Lentil Quinoa Salad

  4.6 – 190 reviews  • Quinoa
Level: Easy
Total: 45 min
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  1. 1/2 cup quinoa
  2. 1 1/4 cups water, plus 2 cups
  3. 1/2 cup lentils
  4. 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  5. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  6. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  7. 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  8. 1 lime, zested
  9. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  10. 2 green onions, chopped
  11. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

  1. Put the quinoa in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a large microwave-proof bowl with a cover, add the rinsed quinoa and 1 1/4 cups water. Cover and microwave on high for 9 minutes. Let it sit for 2 minutes then stir. Quinoa should be tender enough to eat, but with a little “pop” upon biting.
  2. Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a saucepan, simmer the lentils in 2 cups water until the lentils are tender, but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and vinegar together, and drizzle in the oil to make an emulsion. Add the garlic powder, lime zest, and salt, and pepper, to taste.
  4. To assemble the salad: In a medium salad bowl, mix the quinoa, lentils, green onions, and chopped cilantro. Top the salad with the dressing, toss to coat and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 4 servings
Calories 299
Total Fat 16 g
Saturated Fat 1 g
Carbohydrates 32 g
Dietary Fiber 5 g
Sugar 1 g
Protein 9 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 664 mg

Reviews

Crystal Perez PhD
3 stars for flavor, 0 stars for texture. I had to add quite a few ingredients to make this edible… grilled corn, chicken, tomatoes and whatever else I could find to give some pizzazz.
Nicholas Petty
This was so good, I wanted to just eat it for dinner!
George Mendoza
The green onion, lime, cilantro and tangy dressing bring the flavor, but I just can’t get past the texture of this dish. I was careful to cook the grains properly, but the overall texture is just flat, gritty and dry. But if you are accustomed to the textures of quinoa and lentils, you will likely enjoy this recipe for its flavor.
Christopher Rogers
Loved this recipe for quick weeknight supper. I decreased oil to 1 1/2 T, lime juice 1 tsp, doubled cilantro. Added green onions, grape tomatoes, and cucumber slices too.
Vicki Carpenter
I made it for the first time mostly as is and found the quantities to be a bit off.  As a stand-alone meal, this is barely enough for 2 people.  I found the ratio of lentils to quinoa also a bit unbalanced.  Next time, I’m doubling the quinoa and likely use a 2-to-1 ratio for the lentils.  It definitely needs salt!  Lots of it.  That was my mistake.  I added an avocado and some shredded chicken and it was delicious.  I think adding tomatoes or cucumber would give it some much needed crunch.  I also recommend upping the vinegar for extra zing.  I’ll make this again, but it does need a fair amount of modifications.
Alexandria Mcgrath
A really nice “salad”. I added about 1.5 tsp of Nellie and Joe’s lime juice in lieu of lime zest. I would bump it up to 2 next time and perhaps a bit more Dijon. I topped this recipe with some grilled chicken and it was a perfect late summer meal. Will add this to our rotation.
Michael Werner
Love this dish & get so many compliments on it.  It’s my go to for potlucks.  Healthy & delicious
Jenna Hayes
Delicious! I do use slightly less oil and but more cilantro and some sun dried tomatoes.
Michael Baxter
Great flavors and easy to make. Looks to be about 9 grams of protein per 1/4 cup serving.
Jason Burnett

 

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