This fresh, easy Lentil Quinoa Salad combines hearty lentils and quinoa tossed with a simple and super flavorful garlic-dijon vinaigrette. Satisfying and protein packed!
Two superfoods collide! I love that this dish combines two of my plant-powered favorites: lentils and quinoa. It’s sort of a fun “choose your own adventure” kind of dish – either flavor it with cilantro & lime or parsley & lemon. Both versions are lovely, and you can also add other veggies if you wish.
The salad is light, refreshing, flavorful, and not to mention packs a big nutritional punch. The dijon mustard and lime zest are such a huge burst of flavor. Plus it can either be served immediately, or after it chills for several hours or overnight in the fridge. (Which makes it a great choice for make-ahead packed lunches, meal prep, picnics, or BBQ’s.) Lentils and quinoa are lovely together and hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
PS – come join The Garden Grazer on Instagram and share a photo if you make or adapt this! I love seeing your beautiful recreations.
Lentil Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry white quinoa (or 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa)
- 1/2 cup dry green/brown lentils (or 1 heaping cup cooked lentils)
- 3 green onions
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro (or parsley)
For the Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (or 1 clove minced)
- Zest from 1 lime (or lemon zest)
Instructions
- Rinse and cook quinoa* and lentils (separately) according to package directions. Leave lentils tender, not mushy.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing: in a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. (I use a microplane grater/zester to zest my limes/lemons.)
- Slice the green onions, and roughly chop the cilantro (large stems removed).
- In a bowl, add the cooked lentils (drained well), cooked quinoa, green onions, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over top and toss thoroughly to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. (Salt/pepper, more cilantro, or fresh squeezed lime juice.)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)
Enjoying this Lentil Quinoa Salad? Feel free to also check out the full “Vegan Salad” recipe archives on the site for more tasty plant based inspiration! (Or this Black Bean Lentil Salad or Ultimate Greek Chopped Salad.)
looks seriously amazing!
Ooooh, I love the lime with the mustard. That looks so good!
Yum! I love the cilantro and tangy dressing.
That looks so good!!
I made this for a potluck yesterday. It was so yummy and fresh tasting! Love your recipes! As a busy newly wed who works full time and loves food and is striving to be healthy these recipes are perfect!
Hi there and a big congrats on your marriage! 🙂 That's awesome this was a success at your potluck. So happy to hear you're finding recipes you like. Thanks for the message!
woah, you have so many protein rich salads on your blog, it's awesome!
I did the lime and cilantro mixture, and I absolutely loved it! It’s nice to have something light and fresh in the dead of winter. I can’t wait to try with the parsley lemon combo as well.
Woo!! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment & recipe rating Tiffany! Super appreciated. Always fun to hear what you’re cooking up!! Enjoy your week!
I made the parsley version with lemon zest, fresh garlic and added finely diced red pepper. It was delicious!!! I plan on having it again on top of a green salad tomorrow. This is going to be a go-to! Thanks for making it oil free too!
Hi Barbara! So wonderful to hear that. Fresh garlic and red pepper sound like amazing additions. (I just made this again yesterday as well, and added grape tomatoes and avocado – delicious!) Hope you enjoyed it on your salad as well 🙂 Appreciate your kind feedback and recipe rating – thank you! Have a lovely weekend. -Kaitlin