This healthy and fresh mediterranean lentil salad is quick and easy to make, full of flavor from roasted tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs, and protein packed! Served warm or chilled, this lentil salad recipe is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner for all eaters or even side dish at a party!

lentil salad in a bowl with squeezed lemons on the side

THE Lentil Salad You Need To Make

I know that sounds like a bold statement, but to be honest, this easy mediterranean lentil salad recipe is life changing.

And I can back it up with proof.

Like my sweet potato lentil salad, this mediterranean lentil salad is so adjustable to your own preferences, can be served warm or cold, and is so satiating that you can eat this salad as is- or serve it alongside some roasted veggies and roasted sweet potatoes (or butternut squash!).

Here’s why you’re going to love this easy 30 minute recipe:

  • Unbelievably easy & versatile: Whether you’ve been cooking for years, or this recipe is your first, you can make this recipe successfully. It’s so simple to just toss everything together after you’ve roasted the tomatoes and serve warm or cold! You can also customize this lentil salad with your own herbs and veggie combinations.
  • Affordable: The only “fancy” ingredient you might point out in this recipe is the vegan cheese, which honestly, I sometimes skip all together because this salad is that good without. 
  • Simple ingredients packed with flavor: You’d be surprised at how a few simple ingredients, like lentils, olive oil, garlic, and herbs, can really bring such a fresh, vibrant, and satisfying taste that’s full of crunch from the cucumbers and the tender textures of the lentils and tomatoes
  • Full of protein: My favorite part about this dish is that it packs in nearly 18 grams of plant protein per serving (as a main dish), all while being completely vegan, dairy free, and 
  • Perfect as a side dish or a main: Bring this to parties or potluck dinners, along with my vegan Caesar salad, herbed avocado potato salad and easy vegan pasta salad, or serve this as your main- it’s super satisfying as both, and very kid-friendly!
  • Great for meal prep! This lentil salad recipe makes a LOT. You can easily serve a crowd 

In this mediterranean salad, you’re literally never going to question why there isn’t any meat nor dairy in this recipe- and it’s naturally gluten-free too, so all around, a fantastic dish for anyone to enjoy!

close up of lentil salad in a bowl

Ingredients & Substitutions:

  • Mixed lentils: You can use green lentils, brown lentils, or a mix, like I do. The measurements are for dried lentils- if you’re buying pre-cooked canned lentils, you’ll need about 3-3 1/2 cups cooked lentils.
  • Cherry tomatoes: I love roasting the cherry tomatoes, but you can also skip that and keep them fresh for the salad! The roasting, however, adds so much flavor to them.
  • Cucumbers
  • Parsley & basil: The most flavor will come from fresh parsley and basil. However, when out of season, you can use dried parsley and dried basil. You can also use fresh dill, thyme, fresh mint, or an Italian herb blend.
  • Garlic: We’re not just using 1 garlic clove, we’re using a garlic BULB that we’re roasting and tossing into the salad- AMAZING flavor, and so easy!
  • Vegan crumbled feta cheese: Or you can use any harder store bought vegan cheese!
  • Capers & olives: I love a mix of kalamata olives and calestrano olives. 
  • Olive oil: A high quality extra virgin olive oil is key as that makes up most of the flavor. 
  • Lemon juice
  • Vegan cheese: I recommend vegan feta (like Violife!), but other soft or hard vegan cheeses are great too! I love any of Miyoko’s vegan cheeses.

Is this lentil salad vegan and vegetarian friendly?

You bet! We’re not using any animal products whatsoever, nor are any needed, to make this recipe.

