French Lentil Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette (Printer-friendly)
Tender French lentils with crisp vegetables in zesty Dijon vinaigrette. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ For the Lentil Salad
01 - 1 cup French green lentils (Puy lentils), rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
06 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced
07 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ For the Zesty Dijon Vinaigrette
11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
15 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine lentils, water, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes until lentils are tender but still retain their shape. Drain thoroughly, discard bay leaf, and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - While lentils simmer, finely dice the red onion, carrot, and celery. Cut cherry tomatoes in half and chop fresh parsley and chives. Keep vegetables separate for assembly.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until fully emulsified and thickened.
04 - Combine warm lentils, diced onion, carrot, celery, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and chives in a large mixing bowl. Pour vinaigrette over the mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Taste salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The vinaigrette penetrates warm lentils better than cold ones, creating layers of flavor throughout
- You can prep everything ahead and it actually tastes better the next day
02 -
- Overcooking lentils is the biggest mistake, so check them at 18 minutes
- The dressing tastes overly sharp on its own but balances perfectly with the lentils
03 -
- Rinse lentils thoroughly before cooking to remove any debris
- Shallots work beautifully in place of red onion for a milder flavor