This vegan French lentil salad is packed with fresh vegetables, chopped dates and a flavorful orange cumin vinaigrette. It's perfect for a protein-packed, plant-based, quick and easy meal.
This post is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill. All opinions are our own.
Also great for meal prep and ready in about 30 minutes! Bob's Red Mill's Petite French Green Lentils are the key to this recipe. They have the flavor and the texture that most other lentil varieties lack.
Why we love this recipe
This French lentil salad has it all:
- Super flavorful: the orange cumin vinaigrette and chopped dates add SO much flavor to this salad. No boring lentils here!
- Perfect for meal prep: this vegan lentil salad actually tastes better the longer it sits! It's the perfect addition to your meal prep rotation.
- Plant-based protein: lentils are a fantastic source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber.
- Vegan & gluten free: perfect for just about any dietary needs!
- Quick and easy: this salad comes together in just a few simple steps.
Ingredients
Here are a few of the key ingredients you'll need to make this French lentil salad:
- French green lentils
- Carrots
- Celery
- Tomatoes
- Chopped dates
- Kale
- Almonds
- Parsley
- Orange cumin vinaigrette
Ingredient Notes
- Bob's Red Mill Petite French Green Lentils: We love these lentils because they're easy to cook (ready in 25 minutes), they don't require time-consuming soaking, and they have a great peppery flavor. They work amazingly well in soups and salads because they keep their shape and don't fall apart and turn to mush like most other lentils. They're also a great source of plant-based protein and fiber.
- We absolutely love Bob's Red Mill products and use them in nearly all of our recipes. From their gluten free flour, to their quinoa, to their granola, they have an incredible range of high-quality products that we can always count on. You can find Bob's Red Mill products (including these lentils) in thousands of stores across the country, as well as online.
- Shallot: you can substitute with ½ cup of finely diced yellow onion if needed.
- Kale: we prefer lacinato (Tuscan) kale in this salad. It's not quite as leafy or fibrous as regular leafy kale, so it incorporates better into the salad.
- Almonds: you can also sub with pistachios, pine nuts or another nut/seed of your choice.
- Medjool dates: you can sub with chopped dried apricots, golden raisins or regular raisins.
Step-by-step instructions
Cook 1 cup of lentils according to package directions.
While the lentils are cooking, add 2 teaspoon of olive oil to a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup finely chopped shallots to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes.
Add ½ tablespoon finely minced garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, keeping an eye on the heat so that the garlic doesn't burn. Once cooked, remove shallots and garlic from the pan and set aside in a small bowl.
Once the lentils are fully cooked (they will be tender when done), drain with a strainer or a mesh colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Add lentils to a large bowl and stir in the shallots and garlic that were previously set aside.
Whisk together all ingredients for vinaigrette.
Toss celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, kale, and chopped dates together in a bowl.
Add this mixture to the cooled lentils, stir together, and pour the dressing over the top.
Toss until well coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top salad with ½ cup sliced almonds and crumbled feta.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- Freshly squeezed citrus juice makes a big difference in the flavor of the vinaigrette.
- Be sure not to overcook the lentils. They should be tender, but still have some bite and firmness.
- Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You may want to wait to add the almonds until just before serving so they don't get soggy.
French green lentils, or lentilles vertes, are a green lentil variety that are firmer, more intensely flavored, and cook more quickly than other lentils.
French lentils are a variety of green lentils. So every French lentil is a green lentil, but not every green lentil is a French lentil. French lentils are smaller than green lentils and have a slightly firmer texture. French lentils also cook to completion about 20 minutes more quickly than full-sized green lentils do.
No! These lentils do not require soaking.
We would recommend sticking with French green lentils in this salad because they hold their texture in a way that brown or red lentils cannot. If you can't find any, the next best substitute would be regular green or brown lentils. Black lentils would work in a pinch, too.
Avoid using red or yellow lentils, which will not hold up in this salad and are best suited for soups or purées.
More lentil recipes you'll love:
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Print📖 Recipe
French Lentil Salad
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This vegan French lentil salad is packed with fresh vegetables, chopped dates and a flavorful orange cumin vinaigrette. It's perfect for a protein-packed, plant-based, quick and easy meal.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 cup dry Bob’s Red Mill French green lentils, cooked according to package directions
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped shallot
- ½ tbsp finely minced fresh garlic (~2 cloves)
- 1 ½ cups finely chopped lacinato kale
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup pitted medjool dates, finely chopped
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- Optional: crumbled feta for topping (we used vegan)
Orange Cumin Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp orange zest
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp agave, maple, or date syrup**
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fine grain kosher salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup of lentils according to package directions.
- While the lentils are cooking, add 2 teaspoon of olive oil to a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add ½ cup finely chopped shallots to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes. Add ½ tablespoon finely minced garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, keeping an eye on the heat so that the garlic doesn't burn. Once cooked, remove shallots and garlic from the pan and set aside in a small bowl.
- Once the lentils are fully cooked (they will be tender when done), drain with a strainer or a mesh colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Add lentils to a large bowl and stir in the shallots and garlic that were previously set aside.
- Whisk together all ingredients for vinaigrette.
- Toss celery, carrots, cherry tomatoes, kale, and chopped dates together in a bowl.
- Add this mixture to the cooled lentils, stir together, and pour the dressing over the top. Toss until well coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Top salad with ½ cup sliced almonds and crumbled feta.
Notes
Dates: *You can sub chopped medjool dates with chopped dried apricots or golden raisins.
Date Syrup: **You can use agave, honey, or maple syrup in place of date syrup.
Lentils: We would recommend sticking with French green lentils in this salad because they hold their texture in a way that brown or red lentils cannot. If you can't find any, the next best substitute would be regular green or brown lentils. Black lentils would work in a pinch, too. Avoid using red or yellow lentils, which will not hold up in this salad and are best suited for soups or purées.
Kale: we prefer lacinato (Tuscan) kale in this salad. It's not quite as leafy or fibrous as regular leafy kale, so it incorporates better into the salad.
Almonds: you can also sub with pistachios, pine nuts or another nut/seed of your choice.
Storage: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You may want to wait to add the almonds until just before serving so they don't get soggy.
Nutrition: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. This information should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 405
- Sugar: 26.4 g
- Sodium: 274.6 mg
- Fat: 17.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 55.6 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 12.3 g
Laurie says
Very nice dish. Can be served as a side dish or over fresh greens. I had to re-mince the kale, didn’t like the giant pieces. I didn’t cook the onions, just grated on a mandolin on finest slice.
Dan says
I love the way feta cheese is basically considered vegan all over the internet.
Lexi says
Hi Dan, we used a vegan feta alternative in this recipe, as noted in the recipe and blog post.
Diana Cox says
That was delicious! I subbed raisins for the dates, since I had no dates. The dressing is quite tasty! I also chopped some toasted whole almonds which worked quite well. Will make again!