Menu Close

Black Lentil Salad Recipe (High Protein, Vegan, Gluten Free)

Black lentil salad is a vibrant and hearty lunch or dinner that’s loaded with fresh garden vegetables. This salad is tossed with a simple 5-minute Dijon vinaigrette that brightens every bite of this salad.
 
I love enjoying this salad as a lunch or a light dinner in the summer when tomatoes and cucumbers are in season. Serve with a slice of no knead crusty bread and you have a delicious lentil salad in no time.
 
beluga lentil recipes healthy salads with black beluga lentils recipes vegetarian dairy free lentil recipes
 
Black lentils, also known as beluga lentils, are the hearty and delicious star of this salad!
 
I love simple meal in the summer, and this salad is great to put together if you have canned or cooked black lentils ready to go!  This salad is loaded with fresh sweet vegetables, bright herbs, and hearty lentils. 
 
The simple cider vinaigrette couldn’t be easier to make: just olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, agave, and herbs.  A quick, tasty, an easy summer time lunch or dinner that’s vegetarian and gluten free.
 

This Black Lentil Salad Recipe Is

  • Vibrant
  • Bright
  • Earthy
  • Packed with plant protein
  • Loaded with flavor
  • Versatile: you can swap in any fresh ingredients that you have on hand
  • Vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free!
  • Meal prep friendly
black lentil recipe salad with black lentils beluga lentil recipes healthy vegan gluten free lentil salad

One of the Best Recipes with Black Lentils

This salad was an absolute pleasure to enjoy for lunch. It hit all the right notes: savory, sweet, bright, fresh, and crunchy.

I made a huge batch of it for Meal Prep Sunday and I was able to enjoy it throughout the week.  The heart veggies really stood up in this salad, no boring lettuce here!  Here are a few of my other favorite meal prep recipes too. Meal prepping is a great tool for keeping food organized throughout the week.

What’s In This Black Lentil Salad?

I cook with fresh produce from my garden and from Misfits Market– they sell fantastic fruit, vegetables, & pantry staples at a discounted price. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out favorite produce for delivery. Get $10 off your first box here!

  • Black Lentils, or beluga lentils because they look like caviar. You can cook black lentils on the stove top, but I usually use my recipe for Perfect Rice Cooker Lentils, which are ready in about 45 minutes.
  • Tomatoes: What ever fresh tomato variety you have on hand: beefsteak, Roma, cherry tomatoes, etc.
  • Cucumber: peeled and diced
  • Carrot
  • Green Onion: for a little spice and flavor
  • Apple Cider Vinegar: which gives this dressing a little extra tang! There are great benefits to apple cider vinegar with the mother aside from it’s fantastic flavor.  I think it gives a nice extra sweetness and depth.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use this fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s inexpensive & I like to keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry.  For the quality of oil you get, it’s an excellent value.
  • Agave Syrup:  I really like using this raw organic agave syrup because it’s a sustainable sweetener, plus it’s an inexpensive natural sweetener so I always keep a few of these bottles in my pantry.
  • Dijon Mustard – for a really nice flavor and texture, this Dijon is a favorite in our pantry. Use a good quality mustard, not yellow prepared mustard.

Inexpensive Lentil Recipes for Lunch or Dinner

This salad is super budget friendly as well!  I always stock up on lentils as they are inexpensive to keep in the pantry, and are always ready for a quick and easy meal. And the vinaigrette couldn’t be easier or simpler to make… all pantry staple ingredients there.  Apple Cider Vinegar (which we always keep a few bottles of), good olive oil, agave, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
 
This recipe uses a lot of ingredients you would have in your dry pantry or cupboards – most of which you probably have on hand. Keeping a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to come up with delicious and tasty meals using a few staples you can rotate.  I made a list of my Top 125 Plant-Based Pantry Staples that always keep stocked.
 
And you can check out all my favorite pantry staple ingredients in my Amazon shop here.  By stocking up on whole ingredients you can cook delicious recipes without a trip to the store!

Nutrition on the Cheap: Lentil Salads for Everyone

Right now our garden is booming with zucchini, fresh lettuces and kale, cucumbers, and tomatoes.  And this is a great recipe for using your home grown veggies, or just adding some great farmer’s market finds into a salad.
 
