Lentil, mint and feta salad
Looking for an original summer salad or a quick, healthy lunch? Then you’ll love this lentil, mint and feta salad, ready in 30 minutes and incredibly rich in flavour!
Table of contents
What I like about this recipe
- Fast: This lentil salad is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Healthy: It’s healthy and balanced, full of vitamins because I add lots of fresh herbs and cucumber, and it’s also rich in protein thanks to the lentils. I often eat it at lunchtime because lentils make you feel full over the long term.
- Convenient to take away: You can easily prepare this lentil salad in advance and take it away for a lunch box.
Ingredients
- Lentils: Opt for green lentils like those from Le Puy, or brown or black ones like Beluga lentils. You can also try with coral or yellow lentils. Personally, I like their texture less in salads, but on the other hand they require less cooking time.
- Cucumber: For a touch of freshness. You can also add other raw vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, grated carrots or diced peppers.
- Fresh herbs: I chose flat-leaf parsley, dill and mint for this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other herbs like basil or fresh thyme.
- Feta: Feta adds a deliciously creamy, salty touch to the salad. You can replace it with fresh goat’s cheese.
- Olive oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil.
- Lemon: I use lemon juice to prepare the vinaigrette. You can also grate the zest and add it to the salad, especially if you’re using an untreated lemon.
- Mustard: A key ingredient in vinaigrettes, it enhances the taste of salads.
You’ll find the exact quantities in the recipe card.
Preparation
1. Cook lentils
When cooking lentils for a salad, it’s important not to overcook them, so that they hold together well. I have three tips for you.
- Rinse lenses under cold water to remove all impurities.
- Start cooking in cold, unsalted water to ensure even cooking. Avoid cooking lentils over high heat, but rather over medium heat, just simmering. Cooking time is approximately 30-40 minutes. It’s best to taste the lentils regularly after 25 minutes of cooking.
- Once cooked through, drain the lentils and rinse immediately under cold water. This step is important to stop the cooking process and preserve their firm texture.
2. Cut vegetables
- Cut the cucumber into half-circles or small cubes to taste.
- Slice or chop the red onion to taste.
- Finely chop parsley, dill and mint. You can keep a few whole leaves for decoration.
- Crumble the feta, best done by hand.
3. Prepare the sauce
- Mix mustard, lemon juice and olive oil in a bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Mix and serve
- Place the cooked lentils, chopped vegetables, herbs, and crumbled feta cheese in a large salad bowl.
- Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad, toss gently and leave to stand for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend well.
Variation ideas
Here are a few ideas to vary this lentil, mint and feta salad recipe.
- Replace lentils with other starches such as quinoa (see my similar recipe for quinoa salad with mint), chickpeas or bulgur.
- Opt for a yoghurt, lemon and garlic sauce rather than lemon vinaigrette.
- For a vegan option, leave out the feta.
- For an extra source of protein, add shredded chicken breast.
More salad recipes
FAQ : Lentil, mint and feta salad
How long can I keep lentil, mint and feta salad in the fridge?
This salad keeps well in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days in an airtight container. Over time, its texture will become less crunchy.
Can I freeze the lentil, mint and feta salad?
It’s best not to freeze this salad, as the lentils may become soft and the overall texture of the salad may be altered after thawing.
Can I prepare this salad in advance for a picnic or barbecue?
Yes, this salad is perfect for making in advance. You can prepare the salad and dressing separately, then combine them just before serving to prevent the lentils from becoming too soft.
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Recipe card
Lentil, mint and feta salad
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Ingredients
- ½ cup 100 g green or brown lentils
- ½ cucumber cut into half slices
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup fresh dill chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
- 100 g feta cheese crumbled
For the lemon vinaigrette
- 1 teaspoon of mustard
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Fleur de sel
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Rinse lentils in cold water. Place in a large pan of cold water and bring to the boil.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Drain lentils and run under cold water to stop cooking.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked lentils, cucumber halves, chopped red onion, chopped parsley, dill and mint, and crumbled feta cheese.
- Just before serving, prepare the lemon vinaigrette. In a small bowl, combine mustard and lemon juice. Whisk in the olive oil until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Season with fleur de sel and pepper.
- Pour the lemon vinaigrette over the lentil salad and toss well.
- Leave to infuse for 10 minutes before serving.
