Beluga Lentil Salad

I love this lentil salad! It’s elegant and light. The beluga lentils stay firm and chewy and have a good mouth feel. I like the contrast of these tiny bursts of flavor with fresh herbs and chopped crunchy veggies.

Lentils are nutrient dense, packed with polyphenols, iron and protein, folic acid and magnesium. I eat them a lot as part of a vegan diet. Beluga (or black) lentils, are named because of their similarity in looks to caviar. Their earthy flavor means they stand up well to strong flavors like fresh herbs and dijon mustard.

My recipe is flexible and I give options for incorporating different types of herbs to create different flavor profiles — so you can choose depending on what you’ll be serving the lentil salad with. As part of a Mediterranean meal I’d suggest using parsley and fresh mint. For a French flavor profile try thyme or tarragon. With Italian food — basil, of course!

If you can’t find the beluga (black) lentils, French lentils work well as a substitution. They are also small, and green and have a similarly firm texture. This salad can be a vegan entree. It can also be served in endive leaves as an appetizer. If you are eating dairy, try crumbling some feta cheese into the finished salad to add more protein and saltiness. I almost never make this salad the same way twice!

For full recipe click here.