This cold Mediterranean Lentil Salad is packed with creamy goat cheese, crunchy radishes, briny olives, cherry tomatoes, and a bright balsamic dressing. It's hearty enough for lunch and perfect for the summer as one of those make-ahead salads that tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge.
My wife and I LOVE adding lentils into our diet, mainly for fiber reasons (I'll spare you the intimate details). Even without this personal endorsement, this cold salad with tender lentils that soak up the tangy dressing and combine with the goat cheese to make it the slightest bit creamy is one you'll make on repeat.
If you love this type of make-ahead salad, try our Kale and Cannellini Bean Salad or Orzo and Garbanzo Bean Salad!
A Quick Look at The Recipe
- ✅Recipe Name: Mediterranean Lentil Salad
- ⏲️Ready in: 45 minutes
- 👪Makes: 6 servings
- 📋Main ingredients: green lentils, goat cheese, fresh vegetables, and balsamic vinaigrette.
- ⭐Why You'll Love This Recipe: This Mediterranean lentil salad is fresh, filling, and easy to make ahead for summer dinners, lunches, or grilled meals.
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Why This Recipe
The simple reason to make this Mediterranean lentil salad is that it solves the summer dinner prep problem. You can make it ahead of time in less than 45 minutes, keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days, and pull it out whenever you need a cold side dish for grilled chicken, burgers, steak, or seafood.
In the summer, I like having some kind of cold bean or grain salad ready in the fridge, whether it be Summer Farro Salad with Cannellini Beans or a Chickpea Cucumber Feta Salad! If the side dish is already handled, all I have to do is throw something on the grill, and dinner goes from an hour or two of cooking to about 30 minutes. That means more time outside with the family.
If I'm eating a salad, it needs to be fresh, but it also needs to be filling, and this cold lentil salad accomplishes both. For a guy whose diet is probably 50% mozzarella cheese, I'm always thankful for a salad that actually tastes good and provides me with my daily fiber needs.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Lentils: Green lentils are my favorite choice for cold salads, because they hold their shape well when cooked correctly and are easily accessible. Brown lentils could be substituted, but I wouldn't use red or split lentils because they will become creamy. French green lentils or black lentils are also great options if you want a firmer texture.
- Goat Cheese: Typically, feta cheese would be used in a Mediterranean salad like this, but I opted for goat cheese not only because of its salty, tangy flavor but also because when it combines with the balsamic vinaigrette, it makes a creamy texture that coats all of the fresh vegetables and lentils.
- Radishes: Radishes add a needed crunchy texture to an otherwise soft salad. Their peppery, earthy flavor pairs well with the green lentils.
- Olives: The buttery, briny flavor of Castelvetrano olives is a mainstay in Mediterranean cooking and the perfect flavor profile for this salad. Substituting kalamata olives will make this salad saltier, while black olives will give it a milder flavor.
- Balsamic Vinaigrette: The balsamic vinaigrette gives the salad a bright, tangy flavor with a little sweetness. The lentils absorb the dressing as the salad marinates, which is why this is such a good make-ahead salad.
*Please see the recipe card below for more information on the ingredients.
How to Make Cold Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Follow the simple step-by-step directions below with the corresponding images for the best results in making this Mediterranean Lentil Salad.
Step 1: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and a bay leaf. Stir in the lentils and simmer for 18-20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
Step 2: Drain the lentils and remove the bay leaf. Spread the lentils on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to stop the cooking and cool them quickly.
Step 3: In a small bowl or mason jar, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, and minced shallots.
Step 4: In a medium bowl, combine radishes, olives, cherry tomatoes, yellow pepper, cucumber, fresh parsley, and cooled lentils.
Step 5: Stir the dressing and half the goat cheese into the salad. The goat cheese will make the salad and dressing slightly creamy.
Testing Tip: This salad tastes best after at least 1 hour in the fridge because the lentils soak up the balsamic dressing. Save some goat cheese for topping right before serving so it stays creamy instead of disappearing into the salad.
