Description
This Easy Marinated Lentil Salad with Tomatoes and Feta has everything you want in a summer dish: juicy tomatoes, crumbled feta, fresh basil, and tender lentils tossed in a lemony vinaigrette.
It’s light but satisfying, endlessly scoopable, and somehow even better the next day. Perfect for summer lunches, easy dinners, or a hearty snack you’ll actually be excited to eat all week long.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups cooked brown or green lentils (from 1 cup dry; see Recipe Notes)
- 16 ounces plum or Campari tomatoes, cored and diced
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ½ cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
- 4 tablespoons olive oil (I love the spicy kick of heat from a pepper-infused oil, like Brightland “Pizza” Oil)
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
- 4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
- kosher salt, ground black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, to season
Instructions
- Toss the salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooked lentils, tomatoes, shallot, garlic, lemon juice, and basil. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and crumbled feta. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, a few cracks of black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Toss well to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve: This lentil salad is great served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Serve as a light vegetarian main, with pita chips and fresh veggies as a dip-style salad, or as a hearty side for any summer dinner plate. Enjoy!
Notes
- Best lentils to use: This recipe calls for brown or green lentils, which hold their shape well and soak up the bright dressing without turning mushy. French green (Puy) lentils also work beautifully. Avoid red or yellow lentils—they’re too soft and tend to fall apart, which isn’t ideal for a hearty salad.
- Tips for cooking lentils: If cooking from dry, 1 cup yields about 2 ½ cups cooked. Simmer on the stovetop, or for a more hands-off approach, cook them in a rice cooker with a 1:2 ratio of lentils to water or broth, using the “grains” setting if your machine has one. For the ultimate warm-weather shortcut, I often use store-bought pre-cooked lentils. Look for canned or vacuum-sealed packs (like those from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)—they’re a total time-saver and work beautifully here.
Make-Ahead and Storage:
- Make-ahead instructions: This lentil salad is ideal for prepping ahead—it actually gets better as it sits! Toss everything together a few hours in advance, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavors meld beautifully over time, and the lentils stay hearty. Great for meal prep lunches, picnics, and backyard gatherings!
- Storage instructions: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. The lentils don’t get soggy—they soak up more flavor from the dressing as they sit. Serve cold or let it come to room temp for a few minutes before enjoying.