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This Lemony Lentil Quinoa Salad holds a special place in my recipe collection because it’s the one that finally turned me into a quinoa believer.
Like a lot of people, I wasn’t sure about quinoa at first. I wanted to like it because of its reputation as a healthy, protein-packed whole grain, but the texture took some getting used to. Then I made this bright, lemony salad with tender lentils, fresh herbs, and a simple Dijon vinaigrette—and everything changed.
Now it’s one of my favorite make-ahead lunches and side dishes. It’s fresh, satisfying, naturally gluten-free, and even better after the flavors have had a little time to mingle in the refrigerator.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- High in plant protein and fiber
- Perfect for meal prep
- Bright, fresh lemon flavor
- Naturally gluten-free
- Delicious as a side dish or light lunch
- Even better the next day
Ingredients and Notes
- Cooked lentils – Green or brown lentils both work well. I often use Trader Joe’s steamed lentils to save time.
- Cooked quinoa – Old-fashioned quinoa or tri-color quinoa both work. Be sure to rinse uncooked quinoa well before cooking to remove its natural coating.
- Dried tarragon – Adds a subtle hint of anise that pairs beautifully with the lemon.
- Lemon zest and fresh lemon juice – The stars of the bright, fresh dressing.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Gives the dressing richness and helps carry all the flavors.
- Dijon mustard – Adds tang and helps emulsify the vinaigrette.
- Green onions – Bring a mild onion flavor without overpowering the salad.
- Fresh parsley – Adds color and freshness just before serving.
- Salt and black pepper – Season to taste.
How to Make Lemony Lentil Quinoa Salad Step by Step
Step 1: Assemble and prep your ingredients.
Step 2: Cook lentils or use already cooked lentils like I did.
Step 3: Cook the quinoa. You can also use a package of already cooked quinoa if you prefer.
Step 4: Make the dressing.
Step 5: In a large bowl combine the cooled lentils and quinoa with the sliced green onions. Add the dressing and toss again gently until everything is coated.
Step 5: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until chilled, or for up to 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse uncooked quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove its naturally bitter coating.
- Allow the quinoa to cool before mixing the salad.
- If using packaged cooked lentils, gently separate them before adding.
- The salad tastes even better after chilling for an hour or two.
Variations
- Add crumbled feta cheese.
- Stir in diced cucumber or cherry tomatoes.
- Toss in baby spinach or arugula.
- Add toasted walnuts or almonds.
- Top with grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp for a heartier meal.
Serving Suggestions
This salad is delicious served with:
- Grilled chicken
- Salmon
- Shrimp
- Burgers
- Soup for a light lunch
- Stuffed into pita pockets
Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
In fact, I think this salad improves after a day in the refrigerator as the flavors continue to blend.
How Many Calories and WW Points?
Low in fat and packed with fiber, this lemony lentil quinoa salad is as good for you as it is delicious. Each serving has 254 calories and 4 WW Points.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
If you’ve made this Easy Lemony Lentil Quinoa Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Lemony Lentil Quinoa Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 cups water, divided
- 1 cup green lentils, rinsed
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed really well
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (affiliate link)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of the water to a boil over high heat. Add the lentils and reduce the heat to medium low, allowing the lentils to simmer, until tender, but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Drain and let them cool completely.
- While the lentils are cooking, prepare the quinoa. In another medium saucepan combine the remaining 2 cups water and quinoa. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the temperature to low, cover the pan and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and cool completely.
- Make the dressing: in a small bowl (affiliate link), whisk together the tarragon, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and mustard.
- When the lentils and quinoa are completely cool, in a large bowl combine them with the sliced green onions, tossing them gently together. Add the dressing and toss again gently until everything is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until chilled, or for up to 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 6 PointsPlus (Old plan) I had a box of Trader Joe’s steamed lentils in the fridge, so used them instead of cooking my own. I like to make use of what’s readily available whenever I can. Be sure to rinse your quinoa well. It has a soapy tasting coating called saponin which needs to be washed away. You could also use a package of already cooked quinoa that are widely available on supermarket shelves these days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Source: adapted from 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking: 500 Recipes for Lifelong Wellness (affiliate link) by Camilla Saulsbury
Trying to eat a clean diet in 2021, this recipe fits right in! Easy to prepare and delicious! Even my husband who says he “dislikes quinoa” gobbled it down! I served in on some crisp baby lettuce with our dinner. Thanks, definitely a keeper!
How many points is a cup of quinoa salad
This recipe looks great, how long would it keep in the fridge for?
I Odette, I’m not sure what the food safety experts would say, but I’ve kept in the fridge and enjoyed it for 4 – 5 days. Hope this helps.
Fantastic and makes a good size portion. I didn’t have Tarragon and yet the dressing was still excellent! I will be making this again. Also, the tip on buying the cooked lentils at Trader Joe’s was great…saved me a step to have to cook them because we are experiencing heat wave and I didn’t want to heat up my kitchen.
Laura,
Glad you liked it, even without the tarragon. I love the convenience of Trader Joe’s lentils for that very reason. With temps in the triple digits here in Phoenix, heating up the kitchen is something I try to avoid as much as I can.