Make-Ahead Lentil Salad

In my recipe testing notebook, the title for lentil salad is ‘lunchtime lentil salad’ because it can be made on a Sunday and keeps for several days for easy packed lunches. It’s a little more exciting than my staple marinated lentils and what we make in the summer and early autumn when all of these ingredients are in season.

You have seasoned, chewy lentils as the base here, with a lot of textural variation from avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and olives. The salad is plant-based as written – olives add a great salty note that works in place of cheese – but can be flexible to suit your preferences.

As with any salad like this, the vinaigrette needs to be the star, and this one doesn’t disappoint. It’s a Greek-style dressing with lots of lemon, olive oil, and oregano. The fresh parsley and finely chopped onion add to the dressing, mixing into every bite. It’s a really good salad.

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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why

Much like lentil tabbouleh, fresh herbs play an important role in this recipe and should be kept in. These are my notes from recipe testing. The full recipe card can be found below with complete measurements and instructions.

• Lentils: use black, brown (mountain), or green lentils here. Don’t use red lentils, which are too soft. I have never tried with canned lentils but it would probably fine, as long as they’re drained very well. The larger brown/green lentils (plate lentils) are starchier than other types and are best for lentil soup. Use beluga, du Puy, or mountain lentils for the best results.
• Vegetables: cucumber and tomato are great, adding just enough variety to the salad without being too much. Try red pepper, grated carrots, or whatever other vegetables you like to serve raw.
• Avocado: this is all about texture. If you don’t have a ripe avocado, try substituting something else that has a creamy texture and mild flavour, like a crumbly cheese or vegan alternative.
• Olives: a handful of olives adds some salty punchiness to the salad but can be omitted if you don’t like them. Try capers instead.
• Parsley: fresh coriander (cilantro) and basil are good subs for parsley, but both hold up a little less effectively to storage. See parsley substitutes.
• Lemon: zesty lemon makes up the main part of the vinaigrette. Substitute with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar in about half the quantity if needed. Try with preserved lemon vinaigrette for a tasty alternative.
• Honey: maple syrup is the best sub for honey and should be used if you’re looking for a fully vegan salad. A little sweetener goes a long way in rounding out the flavour of the vinaigrette.
• Onion: red onion can be sharp, but it adds a lot to the salad. If you’re sensitive to raw onion try a very mild salad onion instead, or pickled onion, or omit it altogether.
• Garlic: the vinaigrette is made with a clove of minced or grated garlic, and it’s very good – packed with flavour without being overwhelmingly garlicky. Try roasted garlic for a milder flavour. The garlic also acts as an emulsifier, making the vinaigrette thicker and creamier, as mustard usually does in other vinaigrettes. You can sub a half teaspoon of mustard for the garlic.
• Oil: I always use extra virgin olive oil. Your preferred oil can be substituted here.

How to Make Lentil Salad

Everything can be prepped while the lentils are cooking. They’ll need about 20 minutes which should be ample time, even if you’re not a speedy prep cook.

Step 1: make the vinaigrette. Either mix in a small bowl or shake in a jar to pour over the salad, or whisk it together in the bowl you plan to mix the salad in. If you choose the latter, be sure to toss the salad very well so that the vinaigrette is evenly incorporated.

Step 2: cook the lentils in salted water until tender, then drain very well. I drain for about five minutes, shaking the sieve periodically to get any water that’s still present to drain out. You don’t want any of the cooking water to transfer to the salad.

Related: Greek Chickpea Salad

Step 3: while the lentils are cooking, prepare the other ingredients. Add the vegetables and herbs to the lentils in a large mixing bowl, and pour the vinaigrette over the salad.

Step 4: mix the salad to combine the lentils and vegetables and to coat everything in the vinaigrette. Taste before serving and add salt if needed, to your taste. Serve immediately or let the salad rest at room temperature for about half an hour for the best taste.

Expert Tips for the Best Salad

• Drain those lentils: one of the most important elements to a good lentil salad is well seasoned, carefully drained lentils. Lentils with too much water in them will ruin an otherwise perfectly good lentil salad, and not seasoning during cooking starts your salad off with a bland base.
• Let it rest: the salad tastes best after half an hour to a couple of hours of resting, so that the vinaigrette can really work its way into the lentils. I prefer it at room temperature so that the vegetables taste best, but it’s good cold too.
• Don’t skimp on dressing: it might seem like more than is needed, but this isn’t a green salad, and you want enough vinaigrette to allow for the lentils to absorb some of it.
• Season to taste: how much salt is added to the final salad will depend on how much seasoning was added to the cooking water and whether you add something like a salty cheese, or omit the olives. Use your discretion.

More Summer Salad Recipes

• Strawberry Salad
• Avocado Pasta Salad
• Cucumber Melon Salad
• Avocado Bean Salad