Greek Lentil Salad

Greek Lentil Salad! This healthy, vegetable-packed salad is so delicious! Lentils, Quinoa, Veggies in a tangy lemon dressing. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.

I’m here to prove that salads can be main meals, especially when they are as delicious as this one. Salty olives, juicy tomatoes, crunchy raw zucchini, and crisp red onion just for starters. Because when I make a salad into a meal, I want as many textures as possible.

This Greek lentil salad is the dish that keeps on giving. It’s fantastic for meal prep as it can be made ahead of time, and great for snacking and side dishes, yet hearty enough for a main meal.

Healthy Eating on a Budget

I’m on a personal mission to make vegetarian eating not only delicious but also affordable.

Did you know that most people associate plant-based eating with higher grocery bills? Crazy but true. I was at a conference last week where they shared this stat, and I was blown away by how many people in the audience were nodding their heads in agreement.

I can see how that could be perceived. However, I can attest to the fact that I have helped hundreds of clients not only change their diet for the better, but also reduce their grocery bills.

The key to healthier (and affordable) eating? Switch up your protein sources.

You don’t have to be a full-on vegetarian to make this change.  You can start to see benefits in swapping animal protein for plant protein just a few times a week. Considering the price of meat averages around $ 3 per pound, plant-based proteins tend to run approximately one-third of the cost.

I bought this bag of French Green Lentils (the filet mignon of lentils) for a little over a dollar a bag.

Health benefits rock too! One serving of lentils contains 15g fiber, 13g protein, 3.2mg iron, and only 1g of fat.

Per cooked serving, that equates to $0.13 per serving for lentils, $0.75 for the meat. Multiply that by a few meals a week and you can see how swapping in plant-based proteins for meat can have a significant impact on the grocery budget.

Ingredient Notes

• French Lentils: This is what makes this Greek lentil salad! They are my favorite kind of lentil to use in salads (try them in my crispy lentil cobb salad) and don’t become mushy when combined in a salad.
• Zucchini: The zucchini adds nice texture and a light flavor to this salad. You can use cucumber instead, but I find that I use cucumber over and over again in my salads, as I wanted to switch it up.
• Red Onion: If raw onion is too strong for you, then you can marinate it in a little red wine vinegar to remove the bite, then add it to the salad.
• Quinoa: Cooked quinoa adds more texture and fiber, making this Greek lentil salad meal worthy. The texture of the quinoa with the cooked lentils pairs nicely with the chopped vegetables.

Make Ahead Tips

I love summer salads that get better the longer they marinate, and this salad is no exception. I can make this salad in the morning before friends arrive and enjoy a casual BBQ hours later.

If you want to make this for meal prep, you can chop all the ingredients and then combine them either in the morning for lunch or right before serving.

Greek Salad was one of my favorite dishes growing up, and I love that I’ve recreated a healthier version here. I kept it dairy-free, but if you want a little more tang, feel free to throw in some feta cubes, like I do in my Traditional Greek Salad (Horiatiki).

Go ahead and make extra of the dressing, it’s so versatile and tastes great anywhere you would use a vinaigrette.

More Greek Inspired Recipes:

• Tofu Gyros with Tzatziki
• Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
• Vegan Greek Salad with Tofu Feta
• Greek Lentil and Potato Salad
• Quinoa Zucchini Fritters

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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Greek Lentil Salad

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5 from 2 votes

Greek Lentil Salad! This healthy, vegetable packed salad is so delicious! Lentils, Quinoa, Veggies in a tangy lemon dressing. Vegan & Gluten-Free.

Servings: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

• 1/2 cup French du Puy lentils
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 small/medium zucchini or 1 large, cubed
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup kalamata olives, halved and pitted
• 4 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Rinse and drain the lentils. Place in a saucepan and cover by 2 inches with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer 20-25 minutes until tender. Strain and set aside.
• While the lentils are cooking, make the quinoa. Place quinoa in a small sauce pot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
• Remove from heat, keep the lid on and let sit another 2-3 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
• Once the lentils and quinoa have cooled, place in a bowl with the tomatoes, zucchini, red onion and olives.
• Whisk together the oregano, salt, ground pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Toss with salad.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 428kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 12gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 18gSodium: 439mgPotassium: 675mgFiber: 12gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 822IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 4mg

Course: dinner, lunch

Cuisine: American

Author: Alexandra Caspero