Vegan lentil salad is full of tangy Mediterranean flavor, with sun-dried tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and hearty green lentils. Perfect for a protein-packed meatless meal or side dish!<\/p>\n
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\n<\/picture>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nWhen you\u2019re aiming to feed your family well on a budget, plant-based meals can be a great option!<\/p>\n
However, it can sometimes be tricky to hit our daily grams of protein when eating plant-based protein recipes.<\/p>\n
We love my Spicy Citrus Black Bean Recipe<\/a> and my Black Bean and Corn Salsa<\/a>, but what if we\u2019re tired of black beans?<\/p>\n This lentil salad with sun-dried tomatoes is the perfect answer!<\/p>\n If I want a lentil salad recipe that\u2019s worthy enough to stand alone next to delicious Oven-Roasted Chicken<\/a> or Greek Quinoa Salad<\/a>, then this is the recipe I pick every time. My favorite lentil salad is:<\/p>\n This amazing lentil salad is so good we don\u2019t even miss the meat on meatless nights!<\/p>\n This healthy lentil salad combines delicious flavors like Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and sun-dried tomatoes with lentils to create a hearty dish that will keep you satisfied.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve never had lentils in a salad, add this marinated lentil salad to your menu plan<\/a>. You probably have most of these ingredients for lentils in a salad in your kitchen already.<\/p>\n Do not use red lentils for salad, since they basically disintegrate and get mushy when they\u2019re cooked. (They\u2019re PERFECT in my Red Lentil Soup Recipe<\/a>!)<\/p>\n You have 3 options for preparing lentils for salad:<\/p>\n It\u2019s funny to think of this as a salad, even though it doesn\u2019t have lettuce\u2026 but then again, my Vegetable Greek Salad<\/a> and Quinoa Vegetable Salad<\/a> don\u2019t have any lettuce either!<\/p>\n The best lentil salad comes together in just 3 simple steps:<\/p>\n Step 1: To begin with, prepare your lentils <\/strong>as directed in a large pot, Instant Pot<\/a>, or slow cooker<\/a>. Cook the lentils al dente so they retain their firm texture.<\/p>\n Note: You can cook your lentils ahead of time and store them in an airtight container<\/a> in the refrigerator. Reheat them when you want to make the French lentil salad or mix them in cold.<\/p>\n Step 2: Meanwhile, prepare the marinade in a small bowl<\/a><\/strong> by mixing the vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup<\/a>, dried parsley, sun-dried tomatoes, salt<\/a>, and black pepper, stirring well with a whisk<\/a>. Chop the sun-dried tomatoes if they\u2019re larger than \u00bd\u201d.<\/p>\n Step 3: Once the lentils are done, drain them. <\/strong>Then mix with the marinade in a large bowl<\/a>. Serve warm or let the flavors meld at room temperature for 20 minutes.<\/p>\n Leftovers are good in the fridge for several days \u2013 just store them in an airtight container<\/a> and serve cold or let the lentil salad come to room temperature before eating.<\/p>\n If you like the taste of more fresh ingredients in your lentil salad recipes, toss in any of the following:<\/p>\n One of my favorite lentil salad ideas is to have a Mediterranean or Greek meal. Combine lentil salad with one of these for an easy weeknight meal:<\/p>\n Or serve lentils in a salad alongside a meat-based main dish for a protein-packed meal:<\/p>\n One cup of cooked lentils gives you 18g of protein. That makes this lentil salad a great choice for hitting your protein goals for the day, whether you eat it as a main dish or a side dish.<\/p>\n If you need even more protein, pair it with lean meat like chicken breast, chicken thighs, steak, or shrimp.<\/p>\n To add more fat to your plate, serve green lentil salad with feta and an extra splash of olive oil.<\/p>\n One cup of cooked lentils also gives you 40g of carbs, so you likely will not need to add additional carbs to your plate for this meal. Instead, focus on filling your plate with produce. Opt for lower-carb veggies like leafy greens, broccoli, or zucchini.<\/p>\n Absolutely, if you don\u2019t want to only eat plant protein. Adding some ground beef, turkey, or cooked shredded chicken<\/a> is a great idea!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Yes! I prefer this recipe served warm or lukewarm, but once the lentils are cooked, you can eat them cold.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Canned lentils are cooked. They need to be rinsed and drained three times, just like canned beans. You can use them in this recipe instead of freshly cooked lentils. If you want to serve this dish warm, heat the lentils in a small pot before adding to the marinade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Sign up for my FREE Fight Inflation Workshop<\/strong>\u00a0and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!\n\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\nMY FAVORITE MARINATED LENTIL SALAD RECIPE<\/h2>\n
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LENTIL SALAD INGREDIENTS<\/h2>\n
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HOW TO MAKE THE BEST LENTILS FOR SALAD<\/h2>\n
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ASSEMBLING LENTILS SALAD<\/h2>\n
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MORE MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SALAD RECIPES<\/h2>\n
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LENTIL SALAD IDEAS FOR SERVING<\/h2>\n
HIT YOUR MACRO GOALS WITH LENTIL SALAD<\/h2>\n
LENTIL RECIPES SALAD FAQS<\/h2>\n
Can I add meat to this recipe?<\/h3>\n
Can lentils be eaten cold?<\/h3>\n
Do I need to cook canned lentils?<\/h3>\n
OTHER EASY HEALTHY MEATLESS MEALS<\/h2>\n
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Fight Inflation Workshop!<\/h4>\n