Lentil salad – Vegan salad recipes

Updated On Updated on May 1, 2018

Lentil salad is tasty simple dish that you can serve for dinner or between the meals. You will enjoy spicy-citrus lime dressing! This cold lentil salad is healthy for you. Moreover, it is one of my favorite vegan salad recipes!

Lentil salad in a bowl on a blue table

Lentil salad is tasty simple dish that you can serve for dinner or between the meals. You will enjoy spicy-citrus lime dressing! This cold lentil salad is healthy for you. Moreover, it is one of my favorite vegan salad recipes! #salads #easyrecipe #mothersday #spicy #veganrecipes

You can serve spicy lentil salad for your brunch, lunch or even dinner! Dish up with some roasted vegetables (check how we baked vegetables in a whole pumpkin here) and a refreshing drink! Oh yes, perfect dinner for summer night!

Time to make this lentil salad

Did I mention that it takes only 15 minutes to prepare? You will need your time only to chop some of the ingredients and mix together. No cooking!

Maybe you can prepare this lentil salad even faster? Leave a comment below, how much time it took for you to prepare this easy salad recipe.

Well yes, simple tasty and healthy dish! What’s great, you can take it away and eat during work lunch or share in the picnic. This recipe is also budget-friendly!

Moreover, it has only 154 calories!

Lentil salad served in a bowl

Lentils

Main ingredients here are brown lentils, which I used already-cooked from can. You should drain well canned lentils for this salad.

Yes, again, it is a simple salad recipe. Brown lentils are most available and popular. These also look great in the salad, because brown lentils retain their round shape well and don’t become mushy.

However, if you have uncooked lentils, you can use them too. Put lentils in boiling water and cook for 15-20 minutes, then drain and let it cool. Mix with other ingredients and add dressing.

Did you know that lentils are good for your health? It is an excellent source of molybdenum, iron and folate. Lentils also have B-group vitamins, fiber and protein. And almost no fat! Overall, consuming lentils is good for your heart, it also lowers cholesterol and prevents sugar levels spikes.

Moreover, these legumes will give you energy, so you may choose to serve it for your lunch. So this is one of healthy salads to include in your every day diet!

Check our sweet potato soup, where all lentil benefits are combined with other vegetable vitamins!

Squeezing lime juice on lentil salad

Lime dressing

You may wonder what’s interesting in this cold lentil salad? Well, the key to making this vegan salad different is dressing. I used Jalapeno Lime Dressing. You will love citrus flavored lentils with spiciness from jalapeno pepper in the end!

I used a tiny bit of finely chopped pickled jalapeno for this lime dressing. Pickles has more hot flavor. If you can’t find pickled jalapeno, add cayenne pepper powder on the end of the knife. Fresh jalapeno will not add the same hot flavor! Well, you can mix it in the salad instead of scallions, too.

And Jalapeno Dressing will make your salad a bomb! In a good way of course, but keep reading, if you need some tips.

Tips to make salad dressing more or less spicy

You can adjust the level of spiciness to your preferences by adding more pickled jalapeno. However, don’t add more than 1/4 tsp per person. Of course you can experiment! But leave some water to be  accessible, haha!

On the other hand, if you want this lentil salad to be less spicy, add pickled jalapeno without seeds. If it’s still too spicy for you, add more lime juice, drizzle with more olive oil or add a pinch of sugar or honey to balance the flavor of the dressing!

I recommend to taste your dressing before adding it to the lentil salad. Lentils will soak these amazing flavors pretty fast!

And you can always serve lentil salad with bread! And some fresh drink like this alcohol free raspberry mojito.

Hope these tips will help to prepare your own perfect dressing for the salad!

Lentil salad on a fork - lentils, bell pepper, tomato

To my mind, spicy lentils are one of the best salads for dinner. So try this vegan lentil salad!

Find more salad recipes on Cooking Journey blog! We recommend you to check Strawberry rhubarb salad with amazing strawberry sauce, perfect for spring and summer time.

Lentil salad, served with lime wedges

Vegan Lentil Salad

Recipe AuthorCooking Journey
5 from 7 votes
Lentil salad is tasty simple dish that you can serve for dinner or between the meals. You will enjoy spicy-citrus flavor! This lentil salad is vegan and healthy.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
 
Course dinner, Salad
Cuisine Asian cuisine
Servings 1
Calories 425 kcal
Equipment
  • knife and chipping board
  • bowls and spoons
  • large sieve for rinsing


Ingredients
 
 
  • 30 g rocket leaves
  • 30 g yellow bell pepper 1/3 of whole pepper
  • 60 g cherry tomatoes 4 pcs
  • 100 g lentils, canned
  • 2 tbsp scallions chopped
Jalapeno Lime Dressing:
  • 1 tbsp lime juice from 1/2 lime + lime wedges for serving
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tsp olive oil extra virgin
  • 1/8 tsp pickled jalapeno finely chopped

Making this recipe?Mention @cookingjourneyblog or tag #cookingjourneyblog!
 

Instructions
 
  • Stir all ingredients for dressing. Leave to infuse.
    1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/8 tsp pickled jalapeno
    Stir all ingredients for dressing. Leave to infuse.
  • Chop bell pepper. Cut tomatoes in quarters.
    30 g yellow bell pepper, 60 g cherry tomatoes
    Chop bell pepper. Cut tomatoes in quarters.
  • Rinse lentils and combine with tomatoes, bell pepper and scallions.
    30 g yellow bell pepper, 60 g cherry tomatoes, 100 g lentils, canned, 2 tbsp scallions
    Rinse lentils and combine with tomatoes, bell pepper and scallions.
  • Add rocket leaves to salad and gently combine with other ingredients.
    30 g rocket leaves
    Add rocket leaves to salad and gently combine with other ingredients.
  • Mix lime dressing and add it to the salad.
    Mix lime dressing and add it to the salad.
  • Serve with lime wedges, add bread and fresh drink aside!
    Serve with lime wedges, add bread and fresh drink aside!
Rate this recipe and leave a comment

Nutrition Facts
Vegan Lentil Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
425
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Sodium
 
1197
mg
52
%
Potassium
 
1326
mg
38
%
Carbohydrates
 
68
g
23
%
Fiber
 
32
g
133
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
28
g
56
%
Vitamin A
 
1248
IU
25
%
Vitamin C
 
84
mg
102
%
Calcium
 
130
mg
13
%
Iron
 
9
mg
50
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword easy, gluten free, healthy, quick, spicy, vegan

Comments COMMENTS

  1. shashi at savory spin

    5 stars
    I love lentils – and use them often in curry but not often enough in a salad. This looks delicious – perfect for these warmer months.

    1. Cooking Journey

      Yes, curries are great! But brown lentils retain their shape, which for perfect for a salad like this. Give it a try.

  2. Janette | Culinary Ginger

    5 stars
    I love all things lentil and I’m always looking for new salads. Can’t wait to try this.

  3. Lisa | Garlic & Zest

    5 stars
    I really love using lentils in salads — they’re small and innocuous, but add protein and nutrients — not to mention great flavor! Beautiful salad.

  4. 5 stars
    I love how easily this salad comes together! That jalapeño lime dressing sounds perfect paired with the lentils and all those veggies.

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