This Simple Lentil Salad is made with colorful chioggia beets and watermelon radishes, fresh parsley, and a delicious dressing! It’s the perfect easy lunch to pack for work, or as a meal-prepped dinner side! This salad is also full of plant-based fiber and protein from green lentils and sunflower seeds.
If you’ve been following Well and Full for a long time, you know that I’m all about the chickpea. My most popular recipe ever is a chickpea bowl, and I have chickpea salads, soups, and pastas galore in my recipe box. But in the 9 years since I started this blog, I’ve started to move away from chickpeas and onto lentils. What I love about lentils is that they’re small enough to “hide” into almost anything. Since I’m always looking for ways to make my meals more healthful and nutritious, lentils are ideal to fold into big pasta bowls or mac and cheese for added fiber and protein. They’re also perfect in soups, ramen, and even scrambled eggs.
In this Simple Lentil Salad, however, lentils are the star. This salad is very easy, but pays off in big flavor thanks to the zesty vinaigrette. Since winter beets and radishes are in season, they make the perfect addition to this salad. However, you could customize the vegetables based on your liking depending on the season. Here are some ideas for seasonal lentil salad additions, using this recipe as a base:
- Spring – grilled asparagus, carrots, fresh herbs, watercress
- Summer – tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, basil, bell peppers
- Fall – roasted squash or pumpkin, sage, shredded & sautéed brussels sprouts
- Winter – beets, radishes, parsnips, fennel, leeks, winter squash
Be sure to save this recipe on Pinterest to keep in your back pocket for multi-season eating! Enjoy!
If you love lentils, you’ll also love this Barbecue Lentil Bowl and Hearty Vegan Stew!
Simple Lentil Salad
Ingredients
Lentil Salad
- 2 Cups Uncooked Lentils
- 1 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
- 1/4 Cup Roasted Salted Sunflower Seeds
- 1 Chioggia Beet thinly sliced
- 1 Watermelon Radish thinly sliced
Salad Dressing
- 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Juice from 1/2 Lemon
- 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Tbsp Honey
- 1/2 Tsp Salt or more, to taste
- 1 Tsp Dried Parsley
- 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 Tsp Hot Paprika
- 1/4 Tsp Cumin
- 1/2 Tsp Thyme
- 1/2 Tsp Tarragon
Instructions
- To begin, cook your lentils in SALTED water for as long as your lentil package instructs. Don't skip the salt – it adds a lot of flavor to the salad!
- While lentils are cooking, make the dressing. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Taste, and adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Prep your beet and radish by washing and peeling off any dirty/bruised parts of the vegetable. Carefully using a mandoline slicer, slice the beet and radish into thin slices. Alternatively, carefully cut them using a knife. Once you have your slices, stack them and cut them into fourths.
- Also, prep your parsley by washing, drying, then chopping.
- Once the lentils are done cooking, drain and rinse off any leftover cooking liquid. Let lentils cool slightly (they don't have to be cold, just not piping hot).
- Add to a bowl with the sliced beets, radishes, and parsley. Pour over the dressing, and mix until well combined. Top with the roasted, salted sunflower seeds.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure not to skip the salt when cooking your lentils. No, cooking in salt water does NOT make them tough – this is a myth! ;)
- Keep this salad refrigerated until serving. You can also take the salad out about 30 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature, or you can microwave it to your liking!
- This salad will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Simple Lentil Salad FAQs
Can you eat cold lentils?
Yes, as long as they are first properly cooked, then refrigerated. If making this salad ahead of time, it must be stored in the refrigerator in order to ensure food safety. The salad can be taken out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving, to bring to room temperature. Alternatively, you can microwave this salad if you’d prefer to eat it hot! Just note that the radishes and beets may lose some crunch.
Can you make this Simple Lentil Salad with feta?
Absolutely! This salad would be delicious with salty, briny feta sprinkled in.
What else can I add to this Simple Lentil Salad?
The sky’s the limit for a salad like this! You can add in alliums like chives, scallions, or red onion, for extra flavor. You can add more herbs like cilantro, dill, or basil as well. And you can add in more vegetables like thinly sliced bell peppers, roasted asparagus, sautéed zucchini, or shredded carrots too! For more protein, try adding in tofu or a meat/fish of your liking, or cheese like feta or grated parmesan.
Is this salad made with French lentils?
In this recipe I use regular green lentils, but you could also use French/Puy lentils, black/beluga lentils, or any other firm lentil. Do NOT use red lentils in this recipe, as they become mushy when cooked. You definitely want to use a lentil that will remain “al dente” after cooking, for best texture in this salad!
Is this the same salad as the “It Just Keeps Getting Better” Lentil Salad from Bon Appétit?
The viral lentil salad by Bon Appétit is a very different recipe than this, made with olives, almonds, and scallions. But similar to my Simple Lentil Salad, their recipe tastes better as it sits in the fridge, allowing the flavors to meld and marinate.
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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