Published: by Denise Perrault · 1 Comment
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Vegan Greek black lentil saladis a healthy and delicious black lentils recipe with crunchy veggies, fresh herbs, olives, and zesty oil-free herb vinaigrette for a flavor-packed vegan salad you can make in 40 minutes, including resting time.
I used to think that black lentil recipes like creamy black lentil dahl or dal makhani with dry kidney beans were the best ways to serve black lentils. But they are perfect for salads too. Flavor, texture, and vibrant color dress up the simplest greens.
If you've been wondering what to do with that bag of black lentils in the pantry, I'll show you how to cook them on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot like a pro.
Table of Contents
- ⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- 📋 Recipe Ingredients
- 📖 Recipe Variations
- ♨️ How to Cook Black Lentils
- ⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
- 🔪 Pro Tips
- 🍴 Serving Suggestions
- 💭 Frequently Asked Questions
- 🥗 More Delicious Vegan Salads
- 👩🏻🍳 Recipe
⭐ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Satisfying as a light dinner or side dish with other Greek favorites like veggie Briam casserole or oil-free Gigantes plaki.
- Make ahead with various chopped veggies, including tender baby spinach or Tuscan kale.
- The oil-free Dijon vinaigrette takes minutes to make and dresses up the simplest of salads, or it is great over Greek salad pizza with hummus.
📋 Recipe Ingredients
Black lentils. Also known as black beluga lentils, they are delicate but hearty lentils. They hold their shape like French green lentils, which are a great option. Cooked green lentils, like I use in pomegranate and lentil salad, are also a good substitute.
Bell peppers. Use a mix of green and red peppers.
Onions. I'm a fan of red onions for this salad. For a mellower flavor, use sliced green onions. Soak onions in ice-cold water for a few minutes to reduce the sharpness.
Cherry tomatoes. Large tomatoes with a lot of moisture get mushy over time, so I prefer cherry or grape tomatoes. For a blast of flavor, try baked sun-dried tomatoes.
Black olives. A few black olives or kalamata olives add umami flavor.
Red wine vinegar. Light and tangy. Use sherry vinegar or sweeter, balsamic vinegar, or white balsamic condiment. Use a little more maple syrup if you substitute with apple cider vinegar. The best non-vinegar substitute is lemon juice.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
📖 Recipe Variations
Use the same veggies and dressing but a different main ingredient. After cooking pearl couscous for Israeli couscous salad with dried fruit, I made it Greek style - yum! I'm trying it with easy Instant Pot wild rice next time.
Make this salad super-quick using 3 cups of canned lentils (2 cans).
♨️ How to Cook Black Lentils
Cook black lentils on the stove or in the Instant Pot.
Stovetop Instructions
- Add 1 cup of lentils, 3 cups of water, plus ½ a teaspoon of salt to a large saucepan.
- Cover and cook lentils 20 minutes until tender.
- Add more water if needed. The lentils will scorch if you let all the cooking liquid evaporate.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Add 1 cup of rinsed black lentils, plus 1 ½ cups of water or vegetable broth, and ½ a teaspoon of salt.
- Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes with 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
- Drain and rinse.
⏲️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook black lentils on the stove or Instant Pot.
Step 2: Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
Step 3: Add the lentils to a large bowl and mix with the dressing.
Step 4: Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
🔪 Pro Tips
- Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones or discolored lentils before cooking.
- Chop the veggies into small pieces so the salad is scoopable with the lentils.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
Greek lentil salad is an easy meal and a delicious portable lunch on the go.
Serve with freshly toasted whole wheat pita bread or stuff pita pockets with tasty Greek beluga lentil salad. Or whip up a gluten-free quinoa pizza base for a hearty Greek lentil pizza topped with hemp vegan parmesan cheese.
💭 Frequently Asked Questions
How long does black lentil salad keep?
Store black lentil salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let the salad warm to room temperature and mix the ingredients before serving.
Do you need to soak black lentils?
There is no need to soak black lentils. Just be sure you rinse them and remove any stones or discolored lentils.
What is the best substitute for black lentils?
Black lentils are small and firm. They are salad favorites because they retain their shape after cooking. French (Puy) lentils are the best substitute because they take approximately the same time to cook, and they won't get mushy as long as you don't overcook them.
Can you use red lentils in Greek lentil salad?
Red lentils break down for a creamy texture that isn't well-suited for lentil salads because they don't retain their shape. Save that bag of red lentils for making creamy sweet potato dal or a quick red lentil soup with lemon.
Where can I buy black lentils?
Black lentils are available at many larger grocery stores or markets with a selection of South Asian foods or specialize in whole foods.
🥗 More Delicious Vegan Salads
- Zesty Lemon Freekeh Salad with Chickpeas
- Easy Vegan Rice Noodle Salad (Oil-Free Recipe)
- Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Wheat Berries
- Zesty Vegan Wild Rice Salad with Lemongrass Dressing
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Vegan Greek Black Lentil Salad (Oil-Free Recipe)
Vegan Greek black lentil salad is a healthy and delicious black lentils recipe with fresh herbs, olives, and zesty oil-free herb vinaigrette made in 40 minutes.
Author: Denise Perrault
Rate this Recipe:
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Resting TimeResting Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Greek
Diet Vegan
Servings 4
Calories 62 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry black lentils - rinsed and sorted (makes 2 ½ cups cooked)
- 3 cups water - or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar - or sherry vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 medium cucumber - diced
- 1 medium green pepper - cored and diced
- 1 medium red pepper - cored and diced
- 1 small red onion - diced
- ¼ cup black olives - sliced, or kalamata olives
- ½ cup parsley - chopped
- ½ cup basil - chopped
Instructions
Add 1 cup of black lentils, 3 cups of water, and ½ a teaspoon of salt to a large saucepan. Simmer the lentils for 20 minutes until the lentils are tender, and most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain and rinse the lentils, then add them to a large bowl. (see notes for Instant Pot instructions).
To make the dressing, combine vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
Mix half the dressing with the lentils, then add the rest of the salad ingredients. Stir in the remaining salad dressing. Let the salad sit for 10 minutes so that the flavors can combine.
Notes
- The best substitute for black lentils is French (Puy) lentils. You can also use 3 cups of canned lentils.
- To cook black lentils in the Instant Pot. Add lentils with 1 ½ cups of water and ½ a teaspoon salt. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes with 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
- Store black lentil salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let the salad warm to room temperature and mix the ingredients before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 62kcal (3%)Carbohydrates: 10g (3%)Protein: 2g (4%)Fat: 2g (3%)Saturated Fat: 0.3g (2%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 615mg (27%)Potassium: 320mg (9%)Fiber: 3g (13%)Sugar: 5g (6%)Vitamin A: 1915IU (38%)Vitamin C: 76mg (92%)Calcium: 65mg (7%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Debra
Yum!!!!Reply
