Oh legumes, how I love thee. Let me count the ways…black beans, chickpeas, refried beans…and even lentils! When it comes to salads, combination possibilities are seemingly endless. If you’ve never had lentils before, I highly suggest a taste test. My mom used to make lentil soups for us all the time growing up and they are a great legume to add for protein. Lentils are not only great in soups and hot meals, they are also great when eaten cold in salads!
Cue recipe inspiration: a friend of mine has been making this delicious lentil salad for get-togethers as her food contribution and I’ve always loved it (and it can be a salad served warm or cold). That recipe has a sweet element to it as it adds honey (which you can sub agave for to keep it totally vegan), and either raisins or currants. While I love the sweetness of the recipe, I also know I like to keep my dishes as savory as possible. So, I combined a little bit of the recipe she follows with a lil’ bit of another black bean salad recipe I like and, voila! Southwest-inspired lentil salad was born.
The sweet crunch of the bell peppers combined with the tang of the lime, zing of cilantro, and heartiness of the lentils makes this a flavor-bomb that will certainly satisfy.
Ingredients
- 1 package of pre-cooked lentils from Trader Joe’s (or about 1 pound/2.5 cups cooked lentils if you’re not lazy like me)
- 2 medium to large bell peppers (red, yellow or orange – no green!)
- 1/2 small red onion (or 1/4 of a really large one)
- 2 jalapenos (or 1 if you can’t handle spice…or omit completely)
- 1/2 bunch of cilantro (about 1/2 cup chopped)
Dressing
- 1/2 cup EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
- Juice of 2 small limes
- Salt, pepper & cumin to taste
Directions
- Empty the package of lentils into a medium to large mixing bowl. If cooking your own lentils, bring to a boil 1 cup uncooked lentils with 3 cups of water. Cover and simmer (bring heat to low) for about 15 to 20 minutes, until lentils are fully cooked.
- Small dice the red onion, jalapenos, bell peppers, and cilantro and place into the bowl with the cooked lentils and mix together.
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing (EVOO, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cumin) and whisk together. I like to say to add salt, pepper and cumin to taste because the onion and cilantro already bring quite a bit of flavor, along with the lime juice. Cumin is also a very strong spice so definitely start out small. A few dashes could do the trick for you.
- Taste the dressing and then pour into the bowl of lentils and veggies and mix together.
- Do another taste test! Now is your chance to adjust the seasonings before your veggies soak up the dressing.
- Place in the refrigerator for a few hours if you want a cold salad!
Serving Suggestions
- Serve in a bowl with slices of fresh avocado on top or over a bed of spinach (or both)!
- If eating warm, you could also get some romaine lettuce and make lentil lettuce tacos, adding the avocado and a little bit of your favorite salsa.
Modifications
Use Less Oil
A lot of people are very oil-intake-conscious; you can reduce the amount of oil in this recipe and reduce the lime juice in proportion. I generally find that the beans and veggies soak up a lot of the dressing so I like to do a bit extra, especially if I’m eating it on top of some greens.
Use any bean/legume you like
A bean is a bean, am I right?! You could use this recipe with any bean of your choosing. My favorite alternative would be black beans (still staying true to the Southwest style).
Add a grain
I often make a variation of this salad with black beans and couscous/quinoa. You could even add rice! Just keep in mind when you add a grain, you’ll want to increase the amount of dressing as the grains really soak it up.
Add more veggies!
I’ve added diced fresh tomatoes and corn to this recipe as well to bulk it up. Just keep in mind tomatoes don’t hold up as long so I’d suggest eating it within a day or two this way.
Why I Love This Salad
- This is a great make-ahead dish that you can take for a potluck or simply to make in bulk so you can have a few lunches for the week prepped (what I do for myself).
- It’s easy…like seriously easy. The only difficult thing would be if you don’t purchase the pre-packaged lentils and you have to make them yourself (still super easy because lentils cook relatively quickly compared to dried whole beans).
- It’s vegan-friendly and gluten free!
Happy eating!
No Comments