Mediterranean Lentil Salad

I am certain that you will love the vibrant colours, refreshing flavours and contrasting textures in my Mediterranean Lentil Salad. We have a base of cooked brown lentils to which we add vegetables, feta, vibrant fresh herbs and a bright lemon dressing. It is flexible; you can vary the lentils or customise the salad with herbs or vegetables of your choice. It is a satisfying salad that is an ideal side dish to a light main course or perfect to enjoy as a light meal. You will be delighted to discover how easy it is to prepare.

Course Light Meal, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 390kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

For the Lentils:

1 cup (200 g) dried brown lentils See Notes 1 and 2
3 cups (750 ml) water

For the Salad:

1 medium Lebanese cucumber – cut into small cubes
½ cup (80 g) Kalamata olives - pitted and halved
½ cup roasted capsicum/red bell pepper - sliced, about 1 large See Note 3
½ medium red onion - finely chopped
½ cup (100 g) feta cheese - cut into small cubes
½ cup fresh mint leaves - finely sliced See Note 4
½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves - finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – add to taste See Note 5

For the Dressing:

¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil See Note 6
1 tablespoon (20 ml) lemon juice - freshly squeezed See Note 7

Instructions

Add the lentils and water to a large saucepan. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil.
Lower the heat, cover the saucepan and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. (See Note 2)
Drain the lentils well and add to a large bowl. While the lentils are still hot, add the olive oil and lemon juice and mix to combine. This will help the lentils to absorb the flavours.
Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the lentils to cool a little.
Add cucumber, olives, pepper, onion, feta and herbs. Toss gently to combine.
Season to suit your taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve while still warm or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.

Notes

Lentils: we have used brown lentils as they hold their shape well, but you could substitute them with green lentils or the small, green French du Puy lentils as they also hold their shape. Red lentils are not suitable as they tend to lose their shape and become mushy.
Cooking time: this will vary depending on the type of lentil that you use and the age of the lentils. We recommend fresh lentils; older lentils will take longer to cook and may shed their skin.
Capsicums/peppers: we use our Homemade Roasted Capsicums for this recipe.
Herbs: roll the herbs up tightly, and using a sharp knife, finely slice across them. You may have to do this in batches. A sharp knife will cut cleanly and not bruise the leaves.
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
Olive oil: for the best flavour, we have used extra-virgin olive oil. Use the best olive oil that you have.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
Make ahead and storage: you can make it three days in advance. In fact, the flavours benefit from having time to develop and amalgamate. I recommend that you add the feta and fresh herbs just before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Freshening leftovers: to brighten the leftovers, I suggest adding some fresh herbs just before serving.
Freezing: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.

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