Mediterranean Lentil Salad

2012-08-17

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Skill Level: Easy

Mediterranean Lentil Salad | Plant-Based on a Budget | #lentil #salad #mediterranean #healthy #vegan #plantbasedonabudget

Servings : 6-10
Prep Time : 10m
Cook Time : 20m
Ready In : 40m

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From the authors, Gina and Jeremy: One of the best ways to cool off in the summer is with a cold salad. We are easily bored with leafy green salads and usually want a little more protein in our meal. When we feel the need to have a light, healthy, and cheap option we turn to a tangy lentil salad. This Mediterranean Lentil Salad recipe came about when we happened to throw together some ingredients we had around the house, and it had a decidedly Mediterranean feel! This works great as both a side dish or a full entree. It’s also cheap, as lentils, garbanzos, and veggies are inexpensive.

From Plant-Based on a Budget: This Mediterranean Lentil Salad is full of plant-protein and it so happens to be incredibly tasty. It contains all those amazing Mediterranean flavors we love and it makes for a perfect light lunch. We think you will absolutely love it!

Perfect Lunch Prep

This Mediterranean Lentil Salad is ideal for those looking to prep their food in advance (and be healthier!). You can prep this on a Sunday and have lunch for every day of the week all ready to go. If you have soggy salad aversion, you can leave out the dressing (prep it and save it in a glass jar) and then dress it right before serving. If you like your salads marinated, then you can dress it and leave it for a couple of days to intensify the flavors.

On that note, we cannot encourage you enough to take some time on Sunday and prepare for your (busy) week ahead. You don’t have to be a meal prepping queen and whip up 7 different dishes, any prep is good prep. Even if you cook a grain and a protein in bulk, you will cut your time spent in the kitchen considerably. Why Sunday? Because it tends to be the quieter and less busy day, and it happens to be the day before the weekly marathon begins.

Recommended Equipment:

Photos by Alfonso Revilla

Ingredients

2 cups of uncooked lentils
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small red onion, diced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium cucumber, chopped
4 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1 (15-ounce) can of garbanzo beans
3 teaspoons of dill
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Step 1

Boil the lentils in water for about 20 minutes or until soft. Drain and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Remove the lentils from the freezer and add them to a large bowl. Pour in the oil and vinegar and mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.

Step 3

Stir in the garlic, onion, tomatoes, and cucumber.

Step 4

Stir in the dill, salt, and pepper, and mix again. Cool for 10 minutes in the fridge and serve.

Step 5

Put in the dill, salt, and pepper and mix again. Cool for 10 minutes in the fridge and serve.