If you’re searching for a delicious salad packed with flavor and nutrition, this quinoa and lentil salad delivers! It’s the perfect blend of hearty lentils, fluffy quinoa, and crunchy veggies tossed in a herbaceous garlic mustard lemon dressing. Like my popular Mediterranean buckwheat salad, this hearty, healthy salad is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. This recipe features green lentils, fresh herbs, and a vibrant, zesty kick.
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This quinoa salad recipe is not only bursting with flavor but also a great source of plant-based protein. It’s a gluten-free, healthy recipe you’ll want to add to your meal rotation. Serve this cold salad as a light lunch or a side dish for a filling meal.
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Why we love this recipe
- Fast and Easy Meal Prep: This 30-minute recipe is a great option for beginner cooks. Cooking quinoa and green lentils only takes about 15 minutes, and the rest of the ingredients are a breeze to prepare. And, the hearty ingredients will keep well in the fridge.
- Nutritious: Tasty health foods are the best foods! This recipe contains plant-based protein, complex carbs, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Versatile: You can easily swap your favorite fresh veggies, add cheese, or toss in nuts for extra crunch.
Ingredient notes
- Quinoa: White quinoa is traditional in this recipe, but tricolor quinoa or red quinoa will work equally well.
- Green lentils: They stay firm after cooking, so they're ideal for cold salads.
- Red onion: Red onion has a milder bite and yellow onions or white onions, but you can use shallots or green onions instead.
- Cherry tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes are my favorites for this salad, but if you have full sized tomatoes on hand, they will work, too. Chop them into bite-sized chunks.
- Kalamata olives: I always like Kalamata olives for Mediterranean salads, but you can also use black olives, or green olives.
- Cucumber: Thin-skinned, seedless varieties like Persian or English cucumber are perfect.
- Artichoke hearts: Artichoke hearts are the sweet and tender center of the artichoke. You can buy them at most grocery stores, either canned or jarred.
- Capers: Common in many Mediterranean dishes, small but mighty capers add a burst of briny, salty flavor.
- Fresh parsley: Fresh parsley adds a bright green note to the salad. You can also use fresh basil or arugula.
- Feta cheese: Creamy and salty feta is optional. You can omit it for a vegan salad, or use a vegan feta topping.
- Extra virgin olive oil: EVOO has a richer flavor, higher nutrient content, and pairs better with fresh ingredients than light olive oil. Avocado oil is another great option.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest: Lemon complements the olives, artichokes, and fresh herbs for a classic, vibrant Mediterranean taste. Always use fresh lemons, especially in salads (you really can taste the difference). Lime juice and zest would be tasty, too!
- Garlic: Fresh garlic cloves work best. Store-bought minced garlic is more bitter. However, you can use ½ teaspoon of garlic powder in a pinch.
- Oregano: Oregano is another classic ingredient for Mediterranean recipes. I like to use one tablespoon of freshly chopped oregano in place of the dried if I have some on hand.
- Dijon mustard: I love the subtle heat of Dijon mustard in this zesty lemon dressing! It balances the richness of the extra-virgin olive oil and adds a smooth, creamy texture to the dressing.
How to make quinoa and lentil salad
Ingredient quantities and full instructions are in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Add rinsed lentils and quinoa to a large pot with 2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain lentils and quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and allow to cool.
- Combine the dressing ingredients by shaking them in a jar with a lid.
- Toss the cooled lentils and quinoa in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients and the dressing.
Helpful Tips
- Rinse quinoa and lentils. Rinsing removes the bitterness from quinoa as well as any dust or debris from the raw lentils.
- Use canned lentils. Canned lentils are fine to use for this salad. They are already cooked, so just cook the quinoa by itself and add the drained and rinsed lentils from the can.
- Substitute water with stock. For extra flavor, cook the quinoa and lentils in low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
- Let the ingredients cool before mixing. Cooled quinoa and lentils prevent the salad from becoming soggy and help the flavors meld better.
- Prepare the salad dressing in advance. This allows the flavors of the dressing ingredients to develop, making the salad even tastier.
- Add balsamic vinegar. Turn the dressing into a zesty lemon vinaigrette for extra depth of flavor.
