This lentil salad is a delicious combination of green lentils, crisp cucumber, red onion, sweet dates, fresh herbs, and a bright lemon vinaigrette. It’s crisp, fresh, and light! It’s also durable enough to last several days in the fridge, so you can enjoy it alongside other Mediterranean recipes all week long.
Lentil salad, similar to lentil soup, is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine. And I’ve enjoyed many variations of lentil salad throughout Italy, Israel, and France, all with slightly different flavor profiles. Travel is such a big influence and inspiration for my recipes!
But what I love most about this cold lentil salad is that’s it’s full of plant-based protein (which keeps you full) and it’s incredibly easy to make. Just cook the lentils, toss them with a variety of veggies, then drizzle my easy lemon vinaigrette on top. And while there’s a million and one ways to make lentil salad, I’m particularly fond of the ingredient combination in this version, which highlights that the simplest ingredient can often make for the best results.Â
Lentil Salad Ingredients
This is a simple ingredient list, but I do have one tip when it comes to dicing the onion, cucumber, and dates. Try to keep them all in a uniform, very small dice. That way you can enjoy a little bit of everything with every spoonful.Â
- Lentils: Green or Lentils de Puy (French Lentils) are best. They’ll stay firm and hold their shape without going mushy as they’re being tossed around.
- Vegetables: Finely diced cucumber and onions provide a refreshing and crisp crunch.
- Medjool Dates: This adds a sticky sweet bite! It’s also great for using dates that may have dried out in your pantry as they’ll be easier to dice and will then soften up again with the dressing.
- Fresh Herbs: Mediterranean recipes are all about fresh herbs. So chop up a good amount of fresh parsley for the salad.
- Lemon Vinaigrette: Make a batch of my lemon vinaigrette and use some on this salad, then save the remainder to use on other salads throughout the week.Â
How To Make Lentil Salad
The beauty of this lentil salad is how quickly it comes together. You could even cook the lentils the night before and let them cool overnight in the fridge, then whip this up quickly the next day.Â
Cook the lentils. In a medium saucepan, add the lentils, water, and bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to very low, cover the pot, and simmer for 16 to 20 minutes. The lentils should be soft but not at all mushy.
Pro tip: If you want to give your lentils an extra umami boost, add a piece of kombu seaweed to the mix. Additionally, the enzymes in kombu break down the phytic acid in lentils, which makes them more digestible!
Assemble the salad. Drain the lentils, and chill in the fridge for a few minutes. Then add the diced cucumber, red onion, dates, and parsley.Â
Add the dressing. Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette on top and toss it all together.
Common Questions
Simmering at too high a heat (and having them bounce around in the pot) is usually what leads to mushy lentils. They can overcook quickly, so keep an eye on the time.
You could also use dried raisins, prunes, cranberries, or cherries. Anything with a sticky sweet texture will taste great.
Complete a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dinner spread with entrees like baked salmon, baked cod, Greek lemon chicken, and chicken souvlaki. You could also serve the salad alongside falafel with tahini sauce for a vegetarian option.
Storage Tips
- To store: Place any leftovers into an airtight container. This lentil salad will stay good for 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
- Meal prep tip: If meal prepping this salad, I recommend slightly undercooking your lentils. I usually cook my lentils for 20 minutes. And that’s fine if I plan to eat this salad immediately and all in one day. But if it sits overnight or for a few days, the lentils will absorb the dressing and soften further. So reducing the cooking time by a couple of minutes is recommended!
More Easy Salads
- Broccoli Salad: Everyone’s favorite salad for almost any occasion.
- Greek Salad: Simple, fresh, and so easy.
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad: Can’t beat the added protein from the chickpeas.
- Cucumber Salad: The best kind of cucumber salad.
- Fresh Corn Salad: For all the corn lovers around the table.
- You can also enjoy this delicious list of salad recipes!
I hope you enjoy this lentil salad as much as I do! If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your review will help other readers in the community.
Description
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large cucumber, finely diced
- ½ red onion, finely diced
- 1 cup Medjool dates, finely diced
- 1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
- 1 recipe Lemon Vinaigrette, (I use half in this recipe)
Instructions
- Cook the lentils. In a medium saucepan, add the lentils, water, and bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to very low, cover the pot, and simmer for 16 to 20 minutes. The lentils should be soft but not at all mushy.
- Assemble the salad. Drain the lentils, and chill them in the fridge for a few minutes. Then, add the diced cucumber, red onion, dates, and parsley.
- Add the dressing. Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette on top and toss it all together.
Nutrition
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Originally published March 2019, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
What can you sub for the dates?
Hi Sara – you could use any sweet, dried fruit. Enjoy!