Mediterranean Lentil Salad

A lentil salad might not sound like the lunch you look forward to all day, but this one is.

It starts with French lentils tossed in a warm dressing of gently fried shallots, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon zest, so every bite is aromatic instead of just dutifully healthy. Then come the fresh herbs and arugula nuts to round it out.

It comes together in 30 minutes with no fancy techniques, which makes it a reliable backpocket meal and one of my favorite things to meal prep ahead of busy weeks.

And there’s no wrong season for it. It’s substantial enough for winter (and easy to make heartier with leftover roasted veg), but bright enough to belong on a summer table. Try it once and you might just start making it every week.

This one’s on repeat in my house 🔁

The 30-minute meal I make (almost) every week

With over 175k views, this video was a hit on my YouTube channel. I hope you love it just as much! Plus, my onion goggles make a rare appearance. Trust me, you don’t wanna miss it.

Ingredient notes

• French green lentils: AKA “Puy lentils.” They’re my preferred lentil here because they hold their shape and have a tender yet firm texture when cooked—no mushiness!

• Shallots & garlic: You’ll sauté these two classic aromatics with the nuts to build a savory, subtly sweet depth of flavor in the oil that dresses the lentils. 

• Pine nuts: They’re a showstopper in this salad, as the brief toast in oil enhances their natural flavors and infuses the dressing with a rich nuttiness.

• Seasonings: Lemon zest, chile flakes, and flaky sea salt join forces to give this salad its uniquely zesty brightness.

• Arugula: Leafy greens bulk up the salad while sneaking brain, skin, and gut-healthy nutrients into your diet.

• Herbs: For freshness, flavor, and dimension, I use a mixture of parsley, basil, and mint, but feel free to use only one herb, or a dynamic duo like dill + parsley or cilantro + mint.

Customize and substitute:

Can’t find french green lentils? Black beluga lentils are the next best option. Can’t find either? Use regular green or brown lentils—but only cook them until al dente to avoid a mushy salad.

No shallots? Half of a small or medium yellow onion works great.

Nut allergy? Use a mixture of roasted pepitas and sunflower seeds, or even sesame seeds.

Pine nuts too pricy? Use another nut like almonds, pistachios, or walnuts—just make sure to roughly chop them first.

Not into arugula? Use any salad green you love or what’s in season: baby kale, massaged mature kale, watercress, mesclun, or romaine would all be great here!

Want more veggies? There are loads of ways to customize this salad!

Step-by-step instructions

To cook the lentils, bring a saucepan full of salted water to a boil, then add the lentils, bay leaf, and freshly cracked pepper.

Simmer until the lentils are al dente, then drain. 

Meanwhile, saute the shallots and garlic over medium heat. Cook until the shallots are just starting to get some color. 

Add the pine nuts to the pan. The heat will bring out their natural oils, bringing a beautiful nutty flavor to the salad that you wouldn’t get from raw nuts. 

Now stir in the lemon zest, chile flakes, and flaky salt. Toss for 30 seconds, then transfer the mixture to a bowl to prevent them from cooking further.

While the lentils are cooking, chop the fresh herbs.

Add the cooked lentils to the bowl with the aromatic oil. Toss with salt and pepper, then add the vinegar, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. Toss it all together and adjust the flavor to your taste.

To finish, add the fresh arugula and use tongs to incorporate them into the lentil salad. Season with a little salt and pepper as needed, then serve!

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Tips for making this recipe

This is no time for dried herbs

The fresh herbs are a sneaky star of the show here, delivering freshness, color, as well as textural and flavor nuance. Dried herbs won’t do much here—save them for another recipe.

Supercharge your lentils with flavor

As I mention in my YouTube video, 3 Delicious Lentil Recipes, one of my favorite ways to infuse cooked lentils with dynamite flavor is to add flavoring agents to the cooking water.

Salted water + a bay leaf do the trick in this recipe, but feel free to get creative and add chopped shallots, black pepper, fresh thyme or rosemary, carrots, celery, or garlic cloves.

