This Lentil Salad with Lemon Dressing great for a picnic. The combination of cucumbers, sun-dried tomatoes, red onion and fresh mint goes perfectly with the lemony dressing. Lentils are an excellent source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. They are high in protein, fiber and a great choice for the heart and for managing blood pressure and cholesterol. I could go on with even more health benefits of lentils!
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yields: 4 Servings
Ingredients
Lentil Salad
1 cup uncooked lentils (either green, French green or brown lentils), rinsed and picked over
1 English cucumber, finely diced
1 small red onion, finely diced
¾ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed, chopped
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced and drained
Lemon Dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
Directions
1Cook the lentils. Combine the lentils in a saucepan with 3 cups of water and stir to combine. Cook over medium-high heat until the broth reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and maintain the simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 - 25 minutes depending on the type of lentils used. Use a strainer to drain and rinse the lentils in cold water for 1 minute until they are chilled, and set aside.
2Mix the dressing. Meanwhile, as the lentils are cooking, combine all of the lemon dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together until combined.
3Combine. Add the cooked and chilled lentils, cucumber, red onion, mint and sun-dried tomatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle evenly with the lemon dressing and toss until evenly combined.
4Serve. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 - 4 days.