Lentil Salad with Vinaigrette (Printable Version)

Vibrant lentils, tomatoes, cucumber tossed in a tangy mustard vinaigrette for a fresh, hearty dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Mustard Vinaigrette

09 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
13 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
14 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Combine lentils, water, bay leaf, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes until lentils are tender but firm. Drain and discard bay leaf. Allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - Place cooled lentils in a large bowl. Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and parsley. Stir gently to combine.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup if using, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour vinaigrette over lentil and vegetable mixture. Toss lightly to coat evenly. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - Refrigerate salad for 15 to 30 minutes to enhance flavors. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It gets better as it sits, so meal prep actually rewards you for planning ahead.
  • The mustard vinaigrette is bright enough to make simple vegetables sing without any fussy additions.
  • You can eat it cold from the fridge or at room temperature, which means it works for lazy mornings and packed lunches.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the lentils completely—even a little excess water in the pot will dilute your vinaigrette and leave you with a watery salad by tomorrow.
  • The difference between great and mediocre is taste-testing as you go and being willing to adjust the salt and vinegar slightly—every vinegar is different, every palate is different, so trust yourself.
03 -
  • Make extra vinaigrette and drizzle it fresh over the salad when you serve it the next day—it perks everything up and reminds people why they loved it the first time.
  • If you find the salad too vinegary after a day or two, stir in a little more olive oil instead of adding water, which keeps the flavors bright instead of diluting them.
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