- Customize it. Add feta or goat cheese, roasted red peppers, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts. You can also swap the artichoke hearts with roasted Brussels sprouts and use sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh cherry tomatoes. Or try red bell pepper, shredded carrots, sautéed spinach, roasted sweet potatoes, chickpeas, avocado, dried cranberries or raisins.
- Storage. Leftover salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Avoid freezing. Quinoa recipes are best fresh since the textures of the quinoa and veggies change when frozen.
Frequently asked questions
Choose lentils that hold their shape well after cooking. Green lentils and French green lentils work best. Brown lentils are fine, too, but they have a slightly softer texture. Avoid yellow or red lentils, which break down too quickly and are better suited for soups and stews. On the other hand, black lentils are too firm and require an extra 5-10 minutes to cook until tender.
I prefer white quinoa. However, tri-color quinoa, which is a mix of white, red, and black quinoa, adds more texture, color, and a nuttier taste.
Serving Suggestions
Quinoa lentil salad makes a versatile and vibrant side dish that can complement various main courses. Pair it with a protein, like Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs, Cajun Honey Butter Salmon, lamb or beef kebabs, Blackened Cod, or Greek Chicken Meatballs.
Want a vegetarian dish? Serve lentil quinoa salad with Roasted Spaghetti Squash, some pita bread and hummus or Mutabbal Eggplant Dip, or falafel. Keep the Mediterranean theme going with Pistachio Mint Frozen Yogurt for dessert!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a rating in the comments below and let us know how it turned out. Did you make any changes? We would love for you to share and your feedback is important! Thank you for visiting The Food Blog!
Recipe
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Quinoa and Lentil Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- ½ cup dry green lentils
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1 cup cucumber chunks
- ½ cup red onion diced
- ½ cup marinated artichoke hearts quartered
- ¼ cup capers
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese optional
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice and zest of one lemon about ¼ cup of juice
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse lentils and quinoa. Add them to a large pot with two cups of water.
- Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until lentils are just tender, but not mushy.
- Drain quinoa and lentils in a fine mesh sieve and allow them to cool.
- While the quinoa and lentils cool, make the dressing. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, Dijon mustard, oregano, salt and pepper. Or use a jar with a lid to shake the dressing ingredients together.
- Add the cooled quinoa and lentils to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, cucumber, artichoke hearts, capers, parsley, and feta (if using). Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to combine.
- Serve the salad immediately or chill in the fridge for an hour.
Notes
- Rinse quinoa and lentils. Rinsing removes the bitterness from quinoa as well as any dust or debris from the raw lentils.
- Use canned lentils. Canned lentils are fine to use for this salad. They are already cooked, so just cook the quinoa by itself and add the drained and rinsed lentils from the can.
- Substitute the water with stock. For extra flavor, cook the quinoa and lentils in low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
- Let the ingredients cool before mixing. Cooled quinoa and lentils prevent the salad from becoming soggy and help the flavors meld better.
- Prepare the salad dressing in advance. This allows the flavors of the dressing ingredients to develop, making the salad even tastier.
- Add balsamic vinegar. Turn the dressing into a zesty lemon vinaigrette for extra depth of flavor.
- Customize it. Add feta or goat cheese, roasted red peppers, sunflower seeds, or pine nuts. You can also swap the artichoke hearts with roasted Brussels sprouts and use sun-dried tomatoes instead of fresh cherry tomatoes.
- Storage. Leftover quinoa salad can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days. Store extra dressing separately and mix it in before serving to keep the salad fresh.
- Avoid freezing. Quinoa recipes are best fresh since the textures of the quinoa and veggies change when frozen.
Justine | JustineCelina.com
Yum! I'm always looking for ways to dress up greek salad flavours and really enjoy your use of lentils here. Also -- you photos are absolutely gorgeous!
Colleen
Justine, thank you so much!
Gabrielle @ eyecandypopper
Looks delicious! What a great recipe for a balanced healthy meal, perfect for lunches and light summer dinners!
Colleen
Thanks Gabby, Lentils are so great for a balanced healthy meal, right?
Dana
Yum! Love me some cold salads for summertime!
Colleen
Hi Dana! I agree, hearty salads are perfect summer meals.
caribougrrl
Looks fantastic!