Some of my recipes start off with a strong concept or challenge, while others are designed to satisfy a craving. This lentil salad falls into the latter camp. It’s exactly what I’ve been craving lately. This salad is tangy, crisp-tender, a little spicy, and quite satisfying. The earthy lentils and carrots ground the more bold flavors, so they’re not too overwhelming.
Dill, tahini and pepperoncini peppers aren’t everyone’s favorite ingredients, I know. I love them—the more, the better. If you’re not a fan, you’ll find some options to change up the recipe in the notes. Better yet, try my Greek lentil salad with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, or my lemony lentil and chickpea salad with mint. Those are both safer bets!
Lentil Salad Serving Suggestions
This salad makes a nice lunch as is, and keeps well in the fridge for several days (it tastes even better the next day). So, it’s perfect for packing for lunch. Or, you could serve this salad for dinner by topping your bowl with a fried egg, or maybe some roasted cauliflower. It’s also nice over leafy greens, perhaps with an extra drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice on top.
Please let me know how this salad turns out for you in the comments. I hope you love it like I do.
Serving suggestions: This salad is great on its own, but you can make it more of a complete meal by topping it with a fried egg, roasted cauliflower or cauliflower “steaks.” Change it up: You could omit the bay leaf and tahini if you don’t have them on hand, though they do offer some nice flavor. If you hate dill, skip it—you might like some extra parsley to make up for it.
