This lentil quinoa salad is packed with fresh, summery textures and flavors! The zesty herbed dressing pairs perfectly with lots of crunchy veggies such as zucchini, peppers, carrots, hearty lentils and quinoa and sweet orange slices for a one-bowl burst of flavor meal that you can even make ahead. Gluten-free Soyfree Nutfree

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 25 minutes
  • Cook time: 5 minutes
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Recipes
  • Cuisine: Kitchen notes

Ingredients

For the Dressing

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

For the Salad

  • 15 ounce can of lentil (drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (or cook 1/4 cup of dried quinoa according to instructions on the package or see notes below)
  • 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
  • 1 tomato (finely chopped)
  • 3/4 cup chopped peppers (, red and green)
  • 1/2 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro (or parsley or other herbs of choice)
  • 2 tablespoons of seeds of choice (I use a mix of pumpkin and sesame seeds.)
  • 1/4 cup nondairy cheese (optional, use more or less, to taste)
  • 1 orange (peeled and sliced)

Method

  1. Cook your quinoa and lentils, if you haven't already and drain and rinse with some cold water and set aside.
  2. If you want to make the salad in a bowl, you can mix everything in a large serving bowl, or you can prep the salad in a glass jar or individual serving jars.
  3. In a medium size glass jar, add all of the dressing ingredients, and mix really well.
  4. In the glass jar, Top the dressing with the lentils, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, quinoa, peppers, seeds, vegan cheese, oranges, and cilantro in any order you like. I like to keep the lentils and quinoa closer to the dressing and the veggies on top so they don’t get soggy.
  5. Cover with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  6. To serve, invert the jar into a bowl, and toss everything really well. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, and serve. You can also add some more crunch with some croutons or tortilla chips.
  7. If you’re making this in a bowl, then add the dressing ingredients to the serving bowl. Mix the dressing, then add all of the rest of the salad ingredients, and toss to coat. Chill for 15 mins then serve.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.