This lentil salad is really easy to make and delicious as well. It is ideal for outdoor events in the summer. It will turn out even better if you produce your own fresh tomatoes and herbs. It fits the vegan, gluten-free, and generally healthy eating categories.
| Prep Time: | 30 mins |
| Cook Time: | 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr |
| Servings: | 12 |
| Yield: | 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 bulbs garlic
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
- 1 pound dry brown lentils
- 4 cups water, or as needed to cover
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Peel outer skins from garlic bulbs and cut about 1/4 inch from the top of each bulb to expose cloves; place each bulb onto a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle each with about 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, and wrap garlic bulbs in the foil. Place wrapped bulbs into a baking dish.
- Bake garlic in the preheated oven until soft, about 30 minutes. Let bulbs cool.
- Place lentils into a 5-quart pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes; stir occasionally. Drain lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water to cool; drain again.
- Break garlic bulbs apart and squeeze cloves to release cooked garlic. Place garlic into a large salad bowl and add grape tomatoes, parsley, and green onions. Whisk balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Fold lentils into tomato mixture and pour dressing over salad; gently toss to coat. Keep refrigerated until serving time.
Reviews
I really liked this but felt liked it need just a little more flavor. Maybe more garlic. I tasted it before it sat for an hour in the fridge though. I also added little cubes of cucumber at the suggestion of another review.
I loved this and so did my family. I cut the recipe in half and it still made a lot. I didn’t change anything else. The roasted garlic was lovely… not at all pushy. And the tomatoes, parsley, and green onions gave the salad plenty of color.
Followed directions exactly and loved the combination of flavors. Excellent as a side or a vegan main dish.
I make a variety of lentil salad.The roasted garlic was what made this one stand out ! Followed as is except that my lentils took 20 minutes to cook.
This was my first time making lentils. Never a big fan as a kid but this was light and very satisfying. I doubled the green onions – we like tangy onion here! Also added feta cheese crumbles to the mix as some others have. The amount of tomato was spot on. I’ll totally do this again. It makes a huge amount – perfectly easy lunch for us during the work week! I added mint and basil too – personal preference.
Excellent flavor. Tastes better after it sat the next day. I love the roasted garlic flavor. I will make it & serve it again.
it was pretty good, I used a white balsamic vinegar, it made the dish “prettier” I also added some chopped fresh thyme, and oregano.
I like a sharper garlic bite, so in addition to the roasted garlic I added three minced cloves to the salad and it came out fantastic! Definitely will make this again!
I was looking for a salad to serve at a Christmas party for guests who needed gluten-free food, and decided to give this recipe a try. This salad was a huge hit! It was the perfect blend of red and green to appear festive, and I added feta cheese as someone else suggested, and it was the perfect touch! Even my daughter, who had never heard of lentils before, raved about it. I did have to exclude the garlic, because that is a migraine trigger for me, but it had plenty of flavor regardless. I will definitely be making this again, and not just during the holidays!!
I had never made lentils before, and I think the recipe is great, but I realized I just don’t like lentils. My husband who hates them actually liked them this way, so it’s definitely a great recipe.
This recipe is going into my monthly rotation. It’s delicious! I made no changes to the recipe. I was afraid it would be too garlicky, but it’s not.
My husband and I both loved this! Made it for lunch for the week. Added cucumbers and feta.
Not bad but not worth repeating
You will really enjoy this salad. try it.
I tried this on a whim when the hubster wasn’t home. It was great! Very satisfying; very easy. I added some feta cheese just because I had some, and it blended in well.