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Healthy Greek Lentil Salad

Healthy Greek Lentil Salad

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Add extra flavour and texture to your lentil salad combined with plenty of vegetables and protein for a nutritious lunch or side.

Healthy Lentil salad image

Most people don’t eat dried legumes during summer mainly because of the abundance of fresh vegetables but also because they have correlated legumes with soups. 

However, dried legumes are a great source for protein and the combination of any dried legumes with lots of vegetables makes a healthy and perfect meal for  hot summer days.

Whenever I go to the farmers’ market I do have a few things in mind what I need to buy but then I end up with so many other things based on how appealing they look and if they are cheap, I grab them, as I know I will find a way to use them.

You cannot imagine how excited I was last week when I heard a producer promoting his vegetables when I heard that he was selling fresh coriander (cilantro). 

I had already passed his stall when I heard him and returned back trying to realize if what I heard was right.  

I was so excited to find fresh coriander (cilantro) in the farmers’ market after so many years in Greece and if he did not reassure me that he would be there next week as well I would have bought all the bunches.  

The last time I bought some cilantro was from a Middle Eastern Grocery in the centre of Athens.

Although coriander is known to the Greeks since the ancient times, for some unexplained reasons you do not find it used in the Greek cuisine, either fresh or using the seeds, contrary to Cyprus where both are used.

The word comes from the Greek “κορίαννον” (koriannon).

The earliest attested form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek ko-ri-ja-da-na (written in Linear B syllabic script, reconstructed as koriadnon), similar to the name of Minos’ daughter Ariadne, and it is plain how this might later evolve to koriannon or koriandron.:   Wikipedia

In Greece it’s not usual to eat raw courgettes or raw mushrooms.  I’ve learned to eat raw mushrooms in salads some years back, again from blogging friends so when I saw Angie’s recipe using raw courgettes, I decided that it was time to try raw courgettes as well.     

I made a combination with most of the vegetables I had bought and was amazed how wonderful it was.

collage lentil salad

A few days later,  I still had most of the ingredients in the refrigerator but this time instead of making a salad, I made a tasty and satisfying main dish, changing a few ingredients and adding lentils.

In this salad I added among other radishes, rocket (arugula) and fresh coriander (cilantrol) and because these vegetables have a slight peppery taste  I added an apple and some craisins to balance the taste. 

You don’t necessarily have to add an apple and craisins but if you like you could add a pear and some raisins.

All the vegetables and the almonds added a lovely crunchiness to the salad.

Raw Vegetable Salad

Raw Vegetable salad image

Preparation time: about half an hour

Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients:

  • 2 radishes
  • 1 courgette
  • 1 button mushroom
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 carrot
  • 4 cherry tomatoes
  • 1 spring onion
  • 1 apple, peeled and cored
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro)
  • 2 tablespoons craisins
  • 2 tablespoons almonds, chopped

Salad dressing

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 4 – 5 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Greek thyme honey
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • ½ tsp oregano
  • Salt and freshly grated black pepper

Directions:

Using a mandolin slicer cut all the vegetables, except cherry tomatoes, which halve.

In a large bowl, mix all the vegetables.

In a food processor coarsely chop the almonds.  Add to the salad.

In the same food processor add all the salad dressing ingredients and mix. Pour dressing over the salad.  Add dried cranberries and toss well.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper.  Chill before serving.

Healthy Lentil salad image

Healthy Greek Lentil Salad

Yield: 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Add extra flavour and texture to your lentil salad combined with plenty of vegetables and protein for a nutritious lunch or side.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked brown lentils
  • 1 small red onion, cut into slices
  • 1 carrot, thinly sliced
  • 1 radish, thinly sliced
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 1 button mushroom, sliced
  • 3 cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 sprig (2 - 3 tablespoons) finely chopped celery
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons finely chopped rocket (arugula)

Vinaigrette:

  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp Greek thyme honey
  • ½ tsp Greek oregano
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Wash lentils, remove any foreign matter, and drain.
  2. Combine lentils and 2 cups lightly salted water in medium
    saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add a bay leaf, reduce heat, and cook at low temperature for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are cooked but still firm.
  3. Cook gently so lentils don't get mushy. When done, drain any excess water, and lightly rinse under cold water. Continue to drain excess water.
  4. Place lentils in a bowl and add all the other salad ingredients.
  5. Put the vinaigrette ingredients in a food processor and mix.
  6. Add to the salad, mix and refrigerate for at least half hour
    before serving.

Notes

Serves: 2 as a main dish or 4 - 5 as a side dish



Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 281Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 0mgSodium 197mgCarbohydrates 46gFiber 13gSugar 18gProtein 12g

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Tag me @ivyliac and use the hashtag #kopiaste!

Fakes (lentil) recipes

From main dishes, to soups or salads, here are some of our favorite recipes to cook with a pantry staple, lentils.

collage lentil salad image

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi!!

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Choosy Beggar Tina

Tuesday 22nd of June 2010

How good does that lentil salad look? And the vegetable salad, of course, but I'm a sucker for lentils. With the honey balsamic dressing over earthy lentils...*pleased sigh*.... My recent post The Great FIFA 2010 Drinking Game, Rules 1 through 5

elly

Tuesday 22nd of June 2010

Ivy, it's so funny I just came across this. We had braised lentils as part of our dinner, and I was just thinking how I should make a summery salad with them because we eat them so much more in the winter. I was thinking they would be delicious with a balsamic vinaigrette and some goat or feta cheese!

tasteofbeirut

Friday 18th of June 2010

Ivy I am so surprised that Greece does not use much cilantro; at any rate, you found a producer! I would have bought the whole bunch and made some pesto with it and frozen it; this lentil salad looks yummy and so does the other one with craisins. I love salads, always.

ivyliac

Friday 18th of June 2010

Ah, Joumana, I did make some pesto, both the first time and I found some last week, so now I have some to use for a long time.

Nadji

Thursday 17th of June 2010

Je mange avec plaisir les salades de légumes secs mais je n'en fais jamais. Il va falloir que je m'y mette. A bientôt.

yasmeen

Thursday 17th of June 2010

Lentils are in my menu for almost every day of the year,totally love this nutritious salad :D

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