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This black lentil salad is full of flavor, plant-based protein, and texture, plus it's naturally gluten-free. Easily customize it depending on personal preference, what's in season & what you have on hand!
This isn't your average lentil salad.
This is because it's made with black 'beluga' lentils (beluga because of their physical resemblance to caviar). Unlike the more common green and brown lentils, black lentils hold their shape when cooked due to their thicker skin.
Between their relatively short cooking time, incredible texture, and small but mighty structure, you may realize you just haven't found the right lentil variety for you (especially if you're not the biggest fan of the others).
Ingredients
- Black lentils - a great source of protein + fiber.
- Veggie broth or water - broth infuses flavor into the lentils, but salted water also works.
- Cooked rice - adds a nice chewy texture and helps make it more filling.
- Red bell pepper - adds a slightly sweet and refreshing crunch.
- Celery - for its slightly salty flavor and crunch.
- Apple (any color of choice) - adds a little burst of natural sweetness and a crisp texture.
- Fresh basil - adds a really nice floral element.
- Shallot vinaigrette - tossed throughout the salad for heaps of flavor.
- Salt + pepper - to taste.
How to Make Black Lentil Salad
Sort & Wash the Lentils. Sort through the lentils and discard any discolored lentils or pebbles. Rinse well in a fine-mesh sieve and add to a medium saucepan with the vegetable broth or salted water.
Cook the lentils. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low (make sure it's gently simmering) and cover with a tilted lid so the steam can escape. Cook for about 18-20 minutes.
Prep your ingredients. While the lentils cook, finely dice the celery, bell pepper, and apple. Err on the smaller side.
Rinse. Once the lentils are tender yet firm, drain the excess water through that fine-mesh sieve and rinse with cold water. Drain off as much liquid as possible.
Make the dressing. While the lentils drain, make the dressing. Once done, add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Add a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper to the salad and mix again.
Chill. Allow the salad to chill for at least 15 minutes before serving if you have time. This helps the flavors meld together.
Substitutions & Variations
Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.
How can you make this black lentil salad using what you already have? Here are some ideas…
- No black lentils? - substitute french lentils (also called puy lentils) for the most similar texture.
- No red bell pepper? - yellow or orange are best but green will also work.
- No celery? - jicama or fennel would also add a nice crunch.
- No cooked rice? - use cooked farro or couscous instead.
- No fresh basil? - sub fresh parsley, mint, or cilantro in its place.
- No apples? - add additional bell pepper or cucumber.
- Add-ins - add greens such as arugula or massaged kale, chopped nuts, bacon or pancetta, etc.
Helpful Tips
Black lentils can sometimes be a little difficult to find at regular grocery stores but try Whole Foods, and if not, you can buy them online and support a small, organic farm.
More Healthy Salad Recipes
Black Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup black lentils
- 3 cups broth or salted water
- 1 medium red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- ½ cup apple, finely diced
- 2 cups cooked rice
- simple shallot vinaigrette
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Sort through the lentils and discard any discolored lentils or pebbles. Rinse well in a fine-mesh sieve and add to a medium saucepan with the vegetable broth or salted water.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium/medium-low (make sure it's gently simmering) and cover with a tilted lid so the steam can escape. Cook for about 18-20 minutes.
- While the lentils cook, dice the celery, bell pepper, and apple. (You want them to be pretty small.)
- Once the lentils are tender yet firm, drain the excess water through that fine-mesh sieve and rinse with cold water. Drain off as much liquid as possible.
- While the lentils drain, make the dressing. Once done, add all the salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Add salt and freshly cracked black pepper to the salad, and mix again.
- Chill the salad for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
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