Summer Lentil Salad
Posted: | Categories: Recipes | Tags:salad summer
Summer Lentil Salad
Melissa Ben-Ishay
Whenever I use fresh oregano in a salad, I pair it with red wine vinegar. It creates the perfect mix of Mediterranean flavor—fresh oregano is SO much better and more powerful than dried. This is a great salad to pack for a picnic, take to the pool, or carry with you to work. Add a jammy egg on top if you want extra protein!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups lentils (I used a mix of green, red, and black)
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
- A few turns of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
- 6 halved artichoke hearts in oil (about a cup), chopped
- 2 small peppers or pepperoncinis, finely chopped
- ½ pint small tomatoes, finely chopped
- ¼ cup Castelvetrano olives, chopped
- 1 cucumber, middle cut out (no seeds), chopped (or 2 mini cucumbers, chopped)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Directions
- Rinse and pick over the lentils to remove any stones or debris and cook according to package instructions.
- While the lentils cook, add the garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, pepper, oregano, and chives to a large bowl and mix together. Drain the lentils and transfer to the bowl while they’re still warm. The heat from the lentils will help the flavors of the aromatics bloom.
- Add the artichoke hearts, peppers, tomatoes, olives, and cucumber to the bowl and mix well to combine.
- Make the dressing directly in the bowl: add the lemon juice, red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir the salad well to combine, then taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve warm or cold and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
