This easy Italian-inspired Mediterranean Lentil Salad has become my go-to for meal prep lunches, potlucks, and light summer dinners. It hits all the right notes: herby, zesty, satisfying, and ridiculously simple to toss together. Packed with fresh veggies, creamy bocconcini, and briny green olives, it’s a high-protein vegetarian salad that doesn’t skimp on flavor or texture.
Serve as a side with one of my Grilling Recipes or Main Dish Recipes to complete a weeknight meal.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- So easy to make: Just cook the lentils, whisk up the dressing, chop, toss, and you’re done in under 30 minutes.
- Seasonal and fresh: Ideal for summer when tomatoes, cucumbers, and basil are at their peak. But works year-round.
- Perfect for pairing: Works great with grilled meats, crusty bread, or on its own as a protein-packed vegetarian main. I like to add cooked proteins to it, like my Chicken Souvlaki or Middle Eastern Shish Kebabs.
Ingredients
This recipe comes together quickly and with standard pantry and fridge staples. Here’s what you will need:
- Dry Lentils: Green or brown hold their shape best; black beluga also works. Don’t use red lentils, as they turn to mush when cooked. Canned lentils will work in a pinch, just make sure they are well drained. If you prefer to “Beef up” your salads with beans instead, try my Greek Bean Salad and Kale Chickpea Salad recipes too.
- Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are perfect here. They are thin-skinned and crunchy. You can sub in an English cucumber, but I recommend cutting out the seed cavity and peeling it if the skin is tough.
- Onion: I am using a small red onion. If raw onion is too sharp for you, soak the chopped onion in cold water to mellow it out. Or use scallions or green onions.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet and juicy. Grape tomatoes or chopped heirloom tomatoes are great substitutes. You can also use standard tomatoes, but I would recommend removing the seed cavities so you don’t add too much liquid back into the salad.
- Cheese. I prefer a mild cheese to balance the tangy dressing, and that’s why Bocconcini/mozzarella balls work well. I use them in my Bean Antipasto Salad, Chicken and Pesto Pasta Salad, and Mediterranean Pasta Salad. Feta cheese, goat cheese or vegan cheese are good alternatives.
- Green olives: Briny and bold. Kalamata olives, black olives or Castelvetrano olives work too.
- Fresh Herbs: Basil pairs so nicely with the other ingredients so I would recommend it. But in a pinch, parsley would do too.
- Grainy mustard: I like adding mustard (Dijon and/or grainy) to my salad dressings. They add depth and a touch of heat.
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Mediterranean Lentil Salad Recipe
Step 1. Boil and Drain Lentils. Rinse and pick over, then boil in water until tender but not mushy, about 20-25 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh sieve, run under cold water and let the lentil drain completely.
Step 2. Make the Dressing. In your serving bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, grainy mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
Step 3. Assemble the Salad. To the bowl with the dressing, add the cooked and drained lentils, sliced cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumbers, diced red onion, bocconcini cheese balls, chopped green olives, and torn or chopped basil.
Step 4: Toss and Taste. Mix everything gently until well coated in the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This salad is super versatile! There are so many ways you can enjoy this hearty salad.
Grill night. Serve as a side dish with Chicken Souvlaki Skewers, Greek Lamb Chops, Shrimp Skewers, Salmon Skewers, or Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebabs.
Mezze spread. Serve as part of a large spread with Roasted Eggplant Dip, Tzatziki, Muhammara (roasted red pepper dip), Homemade Labneh, and/or Greek Pita Bread.
Expert Tips
- Choose the right lentil. For salads, pick green, brown, or black (beluga) lentils. They keep their shape better than red/yellow, which turn mushy.
- Don’t overcook the lentils! You want them tender but still with bite. Overcooked lentils can turn mushy quickly.
- Don’t salt the water. Adding salt to the boiling water may make your lentils tough and take them longer to soften. The lentils will absorb the salad dressing later on.
- Many Mediterranean lentil salad recipes add garlic to the dressing. If you love garlic, a small grated clove wouldn’t hurt!
- Fresh herbs matter. Don’t skip the basil. It really lifts the dish and gives it that summery Mediterranean vibe.
- Other possible additions to the salad: artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, or sundried tomatoes. Or take my Antipasto Bean Salad and swap out the beans for lentils.
- Make-ahead friendly (with one tweak). This salad is great for meal prep, but for max crunch and minimal mush, keep the dressing separate.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! In fact, it gets even better after a few hours in the fridge. Just wait to add the basil and cheese until right before serving if you want the freshest flavor and texture.
Stored in an airtight container, this salad lasts for 3 days. It’s great for meal prep, but for max crunch and minimal mush, keep the dressing separate.
Other Salad Recipes
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Mediterranean Lentil Salad (Italian-Inspired)
Ingredients
For Cooking the Lentils
- 1 cup Brown lentils
- 3 cups Water
Dressing Ingredients
- ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Grainy mustard
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper
Fresh Ingredients
- 1 pint Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
- 2 Persian cucumbers (chopped)
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese balls
- ½ Red onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup Green olives (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh basil (chopped)
Instructions
- Boil and Drain Lentils. Rinse and pick over 1 cup Brown lentils, then boil in 3 cups Water until tender but not mushy, about 20-25 minutes. Drain in a fine mesh sieve, run under cold water and let the lentil drain completely.
- Make the Dressing. In your serving bowl, whisk together ¼ cup Extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 2 tablespoon Red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon Grainy mustard, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon Black pepper until emulsified.
- Assemble the Salad. To the bowl with the dressing, add the cooked and drained lentils, 1 pint Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half), 2 Persian cucumbers (chopped), 1 cup Mozzarella cheese balls, ½ Red onion (finely chopped), ¼ cup Green olives (chopped), and 2 tablespoon Fresh basil (chopped).
- Toss and Taste. Mix everything gently until well coated in the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Notes
- Lentils: Green or brown hold their shape best; black beluga also works. Don’t use red lentils, as they turn to mush when cooked.
- Cucumbers: Persian cucumbers are perfect here. They are thin-skinned and crunchy. You can sub in an English cucumber, but I recommend cutting out the seed cavity and peeling it if the skin is tough.
- Onion: I am using a small red onion. If raw onion is too sharp for you, soak the chopped onion in cold water to mellow it out. Or use scallions or green onions.
- Cherry tomatoes: Sweet and juicy. Grape tomatoes or chopped heirloom tomatoes are great substitutes. You can also use standard tomatoes, but I would recommend removing the seed cavities so you don’t add too much liquid back into the salad.
- Cheese. I prefer a mild cheese to balance the tangy dressing, and that’s why Bocconcini/mozzarella balls work well. Feta cheese, goat cheese or vegan cheese are good alternatives.
- Green olives: Briny and bold. Kalamata olives, black olives or Castelvetrano olives work too.
- Fresh Herbs: Basil pairs so nicely with the other ingredients so I would recommend it. But in a pinch, parsley would do too.
- Grainy mustard: I like adding mustard (Dijon and/or grainy) to my salad dressings. They add depth and a touch of heat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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