Mediterranean Lentil Salad

I usually make this Mediterranean lentil salad recipe with blue vegan cheese as the main dish. It is packed with protein, herbs, and intense flavors, keeping your stomach full and hunger away for the rest of the day.

I was inspired to create this lentil salad recipe by one of my favorite cookbook authors, Yotam Ottolenghi, who has a similar recipe in his Vegetarian Book Plenty.

If you can use Castelluccio lentils or Puy lentils, you should go for them, but if you don’t, go ahead and use green lentils, and I will give you a tip here to make it work.

I am also changing some ingredients for fun and cutting corners by simplifying some steps so that you can make them faster and enjoy this fabulous dish without much planning.

We love making filling warm salads, as they are our regular main dish for lunchtime. So we make sure to make flavor-packed salads or season them with a delicious homemade vinaigrette.

🧾 Ingredients

This salad has a couple of winning ingredients. It can be served as a lentil side dish or as a main lentil dish; just change the portion sizes.

• Puy Lentils: The backbone of our dish, Puy lentils stay firm when cooked and offer a nutty, peppery taste. Brown or green lentils are also cool; they'll offer a more earthy, wholesome vibe.
• Dry Tomatoes: These add a concentrated burst of umami flavor that pairs impeccably with the earthiness of lentils. Plus, their chewy texture creates a delightful contrast with the other ingredients.
• Red Onion or Shallots: These bring a slightly sweet, sharp bite to the salad. While red onion adds vivid color, shallots offer a milder, more sophisticated flavor.
• Vegan Blue Cheese (Gorgonzola Cheese): This adds a rich, tangy flavor that's just a bit funky—in the best way.
• Herbs (fresh thyme sprigs, mint, chives, and dill): The combination brings layers of aromatic freshness that make every bite an herbaceous adventure.
• Fresh Garlic: This gives a robust kick of flavor that infuses the whole dish.
• Red Wine Vinegar: This adds a tangy zing that balances out the richness of the vegan blue cheese. Studies show vinegar can also help regulate blood sugar levels—yum and smart.

See quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card.

Substitutions

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Cooking lentils. Wash and let lentils cook by bringing them to a boil (optionally with 2 bay leaves). If using regular puy lentils, boil them for 20 mins with a teaspoon of sea salt. Otherwise, only boil Castelluccio lentils, Puy lentils, or the smaller French green ones for 10-15 minutes.

Then, strain them in a colander and put them under cold water to bring them to room temperature.

The idea is to have tender lentils that keep their shape and texture and do not look mushy. Then drain them.

Step 2: Place the sliced onion in a medium bowl with salted water and vinegar for a couple of minutes to lose its intense flavor.

Step 3: Slice the dried tomatoes lengthwise.

Step 4: Mix all the chopped vegetables and lentils in a large bowl. Separate the vegan cheese and fresh herbs; then stir in the cheese and herbs and toss to combine.

💡 Expert tips

Which Lentils to use? So, why may Puy or Castellucio lentils work better than ordinary green lentils?

These lentil varieties are small breeds that look almost like bigger quinoa and do not disintegrate in the cooking like your standard lentils would, giving you a nice, delicate texture in every bite.

Fresh herbs and crisp vegetables elevate this salad from good to great. Make sure your herbs are fresh, and your vegetables are finely chopped to ensure each bite is full of flavor and texture.

Any dry tomatoes that you can hydrate with warm water will do, but you can also dehydrate plum tomatoes in the oven at low heat or use the air fryer dehydration option.

If you have extra sun-dried tomatoes in your pantry, you should try making some easy recipes, such as our sun-dried tomato risotto, red pesto, herbs stuffed mushrooms, and portobello mushrooms. They are all super easy and satisfying recipes.

📖 Variations

This salad can be customized in various ways; see some suggestions.

More veggies - when we want an even more veggie-packed blue cheese salad, we like adding maple-glazed carrots, roasted butternut squash, celery, red bell pepper, and green onions instead of red onions.

Crunch - we like adding some crunchy notes by slightly toasting a handful of walnuts in a saucepan and coarsely crushing them.

