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Lentil Vegan Salad with vegan lemony olive oil dressing, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, high-protein French lentils, farro, peanuts, and parsley.
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5 from 19 votes

Lentil Vegan Salad

This Lentil Vegan Salad has over 42 grams of protein. Plus, it's easy to make ahead for meal prep. Perfect for packed lunches, weeknight dinners, picnics, and potlucks. Gluten-free, with an oil-free option.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Roasting lentils (optional)15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Main, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegan
Servings: 3 to 6 people
Calories: 1075kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups French lentils or green lentils
  • Salt to taste
  • Dash of paprika (optional)
  • Dash of garlic powder (optional)
  • ¼ cup plus 2 teaspoons 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
  • 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 serves 1 to 2 people. It is sufficient for lunch and a snack for one person.
  • Roasting the lentils is optional. For roasting, 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 serves 1 to 2 people. 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

Serving: 1 Jar | Calories: 1075kcal | Carbohydrates: 132g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 1028mg | Fiber: 43g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 1968IU | Vitamin C: 52mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 10mg