Lentil Salad
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A vibrant and filling lentil salad for a healthy dish that holds up beautifully for days.
When I’m craving a change from my usual weekday lunch, this hearty lentil salad recipe is my go-to. Made with French green lentils—my favorite for salads and lentil soup—they hold their shape beautifully when cooked and have a lovely earthy flavor. These lentils come from the volcanic soil of Le Puy en Velay in France’s Auvergne region, but you can find them at Whole Foods or specialty food shops, often in the bulk section. Unlike dried beans, lentils don’t need soaking. Just pick through them to remove any broken ones, then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. So simple!
“Can’t stop eating it—in a bowl, on my salad—just delicious!”
What You’ll Need To Make French Lentil Salad
- French green lentils: These small, firm lentils retain their shape when cooked, making them perfect for salads. Common brown or green lentils can be substituted.
- Chicken broth: Adds depth and flavor to the lentils, ensuring they’re seasoned from the inside out.
- Veggies: Carrots add a pop of color and touch of sweetness, while celery adds a crisp, fresh bite.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme, bay leaf, and parsley add a pop of color and fragrant, earthy flavors.
- Garlic: Lends a savory, aromatic flavor.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a bit of tang and complexity to the dressing.
- Honey: Offers a touch of sweetness that balances the acidity of the lemon and mustard.
- Lemon juice: Brightens the salad with a zesty freshness and tangy acidity.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: The key to the rich, smooth dressing that binds all the flavors together.
- Goat cheese: Creamy and tangy, it adds richness and a nice contrast to the earthy lentils.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the lentils, chicken broth and bay leaf in a medium saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer until lentils are tender. Remove the bay leaf, strain, and let cool.
In a large bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except goat cheese.
Add cooled lentils and toss to combine.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer salad to serving dish, crumble goat cheese over top and serve.
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Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup French green lentils (or common brown or green lentils)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large carrot, finely diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried)
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, best quality such as Lucini or Colavita
- 3 oz goat cheese
Instructions
- Before cooking the lentils, make sure you rinse them well and pick over them to remove any small rocks or debris. Combine the lentils, chicken broth, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes for French green lentils or 20 to 25 minutes for common brown or green lentils. Remove the bay leaf, strain, and let cool.
- In a large bowl, combine the carrot, celery, thyme, parsley, garlic, mustard, honey, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the cooled lentils and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer salad to serving dish, crumble goat cheese over top and serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Can I use fresh mozzarella cheese instead of goat cheese?
Hi Rosanna, Feel free to use whatever cheese you like but keep in mind that mozzarella won’t add much flavor – I think feta would be a more flavorful substitute for the goat cheese.
Delicious, but really benefitted from the zing of added lemon zest which kept the lentils from tasting too muddy.
Can this be made the day before?
Definitely!
I make this all the time! Such a delicious, satisfying staple for any season.
Funny, I always thought that I disliked lentils. Then went to a party with a lentil/feta salad which I really enjoyed. So decided to check your website because I thought I recalled a lentil recipe. Made this with Feta (that’s what I had on hand) and brown lentils (no time to go to Whole Foods and my supermarket did not have the ones you recommend). Loved it and made it twice. Next time I will go to Whole Foods to get the green lentils and goat cheese to follow your recipe exactly. But it’s a winner anyway!
Wonderful mix of ingredients. Tasty, healthy, and fun to eat (love the crunch of the veggies). In fact, next time I’m going to add a little more celery and carrots. Another great dish.
I needed a dish to take to a small meeting that was taking place at lunch time. I had everything for this recipe, except for goat cheese, so I substituted feta (which I prefer anyway). It was a hit. Delicious, fresh, healthful!
Tried this yesterday when I was fed up of having made progress with healthy eating only to go backwards in recent days. This was the most delightful thing I have had in a long while. I love this site!!
No question five stars – can’t wait for the book!
I made this and really liked it. I don’t believe the calories are correct though. The recipe says that there are over 400 calories per serving for 6 servings. Seemed really high. Could someone validate the calories please. Thanks
Hi Bev, I just made a correction to the number of servings. The nutritional info is correct but it applies to 4 servings instead of 6. Sorry for any confusion!
This salad was refreshing and indulgent all at the same time. I loved the texture and flavor of all the small lentils mixed with creamy goat cheese, and the crunch of the carrots and celery perfectly rounded out the dish. This was a nice way for me to try a new food, and I would make it again.