Don’t overcook the lentils

Keep an eye on the lentils and only simmer them until they’re al dente (tender but with a bite). Salads need texture, not mushiness! 

Add the greens at the end

Give the lemon-and-herb-dressed lentils a few minutes to cool before tossing them with the salad greens. This way, the heat of the cooked lentils won’t cause the arugula to wilt.

Customize this salad!

Don’t be afraid to make this one your own! A few ideas:

Tailor the spice to your liking by playing with the amount of Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes.

Substitute the champagne vinegar for red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, more lemon juice, or any type of vinegar you prefer (distilled white vinegar will work, but use less, ½ to 1 tablespoon, as it’s harsher in flavor).

Bulk it up with more vegetables. In winter, fold in roasted sweet potatoes / butternut squash / cauliflower. For warmer weather, toss in shaved carrot ribbons or quartered cherry tomatoes.

Jazz up the flavor with a drizzle of basil pesto, or a spoonful of tzatziki or tahini sauce.

For a quicker alternative, skip sauteing the garlic and shallots in olive oil and instead toss the cooked lentils with my Red Wine Vinaigrette. Fold in the fresh herbs and arugula before serving (skip the vinegar, as there’s vinegar in the vinaigrette).

I love a composed salad, and if you do too, try my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, Edamame Salad with Sesame Dressing, or The Best Quinoa Salad. Is the weather cool where you live? Check out my fall/winter-ready Roasted Pumpkin Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you love this Mediterranean lentil salad, please be sure to leave a rating and review below! It’s always much appreciated 🙂 And tag me on Instagram – I love seeing your feedback!

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Mediterranean Lentil Salad

By Nisha Vora

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

5 from 96 votes

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This 30-minute ultimate Lentil Salad features perfectly cooked lentils dressed in a zesty aromatic dressing and tossed with greens and fresh herbs. It meets all the criteria of a truly great salad: hearty, refreshing, full of flavor, and simple to whip up!

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup (200g) French green lentils or Black Beluga lentils (See Note 1)
• ▢ Kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ ¼ cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ▢ ½ cup (~70g) pine nuts, or chopped almonds or pistachios (See Note 2)
• ▢ 2 medium lemons, zested + 2 tablespoons of the juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; half for mild heat)
• ▢ Heaping ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
• ▢ 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons champagne vinegar (or red wine vinegar), more as needed
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (~24g) fresh soft herbs such as basil, mint, parsley, and/or cilantro, chopped (See Note 3)
• ▢ 3 cups (40g) arugula

Instructions 

• Cook the lentils. Fill a medium saucepan with water and generously salt, as you would salt cooking water for pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the lentils, bay leaf, and a few rounds of black pepper.
• Reduce the heat to simmer and maintain a simmer for 17 to 20 minutes, or until the lentils are al dente (tender but with a bite). When the lentils are al dente, drain them over a colander and discard the bay leaf. Shake the colander a few times to get rid of water.
• While the lentils cook, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 minutes, or until shallots are just starting to get some color.

  a. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring from time to time, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until garlic is just turning golden brown around the edges and the pine nuts are toasted and nicely browned.

  b. Add lemon zest, chile flakes, and flaky salt, and cook for 30 seconds, tossing frequently. Take off heat immediately and pour into a large bowl to stop cooking.
• While the lentils cook, chop the fresh herbs.
• Add the lentils to the aromatic oil, season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper to taste, and toss well. Add the vinegar (starting with 1 tablespoon), 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh herbs and toss well to combine.
• Now add the arugula and toss together with tongs to just gently wilt. Season the salad with salt and pepper if needed.

Video

The 30-minute meal I make (almost) every week

Notes

1. You can sub green or brown lentils if you can’t find these varieties, though the lentils will be softer and won’t hold their shape as much. They also take less time to cook, about 15 minutes.

2. If allergic to nuts, use pepitas.

3. A few herb combos I like: mint and parsley; basil and parsley; mint and basil; cilantro and mint. You can leave small leaves whole for variety.

Nutrition

Calories: 417kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 757mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 898IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe: Nisha Vora / Rainbow Plant Life | Photography: Megan Morello