Cold Lentil Salad Recipe
User Reviews
5
Cold Lentil Salad Recipe
Description
This salad starts by cooking brown lentils until tender and combining them with pineapple tidbits, chopped cilantro, minced red onion, and salt for a refreshing base. The dressing is made by processing pineapple juice with avocado oil, reduced-sodium soy sauce, chopped jalapeno for heat, fresh lime juice, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, thyme, and cinnamon, delivering a sweet-spicy complexity with bright citrus and warm spice notes. After dressing the lentil mixture, the salad is refrigerated for at least two hours or overnight to let the flavors meld deeply.
Just before serving, coconut chips are stirred in to maintain their crisp texture, adding a mild coconut flavor and crunch. This salad is best served chilled and can be enjoyed as a light lunch, side, or refreshing dish especially suitable during warmer months.
The inclusion of fresh jalapeno and warming spices alongside pineapple juice gives this salad a unique flavor profile balancing sweetness, heat, and aromatic depth. The make-ahead rest time enhances flavor integration and texture contrast with the coconut chips.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 Cup brown lentils uncooked
- 3 Cups water
- 1 oz Can pineapple tidbits but keep the juice) About 2/3 cup packed tidbits, drained
- 1/2 Cup cilantro roughly chopped
- 1/4 Cup red onion minced
- 1 tsp salt sea salt
- 1/2 Cup coconut chips
For the dressing:
- 1/4 Cup pineapple juice (from the can of tidbits)
- 1 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp soy sauce GF if needed, reduced-sodium
- 1-2 jalapeno pepper roughly chopped, to desired spiciness, large
- 1 1/4 tsp lime juice fresh
- 3/4 tsp ginger minced, fresh
- 3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 + 1/8 tsp thyme ground
- 1/4 + 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils and stir together the water and lentils in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain well and add into a large bowl.
- Add all the other salad ingredients, except the coconut chips, into the bowl and stir to combine.
- In a SMALL food processor (mine is 3 cups) process all of the dressing ingredients until the jalapeno is broken down and the dressing is smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Pour the dressing over the lentils and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours up to overnight so the lentils can absorb the dressing and develop flavor.
- When ready to serve, stir in the coconut chips* and DEVOUR!
Notes
- Add coconut chips only just before serving to keep them crunchy.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6People (1/2 cup per serving)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 191 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 191kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 28.5g | 10% |
| Protein | 8.6g | 17% |
| Fat | 4.5g | 7% |
| Saturated Fat | 1.8g | 9% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1.7g | 9% |
| Sodium | 473mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 368mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 10.9g | 44% |
| Sugar | 7.9g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 20IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 18.8mg | 21% |
| Calcium | 15mg | 2% |
| Iron | 2.4mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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