Spanish Lentil Salad Recipe

bowl of lentil salad with serving utensils.

5 from 3 votes

Spanish Lentil Salad Recipe

This quick and delicious Spanish lentil salad is ready to eat in only 30 minutes! It's a healthy and colorful vegetarian lunch or side dish for dinner, and brings all the flavors of Spain to your table.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Spanish

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 358.12kcal

Author: Lauren Aloise

Ingredients

For the Salad

1 cup dry lentils either brown, green, or black
1 bay leaf
½ cup finely diced carrots about two medium carrots
½ cup finely diced red bell pepper about half a large bell pepper
½ cup finely diced sweet or red onion about half of a small onion
½ cup deseeded and finely diced cucumber about one medium cucumber
¼ cup fresh parsley minced

For the Dressing

1 clove garlic minced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice from 2 lemons
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon lemon zest
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika pimentón dulce
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt or more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Put the dry lentils and bay leaf into a pot and cover with two inches of water. Bring the lentils to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover. Cook according to package instructions until al dente (cooked through, but still firm to the bite), about 15-25 minutes. Start tasting around the 15-minute mark so that you don't overcook them.
While the lentils are cooking, finely dice the vegetables and place them in a large serving bowl.
To prepare the dressing, combine the cumin, paprika, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, lemon zest, and minced garlic in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
When the lentils are tender but not mushy, drain them in a colander and rinse with cold water. Make sure they're well-drained so that the salad isn't watered down.
Add the lentils to the diced vegetables and mix everything together, then pour on the dressing. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy the salad immediately, or keep in the fridge for up to four days.

Notes

You can use the lentil of your choice, but it should be one that holds its shape and doesn't get too mushy. Brown, black, and green lentils work well. You cannot use canned lentils; they will be too mushy.
Make sure to cook the lentils until al dente: tender, but not mushy.
Feel free to substitute with different veggies if needed.
Try to get smoked Spanish paprika (pimentón dulce) -- it has a great, unique flavor.
You can prepare this salad in advance; it tastes even better after marinating for a couple of hours, and it will last up to four days in the fridge.

Nutrition