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Lentil Salad with Capers and Balsamic-Dijon Dressing

August 25, 2014 By Kaitlin McGinn 11 Comments

Super flavorful Lentil Salad with spinach & tomatoes tossed in an easy balsamic-dijon dressing! Fresh, healthy, nutrient-packed, and great for take-along lunches! (Vegan, gluten-free, oil-free option)

Lentil salad on a plate with tomatoes, spinach, and capers

Beautiful lentils! It seems like they’re gaining popularity lately – which in my opinion, they totally deserve 😉 They’re inexpensive, easy to cook, and pack a big nutrient and protein punch. I always keep a jar of them on hand since they cook easily and are great for adding to soups and salads.

Side view of Vegan Lentil Caper Salad on a plate

After making this dish a few times, my husband called it one of his favorite lentil dishes so I wanted to get it posted. It may look modest, but the big flavors keep us coming back for more. The simple balsamic-dijon dressing brings it all together, while the capers add a nice, salty pop. Chives can be a little harder to find, so replace with a little shallot or green onion if needed. We like to keep a batch in the fridge throughout the week for quick snacks, and it’s an awesome choice for packed lunches as well!

Lentil salad on a plate with tomatoes, spinach, and capers
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5 from 6 votes

Lentil Salad with Capers and Balsamic-Dijon Dressing

Lentil Salad with spinach & tomatoes tossed in an easy balsamic-dijon dressing! Fresh, healthy, nutrient-packed, & great for take-along lunches!
Author: Kaitlin – The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:5 minutes
Cook Time:20 minutes
Total Time:25 minutes
Category: Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Oil-Free Option, Vegan
Servings:5

Ingredients

  • 1 cup green/brown lentils (uncooked)
  • 3 roma tomatoes
  • 2-3 oz. spinach
  • 1/4 cup chives (or shallot or green onion)
  • 2 Tbsp. capers

For the dressing

  • 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil (omit for oil-free)
  • 1 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)

Instructions

  • Cook lentils according to package directions, leaving firm, not mushy.
  • While lentils are cooking, make the dressing: in a small bowl combine all ingredients and whisk.
  • Roughly chop the spinach and chives, and dice tomatoes. Place in a large bowl.
  • When lentils are done cooking, drain, and immediately add to large bowl with spinach and tomatoes. The heat from the lentils will slightly wilt the spinach.
  • Add the dressing and capers and stir to combine.

Nutrition Per Serving (estimate)

Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 603mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1479IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 4mg
Did you make this recipe?Tag @thegardengrazer on Instagram and hashtag it #thegardengrazer. I love seeing your recreations!
Vegan lentil caper salad with tomatoes and spinach

Enjoying this Lentil Salad? Also feel free to check out this Portobello Mushroom & Potato Stew with Lentils, 5-Minute Lentil Tomato Salad, or this Lentil Spinach Burrito!

Filed Under: Gluten-Free, Main Dish, Recipe, Salad, Vegan, WFPBNO Tagged With: balsamic, garlic, lentils, picnic, plant protein, spinach, take-along lunch, tomato

Previous Post: « Fiesta Bean Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing
Next Post: Black-Eyed Pea Salad (Oil-Free!) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kate Kanner

    September 8, 2014 at 10:23 pm

    Hey there, I just made this for dinner exactly as written and it's really good! Very simple to put together. I will enjoy having the leftovers for lunch 🙂

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 9, 2014 at 7:35 pm

      So great to hear! Thanks for sharing your kind feedback 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sara

    March 7, 2016 at 6:33 pm

    Hi thanks for the recipe, the combination of capers, lentils and tomatoes with the dressing is very tasty! i have a hard time adding capers to a dish without overpowering, this is nicely balanced. 🙂

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      March 11, 2016 at 6:22 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Skye Travis

    August 22, 2017 at 1:19 am

    Oh my goodness! This was so delicious!! Even my 10 yr old and 13 yr old had seconds. It was quick and easy. I must add that I’m glad Beverly is my neighbor because I had to borrow the balsamic vinegar from her at the last minute (turns out my son used the last of mine to make his own mysterious recipe). Thank you for another fantastic keeper!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      August 23, 2017 at 10:45 pm

      Hi Skye! Haha "mysterious recipe", I love it! Sounds like you've got a future chef on your hands 😉 Beverly texted me the night you came over to borrow it and it made me smile! So glad you all enjoyed it! Hope you’ve had a lovely summer!

      Reply
  4. Unknown

    August 14, 2018 at 7:53 pm

    Do you serve this hot or cold?

    Reply
    • Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer

      September 5, 2018 at 4:42 pm

      I usually serve it room temp or chilled but you could certainly try it warm too if that’s your style! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Rae Clapper

    October 3, 2018 at 12:45 am

    Making this for lunch tomorrow. Was curious though what is the serving size? I use My Fitness Pal and it would help with my calorie intake. Much appreciated! Rae C.

    Reply
  6. Jan

    December 2, 2019 at 3:52 pm

    Tastes yummy and looks wonderful 😋5 stars

    Reply
    • Kaitlin McGinn

      December 3, 2019 at 7:34 am

      Thanks so much Jan! Wishing you a beautiful week 🙂

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Kaitlin! I share easy vegan recipes that are mostly whole food, plant-based, oil-free, & gluten-free. Learn More About Me →

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