🥢 How to serve

Serve on a large plate when the lentil and vegetable mixture cools. Sprinkle with chopped herbs, and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

🥡 Storage

Place the salad in an airtight container. If you’ve dressed the salad, it’s best consumed within 1-2 days, as the dressing can cause the greens to wilt. Undressed salad can last up to 3-4 days.

🥗 More warm salad recipes

Love a warm salad bowl packed-with veggies? You are in for a treat!

• Couscous warm salad
• Vegan Greek Salad
• Lebanese Tabbouleh Salad
• Vegan Kale Salad with maple balsamic dressing
• Sautéed Tofu Buddha Bowl with Quinoa

Level up your meal with our speedy, flavorful raw mushroom salad! Ready in minutes, it's a burst of fresh goodness you won't want to miss.

If you like using fennel in your salads, don't forget to try our Roasted Fennel recipe with pears, a delicious and super easy dish for any special occasion!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!

📋 Recipe

Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Author: Gustavo De Obaldia

I usually make this Mediterranean Lentil Salad as the main dish. It is packed with all the goodness of protein, herbs, and intense flavors. It will keep your stomach full and the hunger away for the rest of the day.

5 from 19 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Resting Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine Italian-Inspired, Mediterranean

Servings 4 Servings

Calories 398 kcal

Equipment

(affiliate link)

Bowl (affiliate link)

(affiliate link)

Ceramic knives (affiliate link)

Ingredients

 

CupsMetric

 

0.5x1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 ½ cups green lentils plus 4 cups water to boil
• ▢ 4 ounces vegan blue cheese or blue cheese, crumbled
• ▢ 10 dried tomatoes preserved in oil, or 10 dried tomatoes, hydrated in warm water, and dry herbs for 10 minutes
• ▢ 1 red onion small, or shallots, thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 1 clove garlic small, crushed
• ▢ 3 tablespoons mint fresh, chopped
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chives fresh, chopped
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh thyme sprigs fresh, chopped
• ▢ 3 tablespoons dill fresh, chopped

Optional:

• ▢ ½ fennel sliced
• ▢ 1 cup rucola
• ▢ kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Directions

 

• Soak lentils for about 15 minutes.
• Cook lentils. Wash the lentils and bring them to boil for 20 mins if using regular lentils or 10-15 mins if using Castelluccio or Puy lentils. The idea is to have lentils that do not look mushy.
• Prepare onion. Place the sliced onion in salted water and vinegar for a couple of minutes so it loses its intense flavor.
• Prepare dried tomatoes. Slice the dried tomatoes lengthwise.
• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl except for the cheese and fresh herbs.
• Add herbs and cheese. When the mix has cooled, add the chopped herbs and cheese.
• Get Ready to enjoy one of the tastiest salads, you have had!

Notes

Regular green lentils

Cook lentils on a stovetop by adding 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc.) to one cup of dry green lentils. Use a large saucepan as the lentils will likely double or triple in size. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. Whole regular lentils will typically be ready in 15-20 minutes.

What is the water to lentil ratio for Castelluccio, Puy, and Petite French Lentils?

1 Cup Castelluccio lentils, Puy lentils, or French Green Lentils with 2 ½ cups water and ½ teaspoon salt. 

Storing: Place the salad in an airtight container. If you’ve dressed the salad, it’s best consumed within 1-2 days as the dressing can cause the greens to wilt. For undressed salad, it can last up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 398kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 27gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 432mgPotassium: 1175mgFiber: 25gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 976IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 257mgIron: 7mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram and Hashtag it #ourplantbasedworld so we can see what's cooking!!

Gustavo De Obaldia

Website | + posts

As the lead content writer and recipe developer at Our Plant-Based World, he combines his passion for health and sustainability with a Plant-Based Nutrition Certification to create accessible, delicious vegan recipes. His expertise in plant-based cooking supports the blog's mission of fostering a healthier, environmentally conscious lifestyle through simple and seasonal dishes. His commitment to making vegan cooking enjoyable and inclusive for everyone shines in each recipe and article.

• Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
• Creamy Carrot Hummus without Tahini
• Easy and Protein-packed Yellow Lentil Wraps
• Easy, Healthy Pasta Salad (High in Protein)