French Lentil Salad Dijon Vinaigrette (Printable Version)
Tender French lentils tossed with crisp vegetables in a zesty Dijon vinaigrette. Simple, elegant, and ready in under an hour.
# What You Need:
→ For the Lentil Salad
01 - 1 cup French green lentils (Puy lentils), rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
05 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely diced
06 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced
07 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
10 - Salt and pepper, to taste
→ For the Zesty Dijon Vinaigrette
11 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
13 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 teaspoon honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
15 - 1 garlic clove, finely minced
16 - Zest of 1 lemon
17 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - In a medium saucepan, combine lentils, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 18–22 minutes, until lentils are just tender but not mushy. Drain, discard bay leaf, and set aside to cool slightly.
02 - While lentils cook, finely dice the red onion, carrot, and celery. Halve the cherry tomatoes and chop the herbs.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper until emulsified.
04 - In a large bowl, combine the warm lentils, diced vegetables, tomatoes, parsley, and chives. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice if desired. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The vinaigrette penetrates the warm lentils better than anything else Ive tried, creating depth of flavor from the inside out
- This salad actually tastes better after a few hours in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep or make-ahead dinners
02 -
- Do not overcook the lentils because they will continue softening as they marinate in the vinaigrette
- The salad needs at least 15 minutes to meld together before serving, but it improves even more after a few hours
03 -
- Taste the vinaigrette before adding it to the salad because lentils absorb salt aggressively
- Make a double batch of the vinaigrette and keep it in a jar for quick salads all week