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.

This recipe is lightly adapted from a recipe by Sarah Jampel. She is the genius behind these flavors! I’ve modified a few things to my liking and wanted to share it with you because I make it so often. Large salads like this are a staple in my house. And this lentil salad in particular is made most often because it’s so versatile, can be served cold or slightly warmed, and can easily be customized for preference.

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. Lentils can be intimidating to cook, but they don’t have to be. Plus, the method I use to cook them keeps them tender, not mushy—perfect for a big salad like this.

This lentil salad can be served as a main course or side dish and pairs perfectly with my juicy pan-seared chicken breast or pan-seared skin-on salmon.

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 For This Lentil Salad

• 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). Lentils do not need to be soaked overnight.
• 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). 

Watch How to Make It

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.

More Lentil Recipes to Love…

Vegetarian

Madras Lentils

Salads

Salmon & Spinach French Lentil Salad

Appetizers

Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms

Soups, Stews & Chilis

Quick Chicken and Lentil Soup

Lentil Salad with Feta

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4.74 from 26 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Yield 12 cups

Category Salad

Cuisine American

Author Lauren Grant

Description

Fresh, crunchy, and full of good-for-you ingredients, this French Lentil Salad with feta is PACKED with flavor and texture from a cumin-infused oil to toasted almonds, feta, and Swiss Chard. This is one salad you're bound to fall in love with. Serve as an entree with chicken or salmon or meal prep and enjoy as lunch all week long.

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 bunch purple kale or regular kale (8–10oz.), stemmed and chopped
• ▢ 1 bunch Swiss chard (8–10oz.), stemmed and chopped
• ▢ Kosher salt
• ▢ 1 ½ cups French green lentils or black lentils
• ▢ 1 lemon
• ▢ 4 scallions, thinly sliced, green and white parts separated
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• ▢ ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup raw almonds (2.7oz.), coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• ▢ ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• ▢ 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• ▢ 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, smashed
• ▢ ½ English cucumber, diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ ½ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

• Add kale to a large bowl, season with ½ teaspoon salt, and massage until kale is slightly softened, about 30 seconds. Add Swiss chard and toss to combine.
• 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; 20–25 minutes. 
• 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. 
• Heat skillet over medium and cook oil mixture, stirring occasionally, until garlic starts to brown and lemon peels start to curl and toast, about 3 minutes. Add almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until almonds are browned, 3–4 minutes. Off heat, stir in cumin seeds and red pepper flakes and let rest in oil 1–2 minutes. 
• 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.*
• 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. 
• Using a strainer, drain lentils well; add to bowl with kale and Swiss chard. 
• 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.

Notes

Make it vegan and dairy-free: leave the feta cheese out of the salad.

Smashing Olives: use the back of your hand to smash olives. This will also work for olive with pits, use the back of your hand to smash them and the seeds will be easy to remove.

Lemon Peels: if you love intense lemon flavor, feel free to mince the cooked lemon peels and add back to the salad. 

Massaging the Swiss Chard: I don’t call for massaging the chard like I do the kale because I like the leafy crunch it adds. However, if your stomach prefers hearty greens to be massaged (or you want a leff leafy, more lentil-forward salad) go ahead and massage the chard as well. If you massage the chard, the total yield will decrease to around 9 or 10 cups. 

Cooking Lentils: When cooking with lentils, it is important to pick through them and discard any stones or debris before cooking. I like to spread the lentils on a baking sheet to pick through, as it makes the process easier. I also recommend rinsing the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer prior to cooking.

This recipe is lightly modified from a recipe by Sarah Jampel.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupCalories: 165kcalCarbohydrates: 9.5gProtein: 5gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2.5gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 649mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1g

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