Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4 cups cooked green lentils about 1½–2 cups dry, or 2 cans lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 English cucumber diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered
- ½ cup roasted red peppers from a jar chopped
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced (or use shallot)
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives sliced
- 5 oz feta crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ⅓ cup toasted pistachios or pine nuts
For the Champagne Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 garlic clove grated
- Zest of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the lentils
- If using canned lentils, rinse and drain them well. If cooking lentils from dry, allow them to cool before assembling the salad.
- Tip: You want the lentils to be tender but still hold their shape. Avoid overcooking them or your salad can become mushy.
Chop your vegetables
- Dice the cucumber and red onion, quarter the cherry tomatoes, and chop the roasted red peppers and parsley. Slice the Castelvetrano olives.
- This is a great recipe to prep ahead because all of the vegetables can be chopped in advance.
Make the champagne vinaigrette
- Add the olive oil, champagne vinegar, Dijon, honey, grated garlic, lemon zest, oregano, salt, and pepper to a small bowl or jar.
- Whisk or shake until emulsified.
Assemble the salad
- Add the lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onion, olives, feta, parsley, and toasted pistachios to a large bowl.
- Pour the champagne vinaigrette over the top and gently toss everything together.
Let it marinate
- For the best flavor, let the salad sit for 15–20 minutes before serving. This gives the lentils time to soak up the vinaigrette and allows all of the flavors to mingle.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.