The Best Crunchy Lentil Salad

clear glass bowl with lentil salad and wooden spoons in it on white counter.

The Best Crunchy Lentil Salad

The most delicious crunchy lentil salad! Packed with veggies, sweet grapes, and roasted hazelnuts - then topped with a simple yet flavorful lemony herb dressing. It is filled with a balanced taste, crunchy texture, and is packed with plant-based protein!

Course Main Course, Salad

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword cold lentil salad, lentil salad, lentil salad recipe

Freezer Friendly No

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 367kcal

Author Bethany Kramer

Ingredients

1 - 1 1/2 cups dried green lentils
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cups red grapes, halved
1 1/2 cups cucumber, diced
2 cups kale, finely chopped
1/3 cup roasted hazelnuts

Lemon Dressing

2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 lemon, juiced
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped (or 1-2 teaspoons of dried oregano)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
salt & black pepper

Instructions

First, rinse lentils in a strainer. Then add to a pot with 4-5 cups of water and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil (uncovered) - then lower to a simmer, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes. Then strain lentils and let cool. The texture of the lentils shouldn't be mushy - they should have a semi-firm outer shell but tender on the inside.
Prep your vegetables, nuts, and grapes while lentils cook.
Whisk all of dressing ingredients together in liquid measuring cup or small bowl - season with salt & black pepper to taste.
In a large bowl add cooled lentils, chopped vegetables, grapes, nuts, and then pour all of dressing over top. Toss salad together and serve!

Notes

Homemade dressing: whenever making homemade dressing, I always love to make a little extra and store it in mason jar in the fridge to enjoy for another time.
Choose the right lentils: Because of their varied texture, some lentils are meant for soups/stews and some are meant for salads. I recommend using green lentils because of their firm texture that doesn't fall apart when tossed in a salad.
Keep leftovers fresh: store leftover salad in an airtight container and chill in fridge for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition