Favourite Lentil Salad

This is meal-prep magic in salad form. Two kinds of cooked lentils (firm green and softer red) bring serious protein and fiber, while crisp celery and steamed green beans add crunch and chlorophyll-bright color.

Using two lentil varieties is the smart move. Green lentils hold their shape and give the salad a satisfying bite. Red lentils break down a touch and add creamy texture. Together they prevent the salad from being either too rubbery or too mushy.

The mustard-and-Italian-dressing combo is the dressing trick. Plain Italian dressing alone is too sweet and one-note for lentils, but a tablespoon of Dijon mustard and a squeeze of lemon juice mixed in sharpen everything. The mustard also emulsifies the dressing into something thicker that clings to the lentils properly.

Make this ahead. Lentil salads improve dramatically after a few hours in the fridge as the dressing soaks deep into each lentil. Serve at room temperature, not cold, for the brightest flavor.

Pro Tips

• Don’t overcook the lentils. They should hold their shape and resist a fork. Mushy lentils give you mushy salad.
• Cook the green and red lentils separately. Green lentils take longer (about 20 minutes); red lentils cook in 8 to 10 minutes.
• Salt the lentils after cooking, not while they cook. Salt before tenderizing makes lentils tough.
• Fresh chopped parsley is essential. Dried parsley adds nothing here.

Variations

• Stir in ½ cup crumbled feta cheese for a Mediterranean twist.
• Add diced cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives to bulk it up into a fuller meal salad.
• Stuff the salad into pita pockets with hummus and lettuce for a portable lunch.