French Lentil Salad

81 Ratings
  • 5 22
  • 4 25
  • 3 17
  • 2 10
  • 1 7

Lentils are simmered with aromatics until tender and flavorful, then tossed with toasted almonds, shredded red cabbage, fresh herbs, and a lively lemon dressing in this make-ahead salad.

Whole Living, January/February 2013

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Credit: Bryan Gardner

Recipe Summary test

Servings:
2
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Ingredients

Directions

  • In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 6 minutes. Add lentils and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and season with salt and pepper. Let cool.

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  • In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining oil, lemon juice, and red-pepper flakes. Season with salt. Add lentils, almonds (if using), cabbage, and herbs and toss to combine. Lentil salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

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Reviews (31)

81 Ratings
  • 5 22
  • 4 25
  • 3 17
  • 2 10
  • 1 7
Martha Stewart Member
07/15/2013
Is it just me or does this make WAY more than 2 servings of lentils? I think next time I make this I'll cook the onion, carrot & celery as described in a pan, and cook the lentils in the cleanse broth on their own. Combine all ingredients at the end. That way the veggies aren't so over done.
Martha Stewart Member
04/07/2013
For the herb I added cilantro. Yum!
Martha Stewart Member
03/24/2013
This looked like a bowlful of jewels and tasted spectacular! I saved the drained liquid to use as a broth base in other recipes. I loved one of the other reviewers' suggestions of adding a splash of red wine and will try that one day. Also, the recipe claims this yields 2 servings, but it was more like 4 for me: I couldn't eat it all!
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Martha Stewart Member
03/24/2013
Excellent...love the crunch of the red cabbage with the lentils!
Martha Stewart Member
03/24/2013
Excellent...love the crunch of the red cabbage with the lentils!
Martha Stewart Member
03/20/2013
This was a great recipe! Started the week of well and leftovers were tasty, too. I added mint an dreally thought it helped add something special.
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Martha Stewart Member
03/17/2013
Where is the caloric count?
Martha Stewart Member
03/12/2013
This was great! I let the lentils cook and then started on dinner. We ate it the next day for lunch. Filling and tasty. I'll definitely make again.
Martha Stewart Member
02/27/2013
I'm delighted by this recipe. I served it to my husband, who is not doing a detox, and he also loved it. This will be part of our regular rotation, I'm sure!
Martha Stewart Member
02/19/2013
I absolutely loved this salad...or perhaps I was very hungry. The toasted almonds really give this salad a kick; not to mention the salad dressing. I wouldn't change anything. It's deliciously crunchy!
Martha Stewart Member
02/18/2013
At first I wasn't sure what to make of this recipe but a few bites in and I was in love! It's bright and festive, filling and delicious, this is a keeper for me :D
Martha Stewart Member
02/18/2013
This was maybe the 3rd time I ate lentils and must say that this was my favorite. I found the olive oil with lemon juice and pepper flakes to be such a delicious dressing that I will like to try with other things. It is time consuming though, about 45 minutes of moving around in the kitchen but definitely worth it! www.houseofhemingway.com
Martha Stewart Member
02/17/2013
Really yummy, although it takes quite a long time to prepare. Cheated a little with some homemade mustard-olive oil-garlic vinaigrette. On top of a bed of red cabbage adds a nice crunch and the flavors blend beautifully. Very filling, eat slow and enjoy the flavors.
Martha Stewart Member
02/13/2013
Was a great base recipe, but a little bland for my taste so I spruced it up with fresh ground turmeric, ginger, chili powder, cumin, and lemon juice and it turned out great! Lentils always remind me of indian food so I didn't second guess how I was going to enhance the dish.
Martha Stewart Member
02/13/2013
Never had lentils before...they were good! This was a very satisfying meal when I was hungry. I changed a few things. I don't like any fresh herbs, so I substituted a cup of spinach. I added some chopped walnuts. Instead of the dressing suggested, I just mixed EVOO & balsalmic vinegar.
Martha Stewart Member
02/06/2013
Loved this salad! Just what I needed. I used my processor to shred onion carrots and celery to cook with lentils....easy. I then added fresh shredded carrots with the cabbage and then used cilantro and a little parsley. I will make this again!!!
Martha Stewart Member
02/04/2013
Very yummy salad. The only thing, if you use dry lentils - cook those ahead. Otherwise, you end up cooking veggies longer than its needed and loosing the nutrition.
Martha Stewart Member
02/03/2013
I added a splash of red wine vinegar to the mix- yum! I also mixed in some chopped kale for an extra bit of greens, along with parsley and cilantro. I topped it with some walnut pieces too (in addition to the almonds). This is tasty and an interesting mix of flavors. I'm surprised by how much heat the red pepper flakes added- quite a kick!
Martha Stewart Member
01/30/2013
I also added the almonds and it really made this dish great I loved how crunchy the cabbage was. It was all just a great flavor combination I thought.
Martha Stewart Member
01/28/2013
Great texture with the cabbage. Definitely add the almonds. I added a bit of salt and garlic to the water while cooking the lentils. Makes way more than 2 servings! This will be a long time favorite.
Martha Stewart Member
01/28/2013
Loved this recipe. Substituted the red cabbage for raw broccoli and added a little more lemon juice. Yum!
Martha Stewart Member
01/28/2013
Loved the crunch from the almonds and red cabbage. The use of French lentils is great here as they hold their shape very well. I found the salad tasted better after sitting overnight in the fridge - lets those flavors soak in.
Martha Stewart Member
01/25/2013
This was one of my favs from week one. I used a few different herbs (mint, basil, and parsley) and definitely added the almonds. Super tasty and will totally make it again!
Martha Stewart Member
01/24/2013
I did not anticipate this tasting so fantastic from reading the ingredients list and looking at the photograph. Wow! What a surprise. My husband actually asked for seconds. I did add a beloved Mediterranean spice blend and some Hawaiian Sea Salt to the lentils after draining the liquid (having read some reviews about bland flavor), then added fresh oregano and basil to the entire mixture once chilled. I will definitely be making this again! Very filling too.
Martha Stewart Member
01/23/2013
Very nice for a different salad. I have never cooked Lentils before, but I will like this again, because of the fresh herbs that were added. I used mint, cilantro, and parsley.
Martha Stewart Member
01/23/2013
I hate the texture of Lentils and refuse to eat them.. But I tried this and made it thru. I like that there is such a variety of veggies here. Also having fresh herbs and almonds gave it a nice crunch. My husband and I both agreed it needed a bit more seasoning for flavor but other than that it was good.
Martha Stewart Member
01/23/2013
Great recipe! The almonds add a lot of taste and texture, don't skip it. Used only flat leaf parsley, next time will try mint or basil as well.
Martha Stewart Member
01/22/2013
This recipe is great, but why is there no nutritional information provided??
Martha Stewart Member
01/19/2013
Super good and huge portions. I could only eat half of the one serving. I liked the freshness and crunch from the herbs and cabbage paired with the soft and rich lentil veggie mix.
Martha Stewart Member
01/17/2013
I enjoyed this! What I am noticing is the prep time for these recipes. I live alone - and can only imagine the juggling this must take for those who work - and have families to care for.
Martha Stewart Member
01/16/2013
Delicious! The first day I made this I had to use what was in my kitchen. It ended up being cooked lentils, shredded raw carrot, chopped celery & walnuts with a coconut oil, lemon, turmeric, ginger, salt/pepper sauce mixture. I cannot always get to the grocery with infant twins, BUT most of the ingredients are delicious together in other combinations. So, I am sticking to "Back in Action" plan.
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