Overview: step by step how to make this lentil salad:

For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.

roasted cherry tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet
We’ll first start by roasting the cherry tomatoes and garlic on a sheet pan. Drizzle with some olive oil and sea salt, and roast at 400F for 20-25 minutes.
cooked lentils in a pan
While the tomatoes are roasting, cook the lentils in a saucepan.
bowl with lentil salad ingredients in it before tossing
Once cooked, add all ingredients to a bowl to toss together.
lentil salad mixed together
Gently toss all ingredients together until evenly mixed.
lemon olive oil dressing mixed in a bowl
Make the dressing by whisking all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.
lentil salad mixed together
Drizzle on top, and toss again along with the vegan cheese.

Storage tips:

As I mentioned above, this mediterranean lentil salad is fantastic to serve throughout the week. It makes lots of leftovers, so you can easily have lunch and/or dinner ready to go without even thinking.

I recommend storing this salad in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. 

You can serve it warm or cold, so if you’d like to warm it, simply heat the salad in an oven safe dish at 300F for 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, you can heat it in a small saucepan on the stove top!

Make this salad your own:

  • Drizzle on this easy 2 minute dairy free herbed yogurt sauce with or instead of the lemon herb dressing!
  • Add in chopped sun-dried tomatoes, sliced red onion, chopped walnuts, almonds, or pistachios
  • Swap in roasted zucchini, yellow squash, or any summer veggie! To make it more winter friendly, check out my sweet potato lentil salad (which you can also swap in roasted butternut squash!)
  • Stir in 1 tbsp of dijon mustard to the dressing ingredients
  • Cook your lentils with 1 bay leaf (just make sure to remove and discard after the lentils are cooked!)
  • Use store bought lentils for even more ease!
lentil salad with a fork in it

And if you really love lentils:

Check out a few more of my favorite vegan lentil recipes here:

Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!

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lentil salad in a bowl with squeezed lemons on the side

Easy Fresh Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Roasted Tomatoes

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  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Roasting
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This healthy and fresh mediterranean lentil salad is quick and easy to make, full of flavor from roasted tomatoes, garlic, and fresh herbs, and protein packed! Served warm or chilled, this lentil salad recipe is perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner for all eaters or even side dish at a party!

Ingredients

Scale

Lentil Salad:

  • 1 1/2 cups (192 g) dry mixed lentils
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes, rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 bulb garlic
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large cucumber, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped olives
  • 3 tbsp capers
    1/2 cup vegan cheese, crumbled
  • Sea salt + pepper to taste

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup (50 mL) extra virgin olive oil olive oil
  • Juice from 2 lemons
  • 2 tsp dried parsley
  • 2tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Sea salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a baking sheet.
  2. Roast the tomatoes and garlic: Slice the bottom end off of the garlic bulb carefully using a knife. Wrap the garlic bulb in tinfoil and place it onto the baking sheet, along with the cherry tomatoes. Drizzle the tomatoes and the garlic in olive oil and sea salt. Using clean hands or a spoon, gently toss the tomatoes on the sheet to evenly coat them in the oil and salt. Then place the baking pan into the oven to roast for 20-25 minutes. Once cooked, remove from oven and turn the oven off.
  3. While the tomatoes are cooking: Cook the lentils in a medium saucepan or pot. Add 3 1/2 cups of filtered water to the pot, and bring to a boil. Then add in the lentils, reduce to a simmer, and cover the pot to cook for 5-6 minutes. After 5-6 minutes, remove the pot from heat, and keep covered to continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. After that, drain the lentils in a collander, and place into a large bowl. The lentils should be soft and slightly mushy.
  4. Add in the salad ingredients: To the large bowl, add in the cucumbers, walnuts, parsley, basil, olives, capers, roasted tomatoes, and squeeze the roasted garlic into the bowl with the lentils. Toss to evenly combine.
  5. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried parsley, dried basil, cumin, sea salt, and pepper.
  6. Finish the salad: Add in the crumbled vegan cheese, along with sea salt and pepper to taste, and the dressing. Toss to evenly combine.
  7. Serve right away or chill: You can serve this salad either right away warm or cover and chill in the fridge. Top with more fresh herbs before serving, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.

Notes

See blog post for all tips & tricks!