Vibrant Black Lentil Salad (Printable)

Earthy black lentils, roasted vegetables, and zesty lemon dressing come together in this nutritious Mediterranean dish.

# What You Need:

→ Lentils

01 - 1 cup dry black lentils, rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Roasted Vegetables

05 - 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 medium zucchini, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, cut into wedges
08 - 1 medium carrot, diced
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
11 - ½ teaspoon salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Salad Additions

13 - ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
14 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese, optional
15 - 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
16 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds

→ Lemon Dressing

17 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
19 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
20 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
21 - ½ teaspoon honey
22 - ¼ teaspoon salt
23 - ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium pot, combine black lentils, water, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until just tender but not mushy. Drain, discard bay leaf, and let cool slightly.
03 - Toss bell pepper, zucchini, red onion, and carrot with 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet. Roast for 20–25 minutes, stirring once, until tender and lightly caramelized. Let cool slightly.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic clove, honey, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
05 - Add cooked lentils, roasted vegetables, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and toasted pumpkin seeds to the bowl with dressing. Toss well to coat evenly.
06 - Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes better the next day, so meal prep feels like you're getting ahead instead of just working harder.
  • The roasted vegetables caramelize in a way that makes you forget you're eating something that's actually good for you.
  • One bowl somehow fills you completely, whether you eat it as lunch or dinner with company.
02 -
  • Don't drain your lentils immediately—let them sit in that water for a minute so they finish absorbing flavor and won't taste dusty.
  • The dressing coats better when the lentils and vegetables are still slightly warm, so timing matters more than temperature preference.
  • If you're making this ahead, dress it just before serving or the lentils will absorb all the dressing and taste flat.
03 -
  • Toast your own seeds in a dry pan for two minutes before adding them—store-bought toasted seeds can taste stale, but doing it yourself takes almost no time and changes everything.
  • Make the dressing with slightly more lemon juice than seems right, because the lentils will absorb some of it as the salad sits, so you're building in forgiveness.
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