Mediterranean Lentil Salad

This Mediterranean Lentil Salad is a Greek salad with serious staying power. Quick-cooking lentils, kale, a bounty of vegetables, and a zippy vinaigrette and herbs make this a meal prep recipe you'll actually look forward to eating.

Course Salad

Cuisine Greek, Mediterranean

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings servings (2 cups each)

Calories 268kcal

Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

For the lentils:

1/2 pound lentils rinsed and picked over (1 1/4 cups dried, see note 1)

For the vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 clove garlic minced or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad:

1 bunch kale stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces (see note 1)
2 cups grape tomatoes halved
2 cups hothouse cucumbers halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (see note 3)
1 cup pitted Kalamata olives drained and halved
1/2 red onion thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup radishes thinly sliced (2 to 3 radishes)
8 ounces feta cheese cubed or crumbled (see note 4)
Fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, thyme, and mint, for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To make the lentils, bring 3 cups water to boil. Add lentils and simmer until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet to cool completely. (Do not overcook.)
Meanwhile, In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (I like 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
To assemble the salad, in a large bowl, combine cooled lentils, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, red onion, and feta cheese. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine and garnish with fresh herbs if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Notes

Lentils: For this lentil salad recipe, seek out brown or whole green lentils. Save split lentils for other purposes; they’ll break down too much to make a good salad.
Kale: Any kale works here. Just be sure to remove the woody stems before tearing the leafy greens into bite-size pieces.
Cucumbers: If you use hothouse, Persian, or other thin-skinned cucumbers, peeling and seeding is optional.
Feta cheese: To make this salad vegan, omit the feta or substitute your favorite non-dairy crumbly cheese.
Yield: This Mediterranean Lentil Salad recipe makes 8 hearty servings, 2 cups each, ideal for a light lunch or dinner side dish.
Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To meal prep the salad, leave out the feta cheese until the day you are going to eat it.

Nutrition