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High source of lean protein, potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin, vitamin K, folate, iron, and particularly rich in dietary fiber, lentils are desired more than ever. Not only by vegetarians and vegans, but by diet and taste-buds conscious alike. There are as many varieties of lentil salads as you can imagine. Ones simply tossed with just diced tomatoes, to ones with a touch of decadence added with crumbled feta cheese and walnuts/pecans. But mostly I think, the dressing makes the difference between a good lentil salad and a great lentil salad. This particular version is one of a very flavorful dressing which also enhances the flavor of the ingredients.
Of all the lentil varieties, green lentils are ideal for salads, which hold their shape. Generally taking the longest to cook, there is little chance of overcooking for them to fall apart. They keep a firm texture even after cooking, which is desired. Look for the packaging labeled, fancy green lentils, French green lentils or Lentilles du Puy.
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Lentil Salad with Apple, Pumpkin seeds & Cilantro
Recipe by: Fae’s Twist & Tango (fae-magazine.com)
INGREDIENTS
• 128 g/ 1 cup green lentils (expands to 3 times after cooking)
• 90 ml/ 6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 90 ml/ 6 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated ( see [1] for clever storage and usage of ginger)
• 1½ tsp honey
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 200 g/ 1 medium sized apple, tart Granny Smith works well or → [2], peeled/unpeeled, diced small
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro + few sprigs for garnish
• 30 g/ 4 Tbsp toasted, unsalted pumpkin seeds
DIRECTIONS
◊ Pick over lentils (preferably on a white surface) to discard any stray little stones/particles. Rinse them in a fine meshed strainer. Place them in a medium sized saucepan with 4 cups water. On high heat, bring to almost a boil. Watch so it will not foam and overflow. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 18 minutes or until just tender. Drain well, rinse briefly with hot water, drain well and place them in a medium-large bowl.
◊ While lentils are cooking, prepare the dressing… In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, ginger, honey, salt and pepper (makes almost 220 ml/1 cup). Stir very well and add 2/3 of the dressing to the the hot lentils, mix until well coated. Refrigerate uncovered to chill for at least 2+ hours. Also, refrigerate the other 1/3 of the dressing. Once lentils are chilled, mix again and cover if kept for longer in the refrigerator.
◊ When ready to serve… Dice the apple very small and coarsely chop cilantro leaves. To the chilled lentils, add pumpkin seed, apple, cilantro, remaining 1/3 of the dressing, mix, garnish with sprigs of cilantro and serve.
[1] I never thought that ginger roots could be frozen and used only needed amount.
Until… I read this post by → Persian Mama. Since then, I take out my piece of frozen ginger root, grate what I need and wrap the rest for the next time needed! Check it out, you will also learn how to make a healthy and great tasting Ginger Water!
[2] If an apple with red skin is used, there will be a red visual color accent added to the salad!
~ Bon Appétit! ~
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So, what’s cooking in your kitchen?
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Loving all of the ingredients in this delightful salad, Fae. You’ve opened my eyes that it’s more than okay to stray from a so-called “traditional” lentil salad. The fact that this is healthy and delicious is a win win situation in my opinion!
Hi Nancy, I’m so glad that you found this salad interesting. It is one of those foods that you want to eat more. 😀 )))
Fae, your salad is so different from any lentil salad that I’ve had. I like the addition of the apples, ginger and pumpkin seeds, it sounds delicious.
Thank you, Karen, this one is a keeper. Give it a go, and you will be pleased. 🙂
So my son has become a vegetarian (my daughter was one for many years but stopped because she loves cooking and eating too much), and I am leaning the vegetarian way. I am tired of all the animal abuse. So are my children. It does challenge my cooking to come up with consistently excellent vegetarian entrees. Jim wants meat at least once a week, my son doesn’t ever, so I often am cooking twice. Here’s to the cooks, who feed the world. You are at the top of my list. I hope you know how much I admire you.
