This Easy Greek Lentil Salad is a hearty salad that is perfect for lunch, a side dish or even a vegetarian main dish. Chock full of cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta and protein packed lentils and dressed with a lemony dressing. You will love the flavors and textures in this healthy salad!

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You can enjoy this salad warm or chilled, making it a perfect meal prep contender. I especially love to serve it with an extra drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.
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Lentils are a terrific plant-based protein and also a great way to incorporate more meatless meals into your weekly rotation. They are a food powerhouse and super easy to use. They don't require a whole lot of planning or soaking overnight, and they cook pretty quickly.
If you are looking for a hearty lentil soup, this Lentil Soup With Sausage is on rotation in the winter months along with Greek Lemon Soup, Keto Cauliflower Soup and Mediterranean White Bean Soup. These soups use the Keto Bone Broth as the base for their recipes.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- High Protein Vegetarian Salad: If you’re seeking a great source of vegetarian or vegan protein, lentils are one of my top picks.
- Affordable: A pound of dry lentils costs just a few dollars and can be stored in the pantry for up to a year.
- Hearty Side or Main Dish: This lentil salad is packed with protein and fiber, making it a fantastic option for a vegetarian main dish or lunch. It can also be served as a side dish alongside chicken, salmon, or steak.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: This salad holds up well for several days, making it an excellent choice for meal prep. It's ideal for lunches or dinners throughout the week.
Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this cold lentil salad:
See the recipe card for quantities.
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Additions & Substitutions
Additions:
- Tomatoes - If you would like to add some vibrant tartness to the salad, add in some sundried tomatoes or even swap out the cherry tomatoes for sundried.
- Fresh herbs - Add in some fresh dill or fresh mint to brighten the salads flavor.
- Peppers - Add in some cut bell peppers. I'm not a huge fan of green bell peppers but I do love adding either red or yellow peppers to my salads!
- Radishes - Are you looking for more crunch and a bit of heat? Add some radishes to the dish.
Substitutions
- Lentils - You can use any type of lentil in this recipe but red lentils or french lentils hold up the best. Personally? I buy the already cooked lentils at my grocery store so I can skip a step and get right to the salad!
- Arugula - You can omit this or sub in fresh baby spinach if you prefer.
- Feta cheese - Goat cheese or fresh mozzarella both work well but I prefer feta in this salad. A good use of leftover feta is to make this Feta Tomato Pasta.
- Onions - While this recipe calls for red onions, green onions or a sweet onion is just fine. I had spring red onions on hand and that is what I used.
- Olives - You can sub out the kalamata olives for black olives or omit it all together.
- Za'atar - Use Italian seasoning in place of za'atar.
- Persian cucumbers - Persian cucumbers are seedless and small, similar to a pickling cucumber. You can sub out an english cucumber as well.
How To Make Greek Lentil Salad Recipe: Step-By-Step
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with the exact ingredients are in the printable recipe card:
Step 1: Make the dressing by whisking together in a small bowl the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dijon mustard, za'atar, salt, cumin, and ground black pepper.
Step 2: Cook the lentils if not using pre-cooked. Add the lentils to a large bowl along with the Persian cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, red onion, arugula, hearts of palm, and kalamata olives. Add the feta cheese and mix to combine.
Step 3: Add the dressing to the mix and toss to coat.
Step 4: Add the fresh parsley and mint and then toss again. Taste and serve.
Recipe Tips
- The cumin is optional but gives a smokey flavor to the salad. If omitting, add more lemon juice to perk up the flavor.
Confidence Tip
I like to buy already-cooked lentils. You can find them at Trader Joe's or other grocery stores.
I love recipes that include cheese as an ingredient. This Burrata Caprese Salad features cheese as a main ingredient.
Storage And Reheating
- Store in an airtight container for up to two days.
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
Cook on a stovetop using 3 cups of liquid (water, stock, etc.) for every 1 cup of dry lentils. Make sure to use a large enough saucepan, as the lentils will double or triple in size. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat, and simmer until tender. Whole lentils typically cook in 15-20 minutes.
I like to add dried lentils to a large pot of soup or water and let them simmer for about 30 minutes until tender. Red (or yellow) lentils cook much faster than other varieties, becoming soft and tender after just 15 minutes of simmering.
Other Delicious Salad Recipes
This healthy lentil salad will be the perfect light lunch and is quickly becoming one of my favorite summer salads.
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section and leave a ⭐️ rating and review. Share it on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
xoxoxo
Gwen
Greek Lentil Salad
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Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon za'atar or Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin optional
- freshly ground pepper
Salad
- 2 ½ cups cooked lentils from 1 cup uncooked
- 3 Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- ½ cup arugula slightly chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup red onion chopped
- ½ cup hearts of palm thinly sliced
- ½ cup kalamata olives or green olives pitted and halved
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, dijon mustard, za'atar, salt, cumin, and pepper. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad by placing the lentils and vegetables into a bowl.
- Add the dressing and toss to combine.
- Add the herbs and toss again. Season to taste and serve.
Lana says
This is so good! I made it for dinner and had the leftovers with warm pita bread the next day. Delicious.
Michelle L Goth says
Delicious and fresh tasting! Everyone enjoyed it.
laura says
Always looking for new and interesting salad recipes!
Aiah says
The lentils make it quite filling and the mix of veggies keeps it light and fresh. I added some radishes which gave a perfect crunch and I loved it. Yum! Definitely making this again!
Sharon says
I can't wait to make this salad; it looks delicious! You had me at lemony dressing!
Liz says
This salad was so good! I loved that it was quick and easy but still filling.