When it comes to vegetables, color = nutrition!  The brighter the vegetable, the higher amount of phytonutrients contained in the plant.   This rainbow salad brings the flavor and the nutrients.  And all the gorgeous colors make this salad a beautiful addition to any potluck, party, or BBQ.  Its full of big bright flavors, and packed with good-for-you ingredients.  A real win/win for every one.
 
 
black lentil salad recipe easy quick black lentil recipes with beluga lentils salads

How Do I Make This Salad Recipe with Black Beluga Lentils?

  1. Cook the lentils: follow package instructions, or use my Rice Cooker Lentils recipe. Drain, and allow lentils to cool.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked black lentils, tomato, cucumber, carrots, green onion.
  3. To a pint sized mason jar add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, agave, Dijon mustard, and Herbs de Provence.
  4. Shake well for a minute to combine dressing, and pour the dressing over the salad.
  5. Serve immediately, store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Cook Lentils Without a Pot!

I love cooking lentils in my rice cooker, which always come out perfect.  I haven’t tried them in the Instant Pot yet, but I will definitely try it out next time.  The stovetop method used to be my go-to cooking method for lentils, however I find that the rice cooker to be much easier. 

Just add the lentils, add the water, set it, and forget it!  You can also use cooked lentils in a can or a pouch from the grocery store, but I prefer dried as they are more cost effective.

salad with black beluga lentils how to cook lentils easy lunches cheap healthy nutritious lunch ideas for families

Dietary Modifications

  • This recipe is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and dairy free.
  • It’s gluten free, and contains so grain or wheat.
  • This recipe is refined sugar free!  If you’d like to add a sweetener in the dressing I’d recommend honey (because I’m a beekeeper so it’s my sweetener of choice!) or maple syrup.

More Hearty Salad Recipes You’ll Love!

Lemon Quinoa Salad Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free Side Dishes)

Soba Noodle Salad with Miso Dressing Recipe (Vegan)

Spinach Chickpea Salad Recipe (Vegetarian, Gluten Free)

Mediterranean Black Bean Salad Recipe

Caprese Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe (Vegetarian)

Share this Black Lentil Salad

As always, if you make this vegan and gluten free black lentil salad recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you.  I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!

Let’s keep in touch – make sure to sign up for my newsletter to get free recipe inspiration. And don’t forget to follow over on Pinterest, Instagram , & my YouTube channel – I’d love to connect with you there!  

beluga lentil recipes healthy salads with black beluga lentils recipes vegetarian dairy free lentil recipes

Black Lentil Salad

Kelly Jensen
Black lentil salad is a vibrant and hearty lunch or dinner that's loaded with fresh garden vegetables. This salad is tossed with a simple 5-minute Dijon vinaigrette that brightens every bite of this salad. I love enjoying this salad as a lunch or a light dinner in the summer when tomatoes and cucumbers are in season. Serve with a slice of no knead crusty bread and you have a delicious lentil salad in no time.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Lunch, Salad
Cuisine American, French
Servings 6 servings
Calories 389 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Salad

Cider Vinaigrette

Instructions
 

  • Cook the lentils: follow package instructions, or use my Rice Cooker Lentils recipe. Drain, and allow lentils to cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked black lentils, tomato, cucumber, carrots, green onion.
  • To a pint sized mason jar add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil, agave, Dijon mustard, and Herbs de Provence.
  • Shake well for a minute to combine dressing, and pour the dressing over the salad.
  • Serve immediately, store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Video

Notes

Save Money on Fresh Groceries & Pantry Staples!

I get all the fresh produce for my recipes from my garden and from Misfits Market – they sell produce & pantry staples (even wine!) at a super discounted price. We get Misfit Market boxes every month and love picking out our favorite seasonal produce for delivery. You can get $10 off your first $30 box by clicking here! 

Give Misfits Market a look if you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend it!

Nutrition

Calories: 389kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 17gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 46mgPotassium: 195mgFiber: 15gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 3777IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 6mg
Keyword Beluga Lentil Salad, Black Lentil Recipes, Black Lentil Salad, Recipes with Beluga Lentils, Recipes with Black Lentils, Salad with Black Lentils
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below!
Or tag me @theherbeevore in your photo on Instagram!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Herbeevore and our beehives!

Posted in American, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, High Protein, Lunches, Meal Prep, Salads, The Herbeevore Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes

2 Comments

  1. Pingback:Udon Noodle Salad Recipe (Vegan & Vegetarian)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.