A few years ago I had a delicious green lentil salad from a cute little Italian shop in a small town not far from mine. It was called a Mediterranean Lentil Salad and it was so delicious! I wanted to re-create this super healthy lentil salad it and I was very pleasantly surprised when I did so on the first try (isn’t that always the best?). I’m excited to finally share it. I love the delicious lemon paired with Italian seasonings. The soft lentils contrast nicely with the raw, crunchy veggies.
This healthy lentil salad can be eaten as a light meal, such as for a light lunch, or eaten as a side. It’s excellent for picnics and potlucks, and you can make a larger batch of it to serve many people! It would be so delicious as a side to a sandwich and it’s the perfect meal-prep friendly lunch that can be packed to take to work or school. It’s naturally gluten free, vegan, and oil-free. If you’d like, you could add a touch of organic olive oil to the dressing, but it’s not necessary.
Enjoy this simple healthy lentil salad recipe and keep up those New Year’s resolutions!
Healthy Lentil Salad
A delicious salad with green lentils and raw vegetables, inspired by Mediterranean flavours. This salad is light yet protein packed and can be eaten as a side or as a light lunch.
Green Lentil Salad
- 1 cup green lentils (dry)
- 1 ½ cup red bell peppers (finely chopped)
- 1 cup carrot (shredded)
- 1/4 cup celery (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic clove (minced)
- 2 green onion (finely chopped)
- 3/4 cup fresh parsley (finely chopped)
Dressing
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup (or to taste)
- 3/4 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
-
Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a small sauce pot. Rinse and drain the lentils, then add them to the boiling water. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until tender. Drain off any excess liquid and set aside.
-
While the lentils are cooking, prepare the rest of the dish. Add the bell peppers, carrots, celery, garlic, green onion, and parsley to a medium sized bowl.
-
Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and adjust seasonings to taste if necessary. Set aside.
-
When the lentils are done cooking, add them to the bowl along with the dressing and mix everything to combine.
-
Refrigerate before serving to chill and allow to flavours to deepen. Enjoy!
For personal meal plans or nutrition advice from a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, you can contact me at kathyrhn@gmail.com
Looks amazing! I am going to make this… maybe even today. I have shared this on some of my FB pages to do with healthy living. Keep these coming. They are AWESOME!!
Thanks so much Maggie enjoy!! <3