This is a delicious lentil salad that’s wonderful when served as a side as well as nutritiously satisfying when served as a main. This recipe makes a huge batch because we’d suggest you consider making it ahead of time as a side dish to pair with your meat or seafood throughout the week.

Ever since the husband decided to gain muscle weight and cut back on carbs, I discovered that our grocery expense has been going straight up.

The reason is simple.

Carbs make you full and satisfied. Without the carbs, where do you find the satisfaction from a meal? Protein. That’s what I have been doing. I’ve been cooking an extensive amount of chicken, meat, and fish to pair with vegetables for a few weeks. You know, just very clean and healthy stuff that happens to be a bit more expensive.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

I know that I need to look for some alternatives to keep both of us satisfied, in terms of the hubby’s fitness goal and my budget for food.

Now, here’s the question.

What food is cheap, easy and high in protein?

I searched for the answer and the trustworthy Google pointed me to the direction of light. The answer is LENTILS.

One cup of cooked lentils provides 18 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber. Halilullah! It’s apparently the powerhouse of nutrition. How much is one pound of lentils? A little more than $1, right? That’s just music to my ears. Sign me up!

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

The lentils in this recipe are cooked along with onion, carrots, and herbs. You can smell the deliciousness while they are simmering. Then we mix the drained lentils and vegetables with fresh raw onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes and more fresh herbs to give it some more freshness and crunchiness.

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Lastly, a simple dressing combined with olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and a little salt and pepper goes a long way.

You can serve this delicious Mediterranean lentil salad warm or cold. It refrigerates well. So make a big batch and enjoy it as a side or main throughout the week. I hope you like it as much as we do.

Once you cook it, leave a comment below and tell me what you pair it with. I’d love to hear your ideas! Cheers!

This is a delicious lentil salad that's wonderful when served as a side as well as nutritiously satisfying when served as a main.
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Mediterranean Lentil Salad

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  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Salad, Side, Vegan
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
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Description

This is a delicious lentil salad that’s wonderful when served as a side as well as nutritiously satisfying when served as a main.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 16 ounces green or brown lentils, rinsed
  • 2 cups carrots, finely diced and divided
  • 2 cups red onions, finely diced and divided
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 cup celery, finely diced
  • 1 cup tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 stems green onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

For the dressing:

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine lentils, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup red onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and 5 cups water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low; simmer for 20-25 minute until lentils are tender but not mushy. Remove from heat and drain; discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig.
  2. While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper; mix well.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, add cooked and drained lentil and vegetables, the remaining carrots and onions, celery, tomatoes and fresh herbs. Pour the dressing over and mix well. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe barely adapted from AllRecipes.com

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 112
  • Sugar: 4.1g
  • Sodium: 596mg
  • Fat: 6.9g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 12.4g
  • Fiber: 4.2g
  • Protein: 2.2g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen
Sharon Chen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, an author and a sous vide fanatic who believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she's on a mission to help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.