French Lentil Salad with Feta

This French Lentil Salad recipe is packed with flavor from a cumin, lemon and garlic-infused oil, toasted almonds, olives and feta cheese. The variety of flavors are met with equal amounts of crunch from fresh Swiss chard, perfectly-cooked lentils, and crisp cucumbers. Make it a meal by serving with pan seared chicken or salmon, or prep this ahead of time for quick and easy lunches all week long.

A great meal prep salad is a staple recipe in our house and this lentil salad is a recipe that is on the rotation for most months of the year. Why? Because it’s versatile and can be customized to everyone’s liking, plus it’s packed with plant-based protein and lots of healthy veggies.

This version has a Mediterranean flair with feta, almonds, and olives but feel free to change up the ingredients based on whatever is in season. Now lentils can be tricky to cook, but we have the secret tried and true method to keep your lentils from becoming too mushy especially in a salad.

This lentil salad can be served as a main course or side dish and pairs perfectly with a protein like chicken, fish, or steak. If you love a make ahead salad recipe then you also need to try our Orzo Salad, Mediterranean Pasta Salad, and White Bean Salad.

This is the lentil salad recipe I’ve been looking for! I love the crunch from the almonds and the flavour from the toasted cumin. This is be in regular rotation!

– Gayle

Different Types of Lentils 

Let’s discuss the main ingredient of the salad, lentils! They are an incredible plant-based protein/legume that requires no overnight soaking like dried beans making them easy to prepare during busy weeks. Not all lentils are created equal when it comes to texture, so here’s an overview of how to cook and use the main varieties.

• Green & Brown Lentils: cook in 30-45 minutes. Use in soups, pilafs, veggie burgers, and fillings (green are slightly smaller than brown).
• French Green Lentils: cook in 20-25 minutes. Somewhat between black lentils and green/brown lentils. Hold their shape during cooking. Use in pilafs, grain dishes, salads, and with chicken or fish.
• Black or Beluga Lentils: cook in 20–30 minutes. Hold their small round shape during cooking. Use in pilafs, grain dishes, salads, and with chicken or fish.
• Red or Yellow Lentils: cook in 20–25 minutes. Don’t hold their shape during cooking, use in soups, dahls, dips, and veggie burgers. 

Ingredients

• Greens: use a mixture of hearty greens such as kale, purple kale, lacinato kale, Swiss chard, and/or beet greens. You’ll need a total of a pound to a pound and a quarter.
• Lentils: I prefer to make this salad with French green lentils because they retain a toothsome texture once cooked. You can also use black lentils (also labeled as beluga lentils).
• Lemon: you’ll use the whole lemon—peel and juice!
• Herbs: you’ll need scallions and parsley for this salad. The scallion whites get sliced and fried for the crunchy topping while the scallion greens and parsley are tossed into the salad as fresh herbs.
• Garlic: you’ll need two large cloves of garlic for this recipe.
• Olive oil: use an extra-virgin olive oil that’s robust in flavor.
• Almonds: make sure you’re using raw, untoasted almonds since they will get toasted in a bit of olive oil. You can also use raw pecans, walnuts, cashews or pistachios. Just keep in mind, almonds are the crunchiest of the bunch so a different nut will add a different texture.
• Spices: cumin seeds and red pepper flakes are needed for this recipe. I love cooking with cumin seeds. Toasted in a but of olive oil, they unleash a lot of flavor. Red pepper flakes are added to the mix for a bit of heat. Use more or less to your taste. You’ll also need kosher salt.
• Feta cheese: large chunks of feta add a cool briny, saltiness to the salad. You can also use fresh goat cheese, just make sure it’s very cold when tossed into the salad or it will melted into the vinaigrette.
• Olives: opt for any pitted olive you like. I prefer castelvetrano. Not an olive fan? Simply leave them out or add a tablespoon or two of drained capers.
• Cucumber: use half an English cucumber or 3 mini cucumbers (also labeled as Persian cucumbers).

The Secret to Cooking Lentils Correctly

Cook them like pasta, meaning boil and drain them. I first learned of cooking lentils like pasta from Bon Appetit a few years ago and I’ve never gone back.

Why cook them this way? Because not only can you monitor the doneness of the lentils more closely, but this method allows you to season the lentils from the start.  

The key—cook lentils in adequate salted water until tender yet still a bit toothsome (they have a bite). 

How to Make French Lentil Salad

1. Add kale to a large bowl, season with ½ teaspoon salt, and massage until kale is slightly softened. Add Swiss chard and toss to combine.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat; season heavily with kosher salt (about a tablespoon). Add lentils, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are tender yet slightly al dente. 
3. Meanwhile, using a vegetable peeler, peel four 3-inch strips of lemon peel, making sure to avoid white pith; reserve lemon for later. Add lemon peels to a small skillet with scallion whites, smashed garlic cloves, and oil. 

4. Heat a skillet over medium and cook the oil mixture, stirring occasionally, until garlic starts to brown and lemon peels start to curl and toast, about 3 minutes.
5. Add almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds are browned.

6. Off the heat, stir in cumin seeds and red pepper flakes and let rest in oil to infuse.

7. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set in a small bowl; reserve oil. Pour nut mixture onto a paper towel-lined plate, making sure to get all of the cumin seeds; season with salt and let cool. Discard lemon peels.

8. Once cool, mash cooked garlic cloves into a paste using the side of a Chefs knife; transfer to bowl with reserved oil. Juice reserved lemon (should measure about ¼ cup); add to oil and garlic and whisk to combine. 
9. Using a strainer, drain lentils well; add to bowl with kale and Swiss chard. 

10. Add reserved scallion greens, half of the almond mixture, oil mixture, feta, olives, cucumber and parsley; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and top with remaining almond mixture.

Variations for Lentil and Feta Salad

The best part about a salad recipe is you can customize to your liking! Here are some of our favorite substitutions and mix-ins.

• Add some sweetness—diced dried apricots, raisins or currants are a great addition.
• Change out the cheese. Swap the feta for fresh goat cheese. 
• Add or remove your favorite briny ingredients. Use capers in place of olives.
• Go with your favorite sturdy leafy greens. Use all kale instead of a combination of kale and Swiss chard. Tuscan kale is also a great option here. 
• Change up the spices. Swap the cumin seeds out for fennel seeds.
• Swap the veggies or add more! Add diced red onion for more flavor. Alternatively, add diced yellow bell pepper in place of the cucumber.
• A squeeze of citrus is always great. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice.

What to Serve with this Lentil & Kale Salad

• This salad is delicious as is, but I also love to lightly sauté a serving of the salad in a nonstick skillet until warmed through.
• Serve with Perfect Pan Seared Chicken and my Cheese Biscuits for the ultimate Sunday night dinner.
• Serve as a side dish with Pan Seared Salmon.
• This also pairs perfectly with a simple steak like a top sirloin or ribeye.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Lentil Recipes to Love…

Vegetarian

Madras Lentils

Salads

Salmon & Spinach French Lentil Salad

Appetizers

Healthy Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

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