Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs

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5.0

240 reviews
Excellent

Lentil Salad with Fresh Herbs

Balanced, flavorful, and enjoyable—this recipe has it all.

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 1 cup (200g) French green lentils or Black Beluga lentils (see note 1)
  • Kosher salt + freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup (~70g) pine nuts, or chopped almonds or pistachios (see note 2)
  • 2 medium lemons, zested + 2 tablespoons of the juice
  • 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper (or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; half for mild heat)
  • Heaping ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
  • 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons champagne vinegar (or red wine vinegar), more as needed
  • 1 ½ cups (~24g) fresh soft herbs such as basil, mint, parsley, and/or cilantro, chopped (see note 3)
  • 3 cups (40g) arugula
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Instructions

  1. Cook the lentils. Fill a medium saucepan with water and generously salt, as you would salt cooking water for pasta. Once the water is boiling, add the lentils, bay leaf, and a few rounds of black pepper.
  2. Reduce the heat to simmer and maintain a simmer for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the lentils are al dente (tender but with a bite). When the lentils are al dente, drain them over a colander and discard the bay leaf. Shake the colander a few times to get rid of water.
  3. While the lentils cook, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 minutes, or until shallots are just starting to get some color.a. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring from time to time, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until garlic is just turning golden brown around the edges and the pine nuts are toasted and nicely browned.b. Add lemon zest, chile flakes, and flaky salt, and cook for 30 seconds, tossing frequently. Take off heat immediately and pour into a large bowl to stop cooking.
  4. While the lentils cook, chop the fresh herbs.
  5. Add the lentils to the aromatic oil, season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, black pepper to taste, and toss well. Add the vinegar (starting with 1 tablespoon), 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh herbs and toss well to combine.
  6. Now add the arugula and toss together with tongs to just gently wilt. Season the salad with salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

  • You can sub green or brown lentils if you can’t find these varieties, though the lentils will be softer and won’t hold their shape as much. They also take less time to cook, about 15 minutes.
  • If allergic to nuts, use pepitas.
  • A few herb combos I like: mint and parsley; basil and parsley; mint and basil; cilantro and mint. You can leave small leaves whole for variety.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 417kcal (21%) Carbohydrates 38g (13%) Protein 16g (32%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 8g Monounsaturated Fat 14g Sodium 462mg (19%) Potassium 757mg (22%) Fiber 18g (72%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 898IU (18%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 83mg (8%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 417 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 417kcal 21%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Protein 16g 32%
Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g 47%
Monounsaturated Fat 14g 70%
Sodium 462mg 19%
Potassium 757mg 16%
Fiber 18g 72%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 898IU 18%
Vitamin C 23mg 26%
Calcium 83mg 8%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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5.0

240 reviews
Excellent

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