Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 200 g french puy lentils, dry, rinsed and picked over
- 750 ml vegetable broth
- 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 150 g english cucumber, diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 80 g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 15 g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 lemon zest
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 5 g fresh thyme, leaves picked and minced
- 1 garlic, minced or grated
- 3 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 443 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 44 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 1329 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 22 mg
- Potassium
- 662 mg
- Calcium
- 190 mg
- Iron
- 4.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 50 mg
- Phosphorus
- 268 mg
- Zinc
- 2.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 83 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 25 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 80 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.55 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.37 mg
- Niacin
- 1.9 mg
- Folate
- 264 mcg
- Water
- 277 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the rinsed lentils and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil at 100°C/212°F over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the lentils are tender but still retain a slight bite.
Drain any excess liquid from the cooked lentils using a mesh strainer. Transfer the warm lentils to a large mixing bowl and allow them to cool slightly for 10 minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, Dijon mustard, minced thyme, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the vinaigrette is fully emulsified.
Pour half of the vinaigrette over the slightly warm lentils and toss gently. This allows the warm lentils to absorb the flavors deeply.
Add the cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, and fresh parsley to the lentils. Pour the remaining dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese. Let the salad rest at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to marry.
Chef's Notes
- Dressing the lentils while they are still slightly warm is a crucial technique. The heat opens up the lentil structure, allowing them to absorb the vinaigrette like a sponge rather than just being coated by it.
- If preparing this a day in advance, leave the cucumber and fresh parsley out until just before serving to maintain their maximum crispness and bright color.
- The Dijon mustard in the dressing acts not only as a flavor component but as a powerful emulsifier, keeping the oil and lemon juice suspended together.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Flavors will continue to meld and improve on the second day.
Troubleshooting
Lentils are mushy and falling apart
Cause: Overcooking or vigorously boiling instead of gently simmering. Red or yellow lentils may have been used by mistake.
Fix: Cannot be restored to a salad texture. Pulse in a food processor to use as a flavorful lentil dip, and start a fresh batch for the salad.
Prevention: Ensure you are using sturdy lentils like Puy or black beluga. Keep the heat at a low simmer and check for doneness 5 minutes before the suggested time.
Raw red onion flavor is too sharp or overpowering
Cause: The specific onion used was exceptionally pungent.
Fix: Add a pinch of sugar or an extra drizzle of olive oil to the salad to help balance the sharpness.
Prevention: Soak diced red onions in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain before adding to the salad to mellow their bite.
Cultural Context
Lentils are one of the oldest cultivated legumes, heavily utilized throughout the Mediterranean basin since antiquity. This salad draws on the classic Mediterranean profile of combining hearty pulses with bright, acidic dressings and fresh vegetables, a methodology developed to create sustaining, cooling meals during hot regional summers.
