A nutritious and flavorful salad made with tender red lentils, fresh vegetables, and a bright lemon vinaigrette. Perfect for a light lunch or as a side dish, this salad comes together in minutes and keeps beautifully for days.
⏱️30 min
📊Easy
👥4 servings
🍽️Starter
vegetarianquickbudget-friendlylight
Ingredients
250 gred lentils
200 gcherry tomatoes
1 piècecucumber
1 piècered onion
30 gfresh parsley
4 cuillères à soupeolive oil
2 cuillères à soupefresh lemon juice
1 pincéesalt
1 pincéepepper
Instructions
1COOK THE LENTILS: Bring a pot of salted water (about 500 ml) to a boil. Add the red lentils and cook for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat until tender but not mushy. Red lentils cook quickly, so avoid overcooking to maintain a nice texture. Drain in a colander and let cool slightly.
2PREPARE THE VINAIGRETTE: In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil and fresh lemon juice with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk well to emulsify. Taste and adjust the acidity to your preference. A good vinaigrette should balance fat and acid to properly season the lentils.
3PREPARE THE VEGETABLES: Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Peel the cucumber and cut it into small, uniform dice about 1 cm. Thinly slice the red onion into fine strips so it is more digestible and sweet. Chop the fresh parsley into leaves.
4ASSEMBLE THE SALAD: Pour the warm lentils into a large bowl or salad bowl. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Pour the prepared vinaigrette over and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly. Let rest for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
5FINISH AND SERVE: Generously sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley over the salad. Taste once more and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled. This salad will develop even more flavor if left in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.