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Lentil Salad with Spring Vegetables

Salads Vegetarian Dishes 30 min Easy 20 wyświetleń ~16.44 PLN * - (0)
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Description

A light, colorful salad that combines the earthy flavor of lentils with the crunch of fresh spring vegetables: asparagus, carrots, and bell peppers. The dish is vegetarian, filling thanks to the plant protein from lentils, and refreshing due to the lemon-mustard dressing. Perfect for a work lunch, a dinner on warm days, or as a side dish for a family gathering. The salad looks beautiful with the contrast of green, red, and crumbled feta cheese (optional) — serve it in a shallow bowl, sprinkled with parsley for freshness. The dish is easy to prepare, can be made in advance and chilled, and the flavors meld together, making it even better after a few hours.

Ingredients Used

Ingredients (14)

Servings:
4
  • Green lentils 200 g
  • Carrot 2.5 szt. (~200 g)
  • Cucumber 0.5 szt. (~150 g)
  • Red bell pepper 0.8 szt. (~150 g)
  • Green asparagus 200 g
  • Red onion 75 g
  • Lemon juice 30 ml
  • Rapeseed oil 30 g
  • Mustard 15 g
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Parsley 0.5 pęczek (~15 g)
  • Salt 2 g
  • Black pepper 2 szczypty (~1 g)
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Feta cheese 100 g
  • Black olive 50 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~16.44 PLN (4.11 PLN/porcję)
* Brak cen dla niektórych składników

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Lentils

1

Weigh 200 g of green lentils and place them in a sieve. Rinse under cold running water for about 1–2 minutes, stirring vigorously with your hands – this will remove dust and small impurities. Transfer the rinsed lentils to a medium pot (with a capacity of 2–3 l).

Ingredients: green lentils
Use a fine-mesh strainer and a medium pot with a lid. Do not use the previously burned pot, as the lentils may cook unevenly.
2

Rinse the lentils with cold water in a ratio of about 1 part lentils to 3 parts water (about 600 ml). Add a very small pinch of salt (1 g) only at the end of cooking. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook with the lid slightly ajar for 18–22 minutes. Check the lentils starting at 16 minutes: the grains should be soft but hold their shape (they should not fall apart).

Ingredients: green lentils, Salt
Use a heavy-bottomed pot to avoid burning. If the water evaporates quickly, add a small amount of boiling water. Do not salt too early – salt prolongs cooking time and can toughen the skin.

Vegetables

3

Prepare the vegetables: peel the carrot and cut it first into angled slices, then into thin sticks (julienne) or small cubes – this will mix well with the lentils. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, scoop out the soft seeds with a spoon (if they are watery), and then slice into half-moons. Clean the bell pepper of seeds and white membranes, and cut into small cubes. Peel the red onion and slice it into thin half-moons.

Ingredients: Carrot, Cucumber, Red bell pepper, Red onion
Use a cutting board, a sharp chef's knife, and a carrot peeler. When cutting the bell pepper and cucumber, try to maintain a similar size of the pieces – for aesthetics and even distribution of flavors.
4

Prepare the asparagus: snap off about 1–2 cm of the woody end of each stalk (the stalk will break at the right place on its own). Cut the stalks into pieces about 2–3 cm long. In a pot, bring water with a pinch of salt to a boil, add the asparagus, and blanch for 2–3 minutes — they should have a vibrant green color and remain crisp. Immediately transfer them to a bowl of ice-cold water (known as shocking) to stop the cooking process and preserve the color.

Ingredients: green asparagus, Salt
Use a large pot for blanching and a bowl of ice water for cooling. Blanching for too long will make the asparagus soft and lose its texture — keep an eye on the time with a clock.

Dressing

5

In a medium bowl, prepare the dressing: pour in 30 ml of lemon juice, add 15 g of mustard and 30 g of rapeseed oil. Add 1 g of black pepper and 1 g of salt (if you will be using feta cheese later, add less salt now). Whisk vigorously with a whisk or fork until a creamy emulsion forms — about 30–45 seconds. The dressing should thicken slightly and combine into a uniform, glossy mixture.

Ingredients: Lemon juice, Mustard, Rapeseed oil, Salt, Black pepper
Use a small bowl and a whisk or a jar with a lid (then shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds). If the dressing separates, add a drop of hot water and whisk again.

Assembly

6

When the lentils are cooked, drain them in a sieve and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Wait until they are lukewarm or reach room temperature (about 5–10 minutes). In a large bowl, combine the lentils, prepared carrot, cucumber, pepper, asparagus, and onion.

Ingredients: green lentils, Carrot, Cucumber, Red bell pepper, green asparagus, Red onion
Use a large, wide bowl (about 3 l) to make mixing the ingredients easier without crushing the lentils. Do not mix when the lentils are hot — they may absorb too much dressing and become mushy.
7

Pour the prepared dressing evenly over the salad. Gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon — use the "folding" technique: slide the spoon under the ingredients and lift them from the bottom to the top to avoid crushing the lentils. Taste the salad and adjust with salt and pepper if needed.

Ingredients: Lemon juice, Mustard, Rapeseed oil, Salt, Black pepper, green lentils
Use a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula. If you are adding feta cheese, wait until the end of mixing so it doesn't crumble into small pieces.

Finishing

8

At the end, add chopped parsley, optionally crumbled feta cheese, and halved black olives. Gently mix to distribute the additions evenly. Transfer the salad to a flat dish or plates and serve immediately or after 10–20 minutes of chilling in the fridge — the flavors will meld.

Ingredients: Parsley, Feta cheese, black olive
If feta cheese is an option, add it at the end and gently stir to keep it in chunks. Use a cheese knife or a fork to crumble it.

Serving

9

Serve the salad at room temperature or slightly chilled, sprinkled with extra parsley. You can serve it with a slice of whole grain bread or as a side dish to baked potatoes. If you are preparing the salad in advance, add the olives and cheese just before serving.

Ingredients: Parsley, Feta cheese, black olive
Use a wide serving bowl — the salad looks nice spread out flat, with distinct layers of color. Do not store the dressing mixed with the salad for too long (maximum 48 hours), as the vegetables will lose their crunch.

Fun Fact

💡

Lentils are one of the oldest cultivated legumes in Europe; in Poland, they often graced rural tables as a cheaper source of protein. Combined with fresh spring vegetables, they create a blend of tradition and seasonality.

Best for

lunch lekka kolacja piknik przyjęcie w ogrodzie

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the salad in a flat bowl, sprinkled with fresh parsley. For a heartier version, add pieces of roasted chicken breast (non-vegetarian option) or serve with a slice of sourdough bread. Add the feta cheese just before serving to prevent it from becoming mushy.

🥡 Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. If you plan to store it longer, keep the dressing separate and mix before serving. Do not freeze the salad — the vegetables will lose their texture after thawing.

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