Lentil Vegan Salad
This Lentil Vegan Salad is protein-rich and veggie-loaded. Plus, it's easy to make ahead for meal prep. Perfect for packed lunches, weeknight dinners, picnics, and on-the-go. Gluten-free, with an oil-free option.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 397kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups French lentils or green lentils
- Salt to taste
- Dash of paprika (optional)
- Dash of garlic powder (optional)
- ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
- 1 cup dry farro or 4 cups cooked quinoa
- ¼ cup lemon juice (about 2 small lemons)
- Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon)
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups diced English cucumber (12-ounce cucumber)
- 2 ¼ cups chopped red bell pepper (about 2 medium peppers)
- 1 ½ cups diced red onion (about 1 medium onion)
- 1 cup diced celery (about 4 ribs)
- 1 cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 cup chopped parsley (about 1 bunch) or mint, basil or cilantro
Instructions
- Cook the lentils according to the directions on the packet. Drain well.
- Roast the lentils (optional): Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Transfer the lentils to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Add a generous dash of salt, paprika, garlic powder, and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss until evenly coated. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until crispy, tossing halfway. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the farro according to the directions on the packet. Fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dressing: Add olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and garlic to a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper, and adjust maple syrup, to taste.
- Fill the jars (optional): Place 3 (32-ounce) Mason jars in a row. To each jar, add 4 ½ tablespoons dressing, 1 cup chopped cucumber, ¾ cup bell pepper, ½ cup red onion, ⅓ cup celery, 1 cup lentils, ¾ cup farro (or 1 ⅓ cup quinoa), ⅓ cup peanuts, and ⅓ cup parsley. Cover and refrigerate up to 5 days.
- For serving: Jars: Invert the jar and shake it over a medium bowl. Mix to combine. Add salt, pepper, and more lemon juice to taste.Skip the jars and combine the salad and dressing in a large bowl instead. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Serving size: 1 (32-ounce) salad jar is 2 servings. Total recipe: 6 servings (or lunch and a snack) (Nutrition facts do not include peanuts.)
- Roasting the lentils is optional. For crispy roasted lentils, place them in a single layer so they cook evenly. Brown lentils will also work, but they tend to be mushier.
- Gluten-free: Cook 3 cups dry quinoa instead of farro, for a total of 4 cups cooked. Add 1 ⅓ cups to each jar.
- Oil-Free: Add 4 ½ tablespoons oil-free dressing to each jar in place of the dressing.
- Mason jars: Each (32-ounce) jar is 2 servings. To fit this salad into jars in equal amounts without leftovers, the combined jar capacity must equal 96 ounces. For example, you can use 8 (12-ounce) jars, 6 (16-ounce) jars, and so on.
- Skip the jars and combine the salad and dressing in a large bowl instead. Refrigerate for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Nutrition
Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 855mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2749IU | Vitamin C: 97mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg
