Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Lentil salad with an easy homemade Mediterranean inspired vinaigrette (or use prepared) and fresh, crisp vegetables.

The development of this recipe was sponsored by Hurst's Beans. As always, all opinions are my own.

Oh my goodness, I do love me some lentils. They’re my new favorite play-thing when it comes to experimenting in the kitchen. We’ve been eating them instead of rice or potatoes as side dishes with supper because they’re soooooo much better for you (high fiber, high protein) and they cook up just as fast.

I usually cook up a big batch of something on Sunday that I can pack for lunches during the week and my all-time favorite is my Italian Lentil Soup with Sausage (seriously, if you haven’t made that one yet, put it on your bucket list). But since the weather’s been warming up and, again, I’m obsessed with lentils right now, I thought I’d try to make a lentil salad!

And I did!

And it was awesome!!

I figured I’d treat the lentils like pasta and make something similar to a pasta salad. And since I wanted to use my Hurst’s Garlic & Herb Lentils I decided to head in a Mediterranean direction which I’m so glad I did! I can’t wait to make this over the summer for pool parties and potlucks!

If you can’t find Hurst’s Garlic & Herb Lentils in your local grocery store, ask for them! My grocery store now carries all sorts of products they didn’t have before simply because I asked for them.

Just ask the cashier who to talk to to request a product and s/he will point you in the right direction. My store has a list at the Customer Service desk where they notate products their customers' request.

If you enjoy salads like this, you might enjoy these recipes too!

• Cucumber & Tomato Salad with a Simple Summer Vinaigrette - A salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and an easy oil and vinegar dressing.
• Crunchy Oriental Ramen Salad - A crunchy Oriental salad recipe using coleslaw mix and ramen noodles! This retro Asian-inspired salad is always a hit!
• Creamy Macaroni Salad - A cool and creamy macaroni salad recipe with red onions, celery, mayo and a ton of flavor.
• Picnic Pasta Salad - Classic pasta salad recipe made with Italian dressing, cucumbers and tomatoes.
• Creamy Cucumber Salad - A German recipe for cool and creamy cucumber salad made with sour cream, a little vinegar and a pinch of sugar.

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Yield: 8-10 ServingsAuthor: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SALAD

prep time: 15 minscook time: 35 minstotal time: 50 mins

ingredients

Salad:

• 1 package Hurst’s Garlic & Herb Lentils (seasoning packet divided)
• 7 cups water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large English cucumber, diced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, diced
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 6 oz. crumbled feta cheese, divided

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Garlic & Herb seasoning from lentils
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

instructions

Remove seasoning packet from Hurst’s Garlic & Herb Lentils. Measure out 1 tablespoon of seasoning to be used in dressing; set aside.

Add remaining seasoning, lentils, water and two tablespoons olive oil to a large pot. Bring lentils to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 35 minutes or until lentils are al dente. Strain lentils then gently rinse in cold water. Set aside to drain thoroughly.

Combine dressing ingredients and mix well; set aside.

Combine cucumber, tomatoes, onion, parsley, 2/3 of feta and lentils in a large bowl. Add dressing and mix well. To serve, top salad with remaining feta.

Notes:

• If you can’t find the Hurst’s Garlic & Herb Lentils, ask your grocer to get them for you or order online. If you’re not able to get them, substitute with 2 cups uncooked lentils (cook with salt to taste) and dress with 1 cup Greek salad dressing.
• Don’t skip the fresh parsley! It really gives the salad a unique freshness and it pairs so beautifully with fresh lemon juice!
• If you really enjoy lemon in Greek dishes, consider zesting your lemons and adding the zest to the salad as well.
• You will likely need 2 lemons to yield 1/3 cup juice. I have never been able to get more than 1/4 cup from one.
• Greek olives and/or roasted red peppers would be great additions to this salad!

Recipe card created using The Recipes Generator

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