This is the kind of salad I have made before I even think about turning on the grill. I plan out these salads so that dinner doesn't feel like a project after we get home from the beach or the pool. The salad only gets better as it sits in our fridge. Then we can serve it with easy grilling recipes like Chicken Spiedini or Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs!
Pro-Tips
- Spreading the lentils on a baking sheet after simmering helps them cool quickly so they stay firm rather than turning mushy.
- Substituting different lentils, like brown or French green, will work, but don't substitute red or split lentils because they will get too mushy for this salad.
- Mix in half of the goat cheese when you stir in the dressing. The goat cheese will almost melt into the salad, making it creamy and tangy.
- The flavor intensifies after marinating in the fridge for at least an hour. Save some goat cheese for topping right before serving this Mediterranean lentil salad so it stays creamy and fresh.
- Taste and adjust before serving. Lentils absorb dressing as they sit, so the salad may need an extra pinch of salt or a small splash of balsamic vinegar before it goes on the table.
What to Serve with a Cold Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese
This is the perfect cold lentil salad to serve in the summer because you can make it ahead of time, so all that's left to do is grill the main dish.
- Chicken: I like to make it with these easy grilled chicken recipes that don't take a lot of prep or time, like Garlic Parm Chicken Skewers, Spicy Chipotle Chicken Skewers, or The Big Fat Greek Chicken Burger!
- Beef: Pair it with something more involved, like Grilled Beef Spiedini. Since the lentil salad is already made, you can spend more time on the main dish.
- Pork: Serve it with something simple and grill-friendly, like Italian Ring Sausage (Chevalatta)!
FAQs about Cold Lentil Salads
Store a cold lentil salad in the fridge for up to 4 days. When serving, do a taste test to see if you need more olive oil or balsamic vinegar, because the lentils soak up a lot of the dressing the longer they sit in the fridge.
Green lentils, brown lentils, French green lentils, or Black lentils are best for salads because they hold their shape best. Lentils, like red lentils or split lentils, are best for soups like White Bean Lentil Soup or Barley Lentil Soup.
As a matter of fact, you should. The flavor intensifies after marinating for a few hours as all the flavors mingle and the lentils absorb some of the dressing.
Feta is a great substitute and holds its shape a lot better than goat cheese. You won't get the creamy texture I describe above if you use feta, but it will still have great flavor.
More Delicious Mediterranean Recipes!
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Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese
Equipment
- 1 small pot
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 small bowl or mason jar
Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon salt for boiling water.
- 4 radishes, sliced thin
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives, halved
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup goat cheese
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1 shallot, minced
- ½ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and a bay leaf. Stir in the lentils and simmer for 18-20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape. Drain the lentils and remove the bay leaf. Spread the lentils on a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes to stop the cooking and cool them quickly.
- In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, and minced shallots.
- In a medium bowl, combine radishes, olives, cherry tomatoes, yellow pepper, cucumber, fresh parsley, and cooled lentils.
- Stir the dressing and half the goat cheese into the salad. The goat cheese will make the salad and dressing slightly creamy.
- Lentil salad can be served immediately, but improves in flavor when marinated for 1-4 hours in the refrigerator. Top with the remaining goat cheese when serving.
Video
Notes
- Spreading the lentils on a baking sheet after simmering helps them cool quickly so they stay firm rather than turning mushy.
- Substituting different lentils, like brown or French green, will work, but don't substitute red or split lentils because they will get too mushy for this salad.
- Mix in half of the goat cheese when you stir in the dressing. The goat cheese will almost melt into the salad, making it creamy and tangy.
- The flavor intensifies after marinating in the fridge for at least an hour. Save some goat cheese for topping right before serving this Mediterranean lentil salad so it stays creamy and fresh.
- Taste and adjust before serving. Lentils absorb dressing as they sit, so the salad may need an extra pinch of salt or a small splash of balsamic vinegar before it goes on the table.
Vinny DelGiudice says
This is one of my favorite make-ahead salads for my wife and I. We always have something like this in the fridge because it's a time saver for dinners and it's the perfect healthy snack that's always availble to us.