Description
A light and delicious lentil salad with fresh herbs and Feta.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried brown, green, Le Puy or Castellucio lentils (Ottolenghi prefers Castelluccio lentils), rinsed and picked over.
- 1 small red onion, peeled, halved and very thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large garlic clove, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt or more, to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs such as chives, tarragon, mint or parsley. Choose 2-3 different herbs for enhanced depth of flavor.
Optional:
- 4 ounces feta cheese, cut into small cubes or crumbled
Instructions
- In a small bowl toss sliced onion with vinegar and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Set aside while you cook the lentils. (soaking will soften the onions and mellow their flavor)
- Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the lentils, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 18-22 minutes or until lentils are cooked but not mushy. Check for doneness starting at 18 minutes. Drain and transfer lentils to a large bowl. While lentils are hot, toss with the olive oil (4 tablespoons), onions with their vinegar, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper, to taste. Stir and season with additional salt, if needed. (Salad can be made ahead to this point. See notes, below)
- Allow lentils to cool to room temperature and toss with herbs and feta. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Make This Vegan: To make this vegan, omit the feta. This salad is delicious with or without cheese.
Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare the salad through step two. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to two days. Bring to room temperature and proceed with step three.
Nutrition Information: The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and is not a substitute for the advice of a professional nutritionist.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Category: Salad
- Method: boil
- Cuisine: Mediterranean