Lentil Salad with Capers and Balsamic-Dijon Dressing
A tangy, zingy lentil salad that is nourishing and simple to make! Great for take-along lunches & meal prep.
AuthorKaitlin - The Garden Grazer
Prep Time:10 minutes mins
Cook Time:20 minutes mins
Total Time:30 minutes mins
CourseMain Dish, Salad, Side Dish
CuisineGluten-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Servings5 (1 cup servings)
- 1 cup green/brown lentils (uncooked*)
- 3 roma tomatoes (or grape/cherry tomatoes)
- 2 oz. fresh baby spinach
- 1/4 cup chives (or shallot or green onion)
- 2 Tbsp. capers
For the balsamic-dijon dressing:
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Cook lentils: Add 4 cups water to a medium pot. Bring to a boil. Then add lentils (rinsed and drained) and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until firm-tender (not mushy).
Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a small bowl, add all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Roughly chop spinach and chives. Dice tomatoes. Place in a large bowl.
When lentils are done cooking, drain, and immediately add to the large bowl. (The heat from the lentils will slightly wilt the spinach.)
Add the dressing and capers. Stir to combine. Adjust flavors if desired or salt/pepper to taste.
*Lentils: If not cooking the lentils from scratch, 1 cup dry lentils equals about 2 1/2 cups cooked lentils.
Yield: Recipe makes about 5 cups salad.
Calories: 154 kcal | Carbohydrates: 27 g | Protein: 11 g | Fat: 1 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Potassium: 537 mg | Fiber: 13 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 1484 IU | Vitamin C: 12 mg | Calcium: 44 mg | Iron: 4 mg