Lentil Tabbouleh

5 from 1 vote

Lentil Tabbouleh has loads of fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables and a lively lemon dressing. It's the perfect salad to make and enjoy all summer long. Best of all, it's gluten-free and packed with fiber and protein!

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Side Dishes - Salads

Cuisine: Mediterranean / Middle Eastern

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Equipment

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown or green lentils looked over for debris or shriveled lentils
6 medium plum tomatoes or 4 large, seeded and chopped
2 medium English cucumbers peeled if desired, seeded and chopped
2 bunches thin scallions white and light green part only, chopped
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped (approximately 1 cup)
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice or to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a saucepan of unsalted water to a boil. Add the lentils and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the outside skins begin to fall off and the lentils are tender. Drain in a sieve and rinse with cool tap water to cool the lentils down. Drain well.
Combine the drained lentils, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions, parsley and mint in a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and black pepper to taste.
Pour the dressing over the salad and stir well to combine.
Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper and additional lemon juice if desired.

Notes

TIPS:

It’s always a good idea to look lentils over before you cook them because they may contain tiny stones, twigs, shriveled lentils, or other impurities. Place a handful on a white paper plate and look them over. Then, use the paper plate as a funnel to pour the lentils into the dish you’re using them in.
Lentils are cooked adequately for tabbouleh salad when they’re tender, the skins are starting to come off, but they’re not falling apart.

MAKE AHEAD:

For the best flavor, enjoy it within 1 to 2 hours of making it. The tomatoes and cucumbers will make the tabbouleh salad watery. The flavor is mildly diluted, but we've enjoyed this salad up to three days after making it.

Nutrition