the Best Cucumber Tomato Lentil Salad, ever – in a fresh and zesty lemon dressing with dill, parsley and basil. Lovely served cold in any season, packed in mason jars for lunches to go, picnics and perfect for those long hot summer days.
Earthy. Easy. Healthy.
A staple on a plant-based vegan diet, lentils are truly a supernatural legume very good for you. I eat them almost every day you guys. Unlike beans they don’t require pre-soaking, don’t contain sulfur so therefor don’t produce any gas 😉
High in protein (a cup of lentils contains 18 grams) and loaded with soluble fiber (a cup contains 16 grams) with a low glycemic-load. Rich in folate, iron and manganese.
There are over fifty varieties of lentils, I used the small French variety here as it holds its shape nicely and doesn’t turn into mush, but I’m pretty sure whatever lentils you have hanging in your pantry at the moment could work too.
A Black Beluga Cucumber Tomato Lentil Salad would be gorgeous!
It’s really important that you don’t overcook them so check after 10 minutes or so, go for an al dente texture that will hold up to the tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing.
Fun Tomato Fact:
In 1893 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Tomato will be legally classified as a vegetable, even tough technically it is a berry, and botanically it’s a fruit. True story!
Cucumber Tomato Lentil Salad
the Best Cucumber Tomato Lentil Salad, ever - in a fresh and zesty lemon dressing with dill, parsley and basil. Lovely served cold in any season, packed in mason jars for lunches to go, picnics and perfect for those long hot summer days.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 250kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried French lentils -rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 3 green onions -chopped
- 3-4 Persian cucumbers
- 1.5 cups cherry tomatoes -chopped
- 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh dill -roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley leaves -chopped
- 2 tbsp basil leaves -torn or thinly sliced
- 1 pinch sea salt + more to taste
- 1 leaf bay
Instructions
- Add the lentils, water and bay leaf to medium size heavy pot. Bring to a boil and season with a good pinch of sea salt. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are cooked through. Drain in a colander and discard the bay leaf. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until chilled.
- Meanwhile slice the cucumbers into thin rounds or chop into squares to your liking.Add them to a salad bowl together with the tomatoes, dill, basil and parsley. Add the chilled lentils and drizzle over the top with the olive oil. Squeeze lemon juice on top to your liking and gently toss everything to coat well.
- Taste as you go and adjust seasonings to taste with more sea salt and extra lemon juice.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 4g | Sodium: 37mg | Potassium: 980mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1000IU | Vitamin C: 43.3mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 5.1mg
Go Lentils:
Lentil Potato Stew
Lemon Lentil Soup
Sweet Potato Lentil Stew
Never thought of using lentils in a cold salad but you can bet I will be doing this from now on. This is a really flavorful and filling salad I’ll keep in my repertoire for years to come. Perfect for a summer outdoor picnic or to bring to a potluck too. Thank you for this recipe Florentina.
Rayelene
Just finished a very long comment then lost it!!! Highlights……..
Quick & simple
Passed with grandkids tough one!!!
Had all ingredients (in season!
DELICIOUS !!!
A hundred stars from me!
Question…. can red lentils be used?
Cooking time for al dents ?
Thanks Rae
Thanks for taking the time to report back Tauelene and so happy you enjoyed the salad. To answer your question the red lentils would not really work here as they have a shorter cooking time (10 to 15 minutes) and they become soft and mushy, so they are best used in soups and stew where they help thicken the consistency. Hope that addressed your concern ~ Florentina Xo’s