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Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
A big bowl of marinated lentils coming your way! A delicious, bright lentil salad that’s perfect for shoveling straight from the fridge or tossed with a few handfuls of leafy greens, chopped tomatoes and thinly sliced radishes if you like. It’s the kinda meal that’s fantastic for meal prep and one that just keeps getting better with time.
It’s no secret that I love lentils. I think that we all should be eating more legumes and lentils. They are dirt cheap, packed with plant-based protein and fiber and fairly simple to cook. Unlike other dried beans, they don’t need to be soaked before cooking and can be used in so many incredible dishes. If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy lentils; this simple marinated lentil salad is it.
As I just mentioned, lentils are an inexpensive way of getting in a wide range of nutrients. They are packed with B vitamins, zinc, potassium, iron and magnesium.
One cup of cooked lentils contains 18g of protein and 16g of fiber– pretty impressive, huh? PS– if you’re curious on plant-based protein, I have a free 7-Day Plant-Based Protein course that you can sign up for here.
A single serving of lentils (1 cup, cooked) also contains 37% of the daily recommended amount of iron. I don’t usually stress too much about iron, but it is true that plant-based sources of iron are harder to absorb than animal-based heme iron. There’s some debate on whether that’s beneficial, as too much iron is also not good for us, but pairing lentils with a source of vitamin C, like the lemon juice in this salad, increases absorption by 4-6x.
There are so many kinds of lentils out there, especially if you consider the many, many types of lentils that aren’t common to a Western diet. In general, you can find the following at your local grocery store:
In addition to black or green French lentils (or brown if that’s all you can find) you’ll also need:
First, you’ll cook lentils with onions and bay leaves. You can use vegetable broth if you’d like for additional flavor, or regular old water. Once they are cooked, drain and set aside to cool.
From there, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing: extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup and a pinch of salad and pepper and toss with the lentils.
Throw in a big handful of sliced scallions and fresh parsley, stir together and that’s it! You’ve got a big bowl of marinated lentil salad.
I love this most straight from the fridge, but you can also use in your favorite salad with chopped tomatoes, thinly sliced radishes and a few handfuls of leafy greens.
For easy lunches throughout the week, make a big batch of this and then scoop into a fridge-salad: leftover roasted veggies, cooked grains, leafy greens, sometimes I even add a scoop of hummus on top. These lentils pair well with whatever you like most in your salad.
I know you are going to love these marinated lentils as much as we do. If you end up trying them, make sure to share on social media using the hashtag #delishknowledge and tagging me! I’d also love for you to come back and let others know what you thought– your feedback makes my day and helps other readers.
Marinated Lentil Salad! French green lentils tossed with herbs and a bright lemon dressing. A must for vegan meal prep and easy meals throughout the week.
Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
(one comment) leave a comment
DELISH!!!! So simple and incredibly tasty! Added diced avocado and hummus and found the cutest rainbow radishes at the store. Used pre-made lentils to save some time. Will be making this on repeat. Yum! Thank you for the recipe!!!
★★★★★