This easy Lentil Salad with Feta and Crispy Prosciutto tastes way more complicated than it is. A quick gluten-free black lentil recipe that tastes and looks like it came from a restaurant!
LENTIL SALAD
Do you know what a Pulse is? Not the heartbeat-in-your-wrist kind but the food kind? I have to admit I didn’t know until a couple of months ago.
WHAT IS A PULSE?
Pulses are part of the legume family, but the term “pulse” refers only to the dried seed. Dried peas, edible beans, lentils, and chickpeas are the most common varieties of pulses. Pulses are very high in protein and fiber and guess what, the United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses.
I think by the end of 2016, we will all know what a “Pulse” is. Just think about how quinoa exploded after it was the 2013 crop of the year.
While we don’t eat that many beans anymore, we almost always have lentils on hand. In fact, lentils are one of the first foods I’ve fed both of my kids, because they are so nutrient dense, quick cooking and high in vegetarian protein.
HOW TO COOK LENTILS
Here is a quick overview of some of the most popular types of lentils and how to cook them. As a general rule, I never add salt to the cooking water when preparing lentils as I have found that it can make them a bit tough.
- Always wash and sort your lentils in cold water before cooking. A sieve or mesh colander is best so that the small lentils don’t fall through a standard colander.
- Pick out odd-looking rocks, stones and other seeds that may have made their way into the batch.
- With the exception of the red lentils, I use a 3:1 ratio. 3 parts filtered water to 1 part rinsed lentils. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for the indicated cook time below.
- Lastly, cooked lentils store really well in the freezer so always make more than you need and freeze in batches!
Brown Lentils: 20 to 30 Minutes until tender but not mushy.
Brown lentils are often called “regular” lentils and are often a larger variety, very versatile but can get mushy when overcooked. These are great for soups, stews and other cooked dishes like this Vegetarian Mujaddara.
Green Lentils: 15 to 20 Minutes until tender but not mushy.
Green lentils are very similar to brown lentils and often easily interchangeable. Also perfect for soups, stews and other cooked dishes with some type of sauce. Try my Vegan Slow Cooker Lentil Soup.
Red (and orange) Lentils: 12 to 15 Minutes but can go much longer as they naturally fall apart.
These are one of my favorites as I love how they fall apart during cooking and add a thick, creamy texture. I never cook these separately and always add them directly to the cooking liquid. Try my Vegan Spicy Red Lentil Chili (Wegman’s copycat recipe!) OR my Vegan Creamy Red Lentil Soup with Spinach.
Black Beluga Lentils: 15 to 20 Minutes until center is tender but not mushy.
Beluga lentils are one of the best for salads and other chilled dishes as they retain their firm shape after cooking. You can usually sub French du Puy lentils for Beluga and use them interchangeably.
This Black Beluga Lentil salad is simple to prepare but impressive to look at and tastes pretty complex. You can no joke have it on the table in under 20 minutes start to finish and I guarantee this will quickly become a staple in your house!
NOTES:
- If you want to keep this Vegetarian, omit the Crispy Prosciutto.
- You can easily substitute Goat Cheese for Feta Cheese but stick with a soft, slightly salty cheese to balance out the earthy flavors.
- If you are allergic to nuts and want to avoid the Walnut Oil, use a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
This easy Lentil Salad with Feta and Crispy Prosciutto tastes way more complicated than it is. A quick gluten-free lentil recipe that tastes and looks like it came from a restaurant!
- .25 pound very thinly sliced pieces of Prosciutto you need it sliced into 8 very thin slices (2 per salad)
- 4 Tablespoons walnut oil
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound organic arugula
- 12 grape or cherry tomatoes washed and halved
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup cooked Black Beluga Lentils cook 2 cups of dry lentils. cool and freeze leftover for future meal.
- 4 ounces Feta cheese crumbled
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Begin by carefully rinsing and straining the lentils. Bring 6 cups of filtered water to boil. Once boiling, add 2 cups of rinsed beluga lentils. Cover, lower to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes (check at 15) until lentils are bite tender (not soft).
Drain and set aside 1 cup for salad. Allow rest to cool and store in the fridge (for up to 3 days) or in the freezer for future meals.
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Combine ingredients for dressing in a small mason jar or other glass far with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously until well mixed.
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Grab four salad bowls. Divide arugula up between four bowls. Sprinkle each bowl with salt and pepper.
Per Bowl: Add 8 halved tomatoes, 1/4 cup cooked lentils, and 1 ounce crumbled feta.
Drizzle each with 1/4 of dressing. Serve immediately and Enjoy!
- If you want to keep this Vegetarian, omit the Crispy Prosciutto.
- You can easily substitute Goat Cheese for Feta Cheese but stick with a soft, slightly salty cheese to balance out the earthy flavors.
- If you are allergic to nuts and want to avoid the Walnut Oil, use a high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
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