 1 package of Trader Joe’s steamed lentils (17.6 ounces), which are pre-cooked. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, substitute with two 9 ounce packages of Melissa’s steamed lentils. You can also steam your own dried lentils from scratch, season with salt, and use a kitchen scale to measure 18 ounces in weight of cooked lentils.
- You can also use a measuring cup (2 cup), and whisk together the ingredients.
- Lentils should be warm, but not hot. If you add the dressing to hot lentils, the lentils will soak up too much of the dressing and the salad will be dry.
- To serve salad at room temperature, remove lentils from the fridge about 1 hour prior to serving, and let stand at room temperature. Then fold in parsley and tomatoes, and serve with a wedge of lemon.
- Recipe can be made ahead of time, up to 2 days in advance (do not add tomatoes until just before serving).
- Makes 4 large servings (6 smaller side dish servings).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
286.19Fat (grams)
14.34 gSat. Fat (grams)
1.89 gCarbs (grams)
30.26 gFiber (grams)
8.57 gNet carbs
21.66 gSugar (grams)
2.1 gProtein (grams)
13.23 gSodium (milligrams)
319.59 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
Note: I used Meyer lemons for this photo shoot, and because of their thinner skin, I need 3 lemons to zest. If using regular lemons, two large lemons should be sufficient.
Dressing
STEP 1
Using a fine Microplane zester, grate 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1-2 lemons). Using the same lemons, squeeze ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons).
STEP 2
To a 12 ounce jar (see Note below), add lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon Herbes de Provence, ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove, pressed), ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste), and ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper. Close lid tightly, and shake vigorously until all ingredients are combined and emulsified. Set aside.
Note: You can also use a measuring cup (2 cup), and whisk together the ingredients.
Lentil Salad
STEP 1
Finely chop 2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, and set aside.
Note: Although I recommend using flat leaf parsley, I ran out and I had to use curly leaf parsley for this photo shoot.
STEP
Follow package instructions to warm 1 box Trader Joe’s steamed lentils (17.6 ounces - see Note below) in the microwave (about 2 ½ minutes). Carefully remove warm lentils from package (they will be hot), and transfer to a medium bowl (2.5 quart bowl with lid). Using a Fiskie (or fork), gently fork the lentils to separate them.
Note: To save time, I used 1 package of Trader Joe’s steamed lentils (17.6 ounces), which are pre-cooked. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, substitute with two 9 ounce packages of Melissa’s steamed lentils. You can also steam your own dried lentils from scratch, season with salt, and use a kitchen scale to measure 18 ounces in weight of cooked lentils.
STEP 3
Before adding the dressing, allow lentils to cool a bit (see Note below). Shake the dressing jar once more, then pour the dressing over the lentils, add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and gently toss to coat. Cover bowl, and refrigerate overnight (or a minimum of 6 hours).
Note: Lentils should be warm, but not hot. If you add the dressing to hot lentils, the lentils will soak up to much of the dressing and the salad will be dry. In this photo, I used a measuring cup for the dressing, but the jar method works best.
STEP 4
When ready, remove lentils from the fridge, heat in the microwave until barely warm (about 1-2 minutes to just remove the chill), and gently stir (see Note below). Deseed 2 fresh tomatoes, chop them into small dice. Add remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, chopped tomatoes, and 1 pinch kosher salt, and gently fold to combine.
Note: To serve salad at room temperature, about 1 hour prior to serving, remove lentils from the fridge, and let stand at room temperature. Then fold in remaining parsley and all the tomatoes, and serve with a wedge of lemon.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Serve room temperature or warm with a wedge of lemon, and enjoy as a vegetarian main course, or a side dish!
VIDEO
How to Make this Lemony Lentil Salad!
(VIDEO COMING SOON)
Blog Comments & Tips
A bright and lemony salad!
My Lemony Lentil Salad is a deliciously healthy option as a side dish, or makes a great vegetarian main course. To make this recipe extra easy, I used pre-cooked steamed brown lentils, and marinated them in a fresh lemon and herb dressing. Adding the salad dressing to warm (not hot) lentils, allows the flavor to penetrate each lentil. It then marinates overnight to allow the flavors to develop. To complete this recipe, I added fresh tomatoes and parsley just before serving.
I developed this recipe years ago. Each time I make it, it always turns out a little different. Whenever I serve it to guests or bring it to a potluck, I am always asked for the recipe. Admittedly, it has been difficult to pin down the exact measurements because I’ve always gone by feel when I cook. I tend to bake with exact measurements (as it’s more of a science), but I always “cook from the heart.” Even so, I definitely enjoy the challenge of developing recipes and documenting them for this food blog.
I always make my recipes multiple times to refine them (often up to 5-10 times) before publishing. That said, the outcome of all recipes still seems to vary depending on what products and appliances you use. This recipe should be pretty straight forward and shouldn’t have much variation, as it is a super simple recipe. This salad can be made ahead of time and even quadrupled if you are feeding a crowd. Don’t be surprised if you get asked for the recipe!
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 5 tips to making this delicious Lemony Lentil Salad:
To save time, I used 1 package of pre-cooked Trader Joe’s steamed lentils (17.6 ounces). If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you, substitute with two 9 ounce packages of Melissa’s steamed lentils. You can also steam your own dried lentils from scratch, season them with salt, and use a kitchen scale to measure 18 ounces in weight of cooked lentils (going by weight will give you the right ratio of lentils to dressing).
If you use Meyer lemons, you may need to zest 3 lemons because they have a thinner peel. If you are using regular lemons, 2 will be enough for this recipe.
Warm the lentils before tossing them in the dressing. You want them warm, but not hot. Warm lentils will absorb some of the dressing and make the salad more flavorful. If they are too hot when you add the dressing, the lentils will soak up all the dressing, leaving you with a dry salad.
For best flavor, let the lentils marinate overnight in the dressing.
Do not add the chopped tomatoes or parsley in advance. You want to toss them into the lentils just before serving. Otherwise, they will break down in the marinade and become mealy.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make it More Lemony: For a super lemony flavor, use up to 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of lemon zest.
Make it with More Dressing: Use the same amount of ingredients for the dressing, except use ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons) and ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil instead.
Make it Quicker: If you don’t have time to marinate the lentils overnight (or at least 6 hours), then go ahead and marinate them for 2 hours minimum. They will still be delicious, but the flavors won’t be as developed. Just like with homemade soup or chili, the flavor is always better the next day!
Make it with Protein: Make the lentil salad as directed, and serve with grilled chicken breast or roasted salmon for a complete meal with extra protein. Try my recipes for Ridiculously Easy Lime Chicken (but swap out the lime for lemon), or Roasted Salmon with Garlic & Herb Sauce (omit the sauce, and squeeze some lemon on it right out of the oven).
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Happy Cooking!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to wait to add the chopped tomatoes until just before serving. Otherwise, they will break down and become mealy.
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