If you are looking for a delicious, interesting way to add protein to your diet, this French Green Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe is just for you. It’s terrific alone, or with an egg on top. The French Green Lentils stay crisp for a perfect texture. Easy, gluten free, dairy free, vegan and so tasty in just 35 minutes.
Easy Green Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe
French Green Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe
Hi. It’s Lois in the kitchen at Recipe Idea Shop, sharing a delicious side (or main dish) salad, Green Lentil Quinoa Salad recipe. It’s flavored with lemon zest, mint, bits of dates, and crunchy, toasted pine nuts (optional). I started with one of my favorite cookbooks, Moosewood’s New Classics, looking for a good side dish for an evening meal, modified it a bit and found it an amazing vegan and gluten free meal. Moosewood always comes through with fabulous ideas. The next day I ate it for lunch with an egg on top and really liked that. Check out the recipe…
A Meal-in-One or Side Salad
I took the concept of green lentils, dates and a whole grain and made this absolutely wonderful salad. The dressing is flavored with lemon and mint, and the dates add just the right sweetness to the Green Lentil Quinoa Salad recipe which is vegan and gluten free.
Use Organic French Lentils in this Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe.
You can serve it at room temperature, cold or hot. What a versatile side dish. It’s simple, too. Cook the lentils and quinoa separately (about 15 minutes) and while you’re doing that, chop the dates and mix the dressing. All told, about 35 minutes until it’s ready to eat.
For lunch, I heated it up and topped it with two fried eggs. Wow! I love eggs on top of salads like this. So good! You’re gonna wanna eat this.
Green Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe
Sweet, tangy and a bit minty, this Green Lentil Quinoa Salad can be a side salad or a main dish. Vegan and gluten free goodness.
Ingredients
Quinoa & Lentils
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup green lentils (dry)
Simple Additions
- 10 dates (pitted)
- zest of one lemon
Dressing
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon dried mint (more if you like)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (or juice from 1/2 a lemon)
- salt and pepper (as desired)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (Optional)
Instructions
Cook Lentils
Put the lentils in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cover the pan and set the temperature on the stove to high.
Bring the water to a boil and immediately turn it down to medium. Continue to cook for about 20-25 minutes until the lentils are crisp tender.
Drain the lentils and rinse them with cold water. Set aside to cool.
Cook Quinoa
While you are cooking the lentils, put the quinoa in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Cover the pan and set the temperature on the stove to high.
Bring the water to a boil and immediately turn it down to low. Continue cooking about 10-12 minutes until the water is fully absorbed and the quinoa becomes fluffy. Set aside to cool.
Chop and Mix
Chop the dates into tiny pieces and put them in a medium bowl.
After cooling a bit, add the lentils and quinoa to the bowl.
Zest the lemon and add it to the bowl.
Dressing
In a small bowl or cup, add the cinnamon, mint, oil, and lemon juice and whisk to emulsify. Dump the mixture over the lentil/quinoa mixture and stir to combine.
To Serve
Let stand 30 minutes before serving. It will enhance the flavors. Serve at room temperature, hot or cold.
Top with toasted pinenuts when serving. (Optional)
https://recipeideashop.com/green-lentil-quinoa-salad
Recipe Notes
This recipe was inspired by a Moosewood recipe.
Use Organic White Quinoa in this Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe.
Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe Nutrition Information
Green Lentil Quinoa Salad (with Pine Nuts) Nutrition Label. Each serving is about 3/4 cup.
Two Fried Eggs Nutrition Label. Add this information to the Green Lentil Quinoa Salad Nutrition Label if you eat the eggs with the salad.
This Easy Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe is terrific with an egg on top.
Avoid Gluten
The original recipe called for Israeli couscous, and I swapped it out for quinoa because I avoid wheat as I’m sensitive to gluten. I suspect I can eat the whole grain variety of wheat, but I have a heck of a time with breads, pastries and sauces made with wheat flour. I haven’t tried eating couscous or wheatberries recently. I think I’ll have to give them a try and see how I do
Why Green Lentils?
I like using green lentils because they stay firmer than the brown, red or yellow lentils, which become kind of mushy when you cook them. Don’t get me wrong. I like the other lentils too. Dahl is super good.
Pin & Share!
Please Pin and share our recipes. And tell us what you think in the comments.
Easy Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe
You May Also Like These Recipes From Recipe Idea Shop
- French Green Lentils
- Lentil, Rice & Fruit Salad
- Lentil Sweet Potato Salad
- Lentil Stuffed Roasted Eggplant
- Turkish Lentils with Lamb and Carrots
- Egyptian Lentils & Pasta
- Sweet Lentil Soup