Lentil Tabbouleh Salad

 

My sister brought me over the most delicious container of salad the other day. Lentil Tabbouleh Salad.  Cindy is always cooking the most interesting and delicious things. She is one fabulous cook and always tries to cook healthy as much as possible.

When we were younger, I always considered her to be the baker of the family. Baking was something she really enjoyed, and she was good at it, making the best cakes, cookies and pies.

Having said that, however, she is the one who introduced me to Nachos and Drip Beef, and her meatloaf is legendary.  She also introduced me to Zucchini Casserole which is something that my family has always loved. No surprise there!  She is just a great cook all round!

 

It's interesting that we both ended up being good cooks and loving cooking and baking as much as we do. Our mother did not really love to cook very much.  She was a simple cook and was never up to exploring new and interesting cuisines.  The thought of eating a curry was a no-no with her.  Her main seasonings were salt and pepper until she discovered oregano and once she did, it went into everything.  I kid you not.

She was also not a fan of having people helping her out in the kitchen. We could watch but from a distance. She hated mess in the kitchen and could not tolerate us making a mess as we would never be able to clean it up afterwards to her standard in any case.

We both learned a lot of our cooking skills from other women who mentored us in our lives.  Older friends and neighbors, in laws, etc.  I would say they did a great job because both of us turned out to be great cooks.

This salad was fabulous, and she has generously allowed me to share the recipe with you here today.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LENTIL TABBOULEH SALAD

Some lovely, dried lentils and beautifully fresh vegetables and herbs. Use the freshest vegetables and herbs that you can get.

• 1 cup (200g) dried green lentils
• 1 cup (25g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup (8g) chopped fresh mint leaves
• ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt (I did not use this much)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup (52g) finely chopped red onion
• 1 cup (110g) finely chopped English cucumber
• ½ cups (120g) cherry tomatoes, halved

To serve:

• 1/2 cup (125g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
• baby rocket/arugula

 

Lentils and other legumes are an amazing superfood, densely packed with plenty of nutrients, being high in fiber and protein. They are also packed with vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, making them a great addition to your diet.

Eating them regularly can also improve your heart-health and can help with weight management and help prevent reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as type two diabetes.   In short, they are a great and healthy addition to the diet on a regular basis.

Everything in the ingredients list for this salad is pretty simple and understandable. I left the skin on my cucumber for more fiber.  You can use regular onion if that is all you have, but the red onions do add a lovely shot of color.

Pick the sweetest cherry tomatoes you can find. Not only do they add a lovely pop of color, but they also add a lovely hint of sweet which helps to balance out the tartness of the lemon in the dressing.

 

HOW TO MAKE LENTIL TABBOULEH SALAD

This is a very simple to make salad that goes together very quickly once you have cooked the lentils.

You will need to cook the lentils before you make the salad. Rinse your lentils, pick through them and put them into a saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and then simmer until the lentils become tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well and cool.

While the lentils are cooling prepare all of your vegetables.

Wash them well. Leave the peel on the cucumber if you wish. Cut the onions and cucumber into 1/4-to-1/3-inch dice. You don't want huge chunks. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.

Wash your parsley and mint and shake the water off.  Pat dry with paper toweling and then finely chop using a sharp knife.

 

Combine the cooked lentils, parsley, mint, red onions, cucumber and tomatoes in a large bowl.

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper to combine. Pour this over the lentil mixture and toss everything together gently to combine.

 

Leave to macerate for about 15 minutes before serving.

Toss in the feta cheese just prior to serving. (optional) Place a bed of rocket/baby arugula onto each plate and top with a portion of the salad to serve.

 

I really enjoyed this salad. The dressing was nice and tangy without being overly so. The bed of greens added a nice touch and some additional texture.  I love the pepperiness of rocket which went perfectly with the meatiness of the lentils and the crunch of the other ingredients. The cherry tomatoes added a lovely sweetness.

I think you could add even more vegetables to this if you wished. Chopped carrots would be nice and add color. Chopped celery would add additional crunch. This is a great basic recipe that you can play around with and truly make your own.

  

Do you enjoy lentils as much as we do! If so, you might also enjoy the following delicious recipes!

COCONUT CURRY LENTIL SOUP - A delicious thick and hearty soup that is loaded with rich coconut and curry flavors. I like to enjoy mine with an additional swirl of coconut cream on top and some warm naan bread on the side.

LENTIL & BACON POTAGE - This might be just about the most delicious lentil soup you could ever make. So tasty that I once made it twice in one week. Simple and humble ingredients, put together in a very simple way with insanely delicious results.  You will not want to miss out on this one.  This is the "Gold" standard of lentil soups!

Yield: 4 generous servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Lentil Tabbouleh Salad

Cook time: 30 MinTotal time: 30 Min

This is a delicious and healthy salad, that can either be served as a main dish or as a tasty and nutritious side dish. It also makes a great portable lunch. Just pack up the salad itself in an airtight container and bring a separate bag of greens to toss it with when you are ready to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200g) dried green lentils
• 1 cup (25g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup (8g) chopped fresh mint leaves
• ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt (I did not use this much)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup (52g) finely chopped red onion
• 1 cup (110g) finely chopped English cucumber
• ½ cups (120g) cherry tomatoes, halved

To serve:

• 1/2 cup (125g) feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
• baby rocket/arugula

Instructions

1. You will need to cook the lentils before you make the salad. Rinse your lentils, pick through them and put them into a saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and then simmer until the lentils become tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well and cool.
3. While the lentils are cooling prepare all of your vegetables.
4. Combine the cooked lentils, parsley, mint, red onions, cucumber and tomatoes in a large bowl.
5. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and black pepper to combine. Pour this over the lentil mixture and toss everything together gently to combine.
6. Leave to macerate for about 15 minutes before serving.
7. Toss in the feta cheese just prior to serving. (optional)
8. Place a bed of rocket/baby arugula onto each plate and top with a portion of the salad to serve.

All rights reserved The English Kitchen

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #TheEnglishKitchen

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com 

 Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!

 If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right-hand side of the screen.