French Lentil Salad
French lentil salad is served chilled. It's a flavorful, protein-packed, side dish, or it can serve as a vegetarian main course with one minor adjustment.
Servings: 6 cups
Calories: 94kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried lentils any color
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups chicken broth or vegetable stock for vegetarian version
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups peeled and diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- ½ cup chopped shallots
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling before serving
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or your favorite vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped celery leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, simmer the lentils in the chicken broth, water, and salt (or 5 cups of the liquid of your choice, if making the vegetarian version) over medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
- While the lentils are cooking, prepare the chopped carrots, celery, and shallots and place them in a large bowl.
- Add the cooled lentils to the bowl with the vegetables. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, and Dijon mustard.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the lentils and stir well to combine.
- Refrigerate the salad for 4 hours (overnight is best).
- Before serving drizzle the salad with additional extra virgin olive oil and the chopped celery leaves.
- Serve chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 476mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g