Hello Cynthia (Cindy)! I love you too. You are too kind to me, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I admire vegetarians/vegans. But I am having a hard time convincing me to be one, especially when I see well prepared meat. 😀 ))) This is a great salad for your family… vegan, nutritious, flavorful and satisfying. 🙂
I love the idea of ginger and apple in this dish. Lovely bright notes.
Hi Virginia, Yes, you pointed the key two flavors that go together so well! 😀
The salad looks wonderful – both healthy and delicious. Until I read this post I hadn’t realized that some lentil colors held their shape better than others. This is good to know when making any lentil recipe.
Thank you, Sheryl. I also did not know about it until a couple of years ago. All varieties fall apart if overcooked, but definitely, green ones hold their shape the longest. 🙂
What a light and refreshing salad! Love lentils but have usually served them warm like in a soup. Great addition of the apple and lots of ginger – delicious 🙂
Hi Judi, You’ve got it right, this is a very refreshing, light, yummy salad. 🙂 In Persian cuisine, lentils are best appreciated in → Lentil Rice. Yummmy! 😀 ))))
This looks so delicious and so fresh , Fae. I love lentils and all of that fabulous ginger make this an amazing treat! 🙂
Hi Linda, Thank you, lentils are so great and so filling, satisfying and versatile. It is a great meat substitute, also in the Persian cuisine. 🙂
What a beautiful and appetizing salad. I love all the ingredients. I’ll make it for our 4th of July party. Thanks for the recipe :). By the way, lucky you enjoying the cool SF weather. I miss Bay Area. It’s supposed to get over 100 degrees around here by Monday!
Hi, This salad would be great for your 4th of July party! You will be pleased. In a few days, summer is suppose to be starting and yes, we are having a fairly cool (if not cold) days here (north of S.F.) and I love it! 😀 ))) I hope it cools down for you soon. Enjoy your party! 🙂
This is such a great salad and so good for you. I like the ginger and lime combo here! I’m definitely going to try this this week!
Hi Amanda, It really is a good salad, very satisfying. Ginger and lime combo is truly yummy. Enjoy it this weekend! 😀
Lentils are so versatile! I love this combination of ingredients 🙂
Hi Leyla, Yes, lentils are so versatile. Not only in salads, but don’t we love them in polo too! 😀
Green lentils are indeed so great in salads. I love your version here, with the apples and ginger – so fresh and tasty! 🙂
Hi Ronit, Thank you, and indeed lentils are great in salads. I really like this fresh tasting version. 🙂
Looks like a great eat for the summer. Best of all, it has all the nutrition!
Hi Chris, Yes, with a tangy dressing, it is very soothing for the summer too! 🙂
Lentils are so useful!!! This salad looks lovely, especially with the crunch of the seeds and apple 🙂
Hi Elaine, Yes, aren’t lentils so useful. I thought you’d like this recipe. 😀
Fae, your Lentil salad is an incredible mix of healthy and delicious ingredients, and the dressing sounds awesome; I can just taste it!! Also I really appreciate the mention, glad you like the idea 🙂
Hi Persian Mama! Thank you! And, freezing of ginger root is so brilliant and so handy. When I like a certain recipe for its flavor, I make it back to back again. This was one of such recipes. 😀 )))
Lentil soup and lentil salad are real comfort food to me. I will give your salad dressing a try but will subsitute lemons from my tree for limes. Thank you for sharing Persian Mamas tip on how to grate ginger.
Hi Gerlinde, How lovely to have the luxury of having a lemon tree in your yard to use the fruits of. 😀 ))) When you try the dressing, please let me know how you like it. Yes, isn’t freezing ginger a great idea! 🙂
I did a variation of your dressing. I made my usual dressing using mustard, vinegar and olive oil but I added 1 tsp of honey, tarragon and chives. I liked the sweetness that the honey added.
It all sounds good! 😀
Looks lovely and fresh and tasty for summer eating, although I’m sitting here and it’s thundering and lightning in the middle of French summer! Thanks Fae 🙂
Hi Amanda, Rain in the summer is good to cool down the air, but w/o the thunders. We have cool summers where I live (North of S.F.). This lentil salad is so filling, it can satisfy as a meal too. (I enjoyed catching up at your blog today.) 🙂