Easy Lentil Quinoa Salad with Herbed Vinaigrette

This lentil quinoa salad is full of fresh, summery textures and flavors! The zesty herbed dressing pairs perfectly with a lot of crunchy veggies similar to zucchini, peppers, carrots, hearty lentils and quinoa and sweet orange slices for a one-bowl burst of flavor meal which you could even make ahead. Gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree

That is an amazingly refreshing and summery chopped salad with a straightforward dressing of Italian herbs, Dijon mustard, black pepper, olive oil, and lime juice.

The salad itself is a satisfying set of ingredients, like lentils, quinoa, crunchy peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, shredded carrots, crunchy seeds and oranges. 

You need to use whatever fruits and veggies you must add. Definitely keep this salad recipe readily available for summer picnics. 

Why You’ll Love Lentil Quinoa Salad

• hearty, refreshing summer meal
• amazing mixture of textures and flavors!
• great make-ahead meal
• gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free

More Vegan Lentil Salad Recipes

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Lentil Quinoa Salad

This lentil quinoa salad is full of fresh, summery textures and flavors! The zesty herbed dressing pairs perfectly with a lot of crunchy veggies similar to zucchini, peppers, carrots, hearty lentils and quinoa and sweet orange slices for a one-bowl burst of flavor meal which you could even make ahead. Gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time5 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 238kcal

Creator: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Dressing

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more, to taste
• 2 teaspoons Italian herb mix
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Salad

• 15 ounce (425.24 g) can of lentil drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils
• 1 cup (185 g) cooked quinoa or cook 1/4 cup of dried quinoa in line with instructions on the package or see notes below
• 1/2 cup (62 g) chopped zucchini
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (64 g) shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup (8 g) loosely packed chopped cilantro or parsley or other herbs of alternative
• 2 tablespoons of seeds of alternative, I take advantage of a combination of pumpkin and sesame seeds.
• 1 orange peeled and sliced

Instructions

• Cook your quinoa and lentils, when you haven’t already and drain and rinse with some cold water and put aside.

• If you must make the salad in a bowl, you’ll be able to mix every part in a big serving bowl, or you’ll be able to prep the salad in a glass jar or individual serving jars.

• In a medium size glass jar, add the entire dressing ingredients, and blend very well.

• Within the glass jar, Top the dressing with the lentils, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, quinoa, peppers, seeds, oranges, and cilantro in any order you want. I prefer to keep the lentils and quinoa closer to the dressing and the veggies on top so that they don’t get soggy.

• Cover with a lid and store within the fridge for as much as 3 days.

• To serve, invert the jar right into a bowl, and toss every part very well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, and serve. You can even add some more crunch with some croutons or tortilla chips.

• If you happen to’re making this in a bowl, then add the dressing ingredients to the serving bowl. Mix the dressing, then add all of the remainder of the salad ingredients, and toss to coat. Chill for 15 mins then serve.

Notes

To cook the quinoa, wash 1/4 cup quinoa and add to a saucepan with 3/4 cup of water. Cover the pan, and convey to a boil over medium heat. Once the water is rapidly boiling, reduce the warmth to medium-low and proceed to cook, either covered or partially covered, until the quinoa is cooked, about 13 to 14 minutes. Once the quinoa is cooked, turn off the warmth, let it sit for a minute or so, then fluff and use. If there’s any water remaining, you’ll be able to drain the water after which fluff.
To make lentil quinoa salad ahead of time,  layer just the ingredients and store within the fridge for as much as 3 days. If you happen to selected to layer, toss every part together just before serving. Mix the salad and store and keep the dressing separate if storing as a mixed salad.
This recipe is of course gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Lentil Quinoa Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 238
Calories from Fat 63

% Each day Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 318mg14%

Potassium 658mg19%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 10g42%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 11g22%

Vitamin A 3200IU64%

Vitamin C 29mg35%

Calcium 69mg7%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Each day Values are based on a 2000 calorie food plan.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• olive oil – For the dressing. Omit for Oilfree
• spices – Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder give the dressing a ton of flavor with out a ton of labor.
• lime juice – Adds zing and a tremendous flavor to this dressing.
• Dijon mustard – For much more zest and flavor within the dressing!
• lentils – Use canned or cooked drained brown lentils for this salad.
• quinoa – Use leftover quinoa or cook just a little bit bit for this salad.
• veggies – Zucchini, tomato, and shredded carrot are lovely on this salad, but be happy to make use of whatever fresh veggies you could have readily available.
• herbs – I’m using fresh cilantro, but be happy to make use of other herbs of alternative, like parsley.
• seeds – Add seeds, like pumpkin and sesame seeds, for protein and crunch.
• orange – A little bit little bit of fruit adds sweetness, juicyness and texture to this salad.

Tip

• For a extremely show-stopping salad, layer the ingredients in a glass serving jar, then toss together just before dishing up your salads.

Easy methods to Make Lentil Quinoa Salad

Cook your quinoa and lentils, when you haven’t already and drain and rinse with some cold water and put aside. 

If you must make the salad in a bowl, you’ll be able to follow the instructions to simply mix every part within the bowl or you’ll be able to store it in a big jar or individual serving jars. 

In a medium size tall jar, add the entire dressing ingredients, and blend very well. 

Top the dressing with the lentils, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, quinoa, peppers, seeds, oranges, and cilantro in whichever order you favor. I prefer to keep veggies on the highest half so that they don’t get soggy.

Cover with a lid and store within the fridge for up to a few days.

To serve, invert the jar right into a bowl, and toss every part very well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, and serve. You can even add some more crunch with some croutons or tortilla chips.

If you happen to’re making this in a bowl, just add the dressing ingredients to the serving bowl. Mix the dressing, then add all of the remainder of the salad ingredients, and toss to coat.

Often Asked Questions