Green Lentil Salad with Feta (Mediterranean-Style)

This green lentil salad is full of Mediterranean flavor: tender green lentils, grape tomatoes, crunchy cucumber, red onion, Kalamata olives and fresh herbs in a simple red wine vinaigrette, with feta crumbled on top. It’s hearty enough for lunch on its own, and it holds up in the fridge for days.

The trick is adding the lentils to the dressing while they’re still hot. Warm lentils soak up the vinaigrette, so they’re seasoned all the way through instead of just coated on the outside.

How This Is Different From My Apple Cider Lentil Salad

If you’ve made my Apple Cider Lentil Salad, this is a totally different salad. That one simmers the lentils in apple cider with bay leaves and tosses them with arugula, pistachios and a lemony dressing. This one is a Greek-style lentil salad: the lentils cook in plain water, then get tossed with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, red onion and a red wine vinegar and honey dressing. For even more ideas, here are my favorite easy lentil recipes.

Why You’ll Love This Green Lentil Salad

• Hot lentils go straight into the dressing, so every bite is full of flavor.
• There’s no lettuce to wilt, so it keeps well in the fridge and makes a great meal prep lunch.
• Green lentils hold their shape when they’re cooked, so the salad stays hearty, not mushy.
• The herbs are flexible. Use mint, basil, parsley or a combination, whatever you have.
• The feta is optional, so it’s easy to make dairy-free.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Dried green lentils
• Grape tomatoes
• English cucumber
• Red onion
• Pitted Kalamata olives
• Fresh herbs (mint, basil or parsley)
• Feta cheese crumbles (optional, or try goat cheese)
• For the dressing: extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, sea salt and black pepper

Fresh, simple ingredients, and the dressing is just five pantry staples.

Green Lentil Salad Ingredient Notes

Green Lentils

Green lentils keep their shape after cooking, which is exactly what you want in a salad (red lentils break down and get soft, so save those for soup). One cup of dried green lentils makes about 2 ½ cups cooked. Rinse them in a fine-mesh strainer and pick through them before cooking. Debris is less common now, but lentils are stored in big containers, and occasionally a little piece of something that’s not a lentil makes its way into the bag. For more tips, see my guide to cooking with dried beans, lentils and peas.

Cucumber

An English cucumber has thin skin and small seeds, so you can chop it as is. If you’re using a regular cucumber, seed it before chopping so the salad doesn’t get watery.

Vinegar

Red wine vinegar is my go-to here, but champagne vinegar or white balsamic work just as well. A teaspoon of honey rounds out the tang.

I buy pantry staples like dried lentils, olive oil and vinegar on Thrive Market, a high-quality online grocer. Get 40% off your first order at Thrive Market here.

How to Make Green Lentil Salad

The key is getting the timing right so the lentils go into the dressing hot. Here’s how:

1. Rinse the lentils. Rinse them under cool water for 60 seconds in a fine-mesh strainer, picking through them as you go.
2. Simmer them. Add the rinsed lentils and 3 cups of water to a medium pan. Bring it to a boil, then simmer until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. They’re done when they’re tender but still hold their shape.
3. Make the dressing and prep the veggies. While the lentils cook, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a medium or large mixing bowl until emulsified. Add the chopped vegetables, olives and herbs.
4. Add the hot lentils. Drain off any water left in the pan, then add the hot lentils to the bowl and gently fold everything together. This is the step that makes the salad, because warm lentils absorb the dressing.
5. Finish and taste. Sprinkle in the feta if you’re using it. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

See the full recipe and tips in the printable recipe card below.

How to Serve Green Lentil Salad

How to Store Green Lentil Salad

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you’re making it ahead for the week, you can wait to add the feta until you serve it. Stir it before serving and add a pinch of salt if it needs it. This salad doesn’t freeze well, because the cucumber and tomatoes turn watery once thawed.

Green Lentil Salad FAQs

Do you need to soak green lentils before cooking?

No. Unlike dried beans, lentils don’t need to be soaked. Just rinse them, pick through them, and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.

How long do green lentils take to cook?

In this recipe, they simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes after the water comes to a boil. Start tasting at 20 minutes. You want them tender but not falling apart.

Can you eat lentil salad cold?

Yes. This green lentil salad is good warm, at room temperature or cold from the fridge, which is why it’s such an easy lunch to pack.

How long does lentil salad last in the fridge?

Up to 4 days in an airtight container. The lentils keep soaking up the dressing as they sit.

Can I use canned lentils?

Yes. One cup of dried lentils makes about 2 ½ cups cooked, so use about that much canned lentils, rinsed and drained. Warm them up before adding them to the dressing so they soak up the flavor.

If you make this green lentil salad, let me know how it turned out in the comments below!

Print