Greek Lentil Salad with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes and a simple lemon dressing. This easy healthy salad recipe is the perfect side dish to go alongside any main dish no matter the time of year!
If you made my Mediterranean Chickpea Salad, the concept here is very similar.
We’re simply tossing protein-packed lentils with fresh snappy veggies like fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, delicious feta cheese and a yummy lemon dressing for an outstanding side dish.
The end result is a fabulous healthy side dish that is amazing alongside just about any main entrée!
Because lentils are a great source for slow-burning carbohydrate, this salad is an excellent option for those who keep carbs in their lives but avoid blood sugar spikes (hey, that’s me!).
Lentils also contain a decent amount of protein and are high in fiber, low in fat and low in calories.
Half of a cup of cooked lentils contains 140 calories, less than 1 gram of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of fiber 0 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.
This is a pretty stellar macronutrient breakdown for those of us who prioritize protein and complex carbs.
In addition to its impressive nutrition information, I just love the way this Greek lentil salad tastes. It’s so cooling and refreshing, makes you feel rejuvenated and is so easy to toss together at a moment’s notice.
I see this easy healthy salad recipe as being a great option for meal prep to enjoy throughout the workweek. It is also spectacular for serving guests when you’re looking to have some healthy side dish options.
The best part about this simple lentil salad is you can find all of the ingredients at any grocery store.
Let’s discuss the healthy ingredients for Greek Lentil Salad.
Ingredients for Lentil Salad:
Lentils: Pick your favorite type of lentils! You will need one cup of dry lentils (uncooked lentils), which you will then cook to your desired texture.
I use sprouted lentils and absolutely love the way the salad turns out.
Brown lentils, green lentils, black beluga lentils, French lentils, red lentils, and even canned lentils all work.
English Cucumber, Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion: The fresh vegetables in this delicious Greek salad that bring a big pop of refreshing flavor.
Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta Cheese: Julienne cut sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese crumbles bring big briny flavor to the salad to make it so addicting. I know, not something you think could be said about a lentil salad recipe, but trust me on this one.
Fresh Parsley: A little burst of fresh herbs makes this salad so fresh tasting! You can also use fresh cilantro, fresh mint leaves, fresh dill, or basil here.
For the Dressing: Avocado oil, lemon juice and lemon zest, dijon mustard (optional), garlic, salt and black pepper.
The salad dressing ingredients result in a light and refreshing zesty dressing that ties all the ingredients together magically.
You can also whip up my Homemade Italian Salad Dressing Recipe for more dressing with an herby kick.
Recipe Adaptations:
- Add more avocado oil or a drizzle of olive oil if you like richer flavor.
- Drizzle the salad with your favorite balsamic vinegar. Infused balsamic vinegars are great here too!
- Add more garlic if you love it. Roasted garlic is amazing here too.
- Mix in your favorite veggies.
- You can turn this into a green salad by chopping up some romaine lettuce, baby spinach, or spring greens and mixing everything with more dressing.
- Chop up red peppers and toss them in if you like bell peppers.
- Replace the feta cheese with goat cheese or omit it altogether for a dairy-free option.
- Add in up to 1 cup of black olives, kalamata olives, and/or chopped artichoke hearts for even more flavor.
- You can also place lentils in my Refreshing Greek Salad recipe, which includes juicy tomatoes and salty olives. Simply add 1 to 3 cups of cooked lentils.
How to Make Lentil Salad:
Cook the lentils according to the package instructions in a large pot. Cook times vary depending on the type of lentils and the brand.
For instance, red lentils only require about 15 minutes of simmering whereas green lentils take upwards of 20-30 minutes.
Because my lentils are sprouted, they only need about 15 minutes of cooking and I cook one cup of lentils in three cups of water. I make al dente lentils because I like them to have the slightest crunch rather than being mushy.
Once the lentils are cooked, drain them into a colander or fine mesh strainer, run cold running water over them, and set them aside to cool to room temperature. You can also cook your lentils ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to prepare the whole salad.
Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside until ready to use.
Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl (cooked and cooled lentils, chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese).
Pour in the dressing and toss everything together until well-combined.
Serve lentil salad with your main entrée and enjoy!
Store leftover lentil salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
This Greek Lentil Salad recipe is even more flavorful the next day and the following 2-3 days! For this reason, don’t worry about making it a few days in advance.
This healthy lentil salad is perfect alongside some Baked Garlic Butter Salmon, Grilled Steak Kabobs, or my Immunity-Boosting Turmeric Chicken Soup.
For those who enjoy a Mediterranean diet, this humble lentil salad recipe is gold! Additionally, for those times you’re looking for a nutritious meal without the meat, this hearty salad is a great way of nailing all your macronutrients.
You can also add extra protein by mixing some rotisserie chicken or leftover baked chicken into the whole thing.
Depending on how hungry your people are, this cold lentil salad recipe makes 3 to 4 servings. Make a double batch (or triple batch) if you’re serving more than 4 individuals.
And that’s it! An easy side dish to incorporate into your busy weeknight meals and entertaining guests.
If you love lentils, here are some more delicious recipes featuring everyone’s favorite legume.
More Lentil Recipes:
- Crock Pot Lentil Soup
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
- Thai Lentil Vegan Meatloaf
- Curried Lentil Chickpea Kale Salad
- Lentil Curry with Halloumi Cheese
- Beef and Lentil Chili
Enjoy this easy Mediterranean Lentil Salad recipe!
Greek Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked lentils
- 1 small cucumber chopped (1.5 cups)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 2/3 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained
- 2/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
- ½ cup fresh parsley chopped
Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- Zest of one lemon
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp sea salt to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the lentils according to the package instructions in a large pot. Cook times vary depending on the type of lentils and the brand. Once the lentils are cooked, drain them into a colander or fine mesh strainer, run cold running water over them, and set them aside to cool to room temperature. You can also cook your lentils ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to prepare the whole salad.
- Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside until ready to use.
- Add all of the salad ingredients to a large bowl (cooked and cooled lentils, chopped cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese).
- Pour in the dressing and toss everything together until well-combined.
- Serve lentil salad with your main entrée and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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This sounds like a perfect hot weather lunch! Yum!
Do you sprout your own lentils? If so, what type works best? I am gradually transitioning to a mostly plant based diet, and as I understand it sprouting the seeds unleashes more nutrients.
@Sylvia W, Ah, I missed the link to buying the sprouted lentils from Amazon. Was in too big a hurry to get to the recipe 😉
No worries, I’m glad you found it! I’d love to sprout my own grains and legumes one day but for now I just buy them 🙂 Great project for the future though!