Mediterranean Power Lentil Salad
By Suzy Karadsheh
Category
Salad
Cuisine
Mediterranean
Servings
6
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
40 Minutes
This healthy, satisfying Mediterranean lentil salad recipe with spinach, crunchy veggies, and a zippy lime dressing, is the ultimate power bowl! It's easy to make and even better the next day. Add pomegranate seeds (arils) when in season, or leave them out. Keep it vegan or add a sprinkle of creamy feta.
Ingredients
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1 cup dry green lentils or black lentils
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Seeds of 1 pomegranate
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Water
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Kosher salt
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1 small red onion chopped
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3/4 English cucumber small diced or chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
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2 to 3 cups baby spinach or other leafy green of choice
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1 cup chopped fresh parsley
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Crumbled feta cheese for garnish
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1/4 cup fresh lime juice
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1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
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2 tsp honey
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1 tsp ground cumin
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1/2 tsp ground allspice
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Salt and pepper
For The Salad
For The Lime Dressing
Directions
Cook the lentils. In a saucepan, combine lentils with 3 cups of water and pinch of kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, and lower heat to medium-low. Let simmer until the lentils are fully tender (anywhere from 25 to 45 minutes depending on the kind of lentils used). Be sure to check and add water if lentils seem too dry during the cooking process (they should absorb a lot of the water. Drain and set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine cooked lentils with chopped onions, cucumbers, baby spinach, parsley, and pomegranate seeds (arils.) Give everything a gentle toss.
Make the dressing. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lime dressing ingredients. Pour the dressing over the lentil salad and toss to combine. Add a sprinkle of feta cheese to finish.
Allow a few minutes for the flavors to meld before serving.
Recipe Note
- Make-ahead tip: You can cook the lentils the night before. Drain and refrigerate in a tight-lid glass container until ready to use.
- For best flavor: Allow the lentil salad to sit for just a few minutes to soak up the flavors of the lime dressing.
Nutrition
Calories 271, Fat 12.9 grams, Monounsaturated Fat 8900 milligrams, Fiber 12.1 grams, Vitamin C 24 milligrams, Carbs 31 grams, Saturated Fat 1.8 grams, Sodium 212.6 milligrams, Sugar 7.9 grams, Calcium 60.5 milligrams, Protein 9.8 grams, Polyunsaturated Fat 1500 milligrams, Potassium 576.4 milligrams, Vitamin A 45.9 milligrams, Iron 3.9 milligrams