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A light and easy to prepare vegan lentil salad is a lunch that I’ve totally overlooked. But whenever I make it, I remember how delicious and healthy it is! This vegan salad is so easy to throw together, it’s very satisfying, and you can customize it based on your favourite veggies and what’s in the fridge!
This is one of the first recipes I’ve ever published back in 2017. When I remade it after all these years (and I don’t think I’ve made it since that time, to be honest with you! It was a forgotten gem!), it still had the same flair it had this long ago. Trust me, I’m wishing I had made it more often! This is one amazing lunch that you’ll find so tasty, satisfying, and feeling good!
Why Are Lentils So Healthy?▼
This salad is full of health benefits! In particular, the lentils really will keep you full and provide the protein in this dish. Actually, lentils are made of over 25% protein, which is a perfect alternative to meat or other animal proteins! You’ve got 18 grams of protein per cooked cup! In this recipe, we’ll be using 1/4 cup of dry lentils, which will yield about 3/4 cup cooked.
Lentils are rich in iron and folate. This contributes to lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease, as levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol have been shown to be increased while LDL cholesterol or “bad” cholesterol were reduced.
They also contain polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory effects and may prevent cancerous cells to grow in the body.
Finally, lentils have lots of fibre! I don’t think I need to share the benefits of fibre for regular bowel movements and healthy gut bacteria. We sometimes take our digestion for granted, but let’s be mindful of that important part of our lives!
Source: Healthline.
In the meantime, let’s forget the toilet talk and go back to discussing this delicious salad!
What Lentils to Use in This Vegan Lentil Salad?▼
Many types of lentils exist and each can be enjoyed in various forms. I bet most of you have tried at least half of them. Here are just a few types of lentils:
- Black lentils (or urad dal)
- Red lentils
- Brown lentils (masoor dal)
- Small split peas or yellow lentils (chana dal)
- Pigeon peas (toor dal)
- White lentils - split and skinless black lentils
- Whole mung beans
- Green lentils - Grown in North America
- French Puy lentils - Green lentils grown in France
I would recommend you substitute green lentils with brown lentils or the Puy lentils if you can find them. I would not recommend red lentils or yellow lentils because these lentils tend to break down while cooking. On the other hand, if you would like to use red and yellow lentils, be sure to check out myNorth Indian Chana Dal recipe!
However, a fun experiment would be to try whole mung bean in this salad! These could add a nice texture to your salad! Potential recipe idea, anyone?
Do You Soak Lentils Before Cooking Them?▼
I’ve soaked my lentils as well as not have soaked them! You can do either or. Unlike beans, however, lentils don’t need to be soaked before cooking them. You’ll shorten the cooking time, but it won’t make a huge difference.
I recommend using an Instant Pot to cook your lentils. This has helped me out so much, and they always turn out great! The lentils will cook in 8 minutes. You can find my guide to cooking the the perfect beans and lentils in the Instant Pot by clicking here!
How to Know when the Lentils Are Cooked?▼
Getting the cook timing for your lentils can be a bit tricky! Here is a side by side comparison of perfectly cooked lentils versus over cooked lentils. I’ll be humble here and show you that I make mistakes too! That’s okay, because I have something to show you lovely people and help you learn! I’m more than happy to do that because that’s what this platform is all about :)
Do you see the difference? The lentils on the left have their round shape but are still soft. The overcooked lentils have burst and look a bit mushy. On the other hand, lentils that are not cooked enough won’t be soft at all.
To test your lentils, take a few and try to break them between your fingers. If they’re slightly resisting, then they’re good! If they won’t break at all, they’re not fully cooked. You could also taste a few to see if they’re cooked enough.
Ingredients for Vegan Lentil Salad
Let’s get onto the recipe! Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this lentil salad. It’s quite short, which is perfect for meal prepping!
- Green lentils
- Onions
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Curry powder
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Healthy Vegan Salad with Lentils
- To prepare in an electric pressure cooker, add enough water to cover them by an inch and cook in pressure cooker mode for 8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- To prepare in a stovetop pressure cooker, add enough water to cover them by an inch and let the pressure build in the cooker at high heat. Then turn heat to low and cook for 6-8 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
- To prepare on the stovetop, add lentils to a pot and cover with just enough water to cover the lentils by about 1-2 inches. Bring the water up to boil, turn down heat to low until water gently simmers. Cook uncovered for 25-30 minutes.
Heat a pan on medium heat and drizzle some olive oil onto the pan.
When the oil is hot, add sliced onions and sliced zucchini to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the zucchini starts to become soft.
Season with curry powder. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Mix well and add the cherry tomatoes.
After one minute, add in the lentils.
Cook until everything is warmed through. Serve hot and enjoy!
Can You Make this Vegan Salad With Lentils Ahead of Time?▼
You sure can! This nutritious salad with lentils is perfect for meal prepping! To store, add the prepared salad into containers. I would recommend keeping it in the fridge for up to one week.
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