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    Home » lentil

    Easy Lentil Quinoa Salad

    Published: Jun 28, 2023 · Modified: Jul 8, 2023 by Richa 6 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl, text overlay
    image collage of layered lentil quinoa salad and lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl, text overlay
    adding orange and seeds layer to the salad
    lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl
    close-up of lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl

    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

    close-up of lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl
    Table of Contents
    • How to layer a make ahead salad
    • Why You’ll Love Lentil Quinoa Salad
    • More Vegan Lentil Salad Recipes
    • Recipe Card
    • Ingredients and Substitutions
    • Tip
    • How to Make Lentil Quinoa Salad
    • Frequently Asked Questions

    This is an amazingly refreshing and summery chopped salad with a simple 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 can use whatever fruits and veggies you want to add. Definitely keep this salad recipe on hand for summer picnics. 

    How to layer a make ahead salad

    To make a layered jar salad, keep the moist and hearty ingredients at the bottom and fresh veggies near the top, so that they don’t get weighed down and get soft. Crunchy veggies also need some air circulation to stay crisp, so keep them closer to the top. I add lentils or quinoa at the bottom and tomatoes and hearty zucchini, then the crunchy peppers carrots, seeds and oranges. Seeds or nuts should also be closer to the top to keep the crunch. Fruits depending on the fruit can go the middle or closer to the top.

    adding orange and seeds layer to the salad

    Why You’ll Love Lentil Quinoa Salad

    • hearty, refreshing summer meal
    • amazing mix of textures and flavors!
    • great make-ahead meal
    • gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free
    lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl

    More Vegan Lentil Salad Recipes

    • Lentil Orzo Salad
    • Curried Sweet Potato Lentil Salad
    • Moong Dal Chaat (sweet-and-savory lentil salad)
    • Falafel Spice Lentil Salad Sandwich
    adding quinoa layer to the salad
    quinoa layer after adding it to the salad
    adding bell pepper layer to the salad
    adding cilantro layer to the salad
    adding carrots layer to the salad

    Recipe Card

    adding orange and seeds layer to the salad
    Print Recipe
    5 from 5 votes

    Lentil Quinoa Salad

    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
    Prep Time25 minutes mins
    Cook Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time30 minutes mins
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 238kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    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 (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 according to instructions on the package or see notes below
    • 1/2 cup (62 g) chopped zucchini
    • 1 tomato finely chopped
    • 3/4 cup (110 g) chopped peppers , red and green
    • 1/2 cup (64 g) shredded carrots
    • 1/2 cup (8 g) 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 (28.25 g) nondairy cheese optional, use more or less, to taste
    • 1 orange peeled and sliced

    Instructions

    • Cook your quinoa and lentils, if you haven’t already and drain and rinse with some cold water and set aside.
    • 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.
    • In a medium size glass jar, add all of the dressing ingredients, and mix really well.
    • 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.
    • Cover with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • 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.
    • 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.

    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 bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water is rapidly boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue 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 heat, let it sit for a minute or so, then fluff and use. If there is any water remaining, you can drain the water and then fluff.
    To make lentil quinoa salad ahead of time,  layer just the ingredients and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you chose to layer, toss everything together just before serving. Mix the salad and store and keep the dressing separate if storing as a mixed salad.
    Oilfree: omit the oil and add tahini. 
    variation: use 2-3 tbsp tahini in the dressing 
    This recipe is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
     

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Lentil Quinoa Salad
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 238 Calories from Fat 63
    % Daily 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 Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    lentil, quinoa, and other salad and dressing ingredients in bowls on a kitchen counter

    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 without a ton of work.
    • lime juice – Adds zing and an amazing flavor to this dressing.
    • Dijon mustard – For even more zest and flavor in the dressing!
    • lentils – Use canned or cooked drained brown lentils for this salad.
    • quinoa – Use leftover quinoa or cook just a little bit for this salad.
    • veggies – Zucchini, tomato, and shredded carrot are lovely in this salad, but feel free to use whatever fresh veggies you have on hand.
    • herbs – I’m using fresh cilantro, but feel free to use other herbs of choice, like parsley.
    • seeds – Add seeds, like pumpkin and sesame seeds, for protein and crunch.
    • vegan cheese – Use nondairy mozzarella or parmesan. You can omit this or use more or less, depending on your personal tastes.
    • orange – A little bit of fruit adds sweetness, juicyness and texture to this salad.

    Tip

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

    How to Make Lentil Quinoa Salad

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

    If you want to make the salad in a bowl, you can follow the instructions to just mix everything in the bowl or you can store it in a large jar or individual serving jars. 

    In a medium size tall jar, add all of the dressing ingredients, and mix really well. 

    vinaigrette wet ingredients in the bottom of a large glass bowl

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


    Cover with a lid and store in the fridge for up to three days.

    adding herbs and spices to the dressing ingredients
    adding lentil layer to the salad
    adding zucchini-tomato layer to the salad
    adding quinoa layer to the salad
    adding bell pepper layer to the salad
    adding cilantro layer to the salad
    adding carrots layer to the salad
    adding seeds layer to the salad
    adding orange layer to the salad
    layered lentil quinoa salad in a large glass jar

    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.

    inverting the jar salad into a mixing bowl
    lentils, quinoa, and veggies in a bowl, before mixing
    mixing lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl

    If you’re making this in a bowl, just 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.

    lentil quinoa salad with veggies in a bowl

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Do lentils and quinoa make a complete protein?

    Quinoa is actually a complete protein on its own, so you’re all set when it comes to essential amino acids, whether you pair it with lentils or not!

    How do I make 1 cup of cooked quinoa?

    Wash 1/4 cup quinoa and add to a saucepan with 3/4 cup of water. Cover the pan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once the water is rapidly boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue 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 heat, let it sit for a minute or so, then fluff and use. If there is any water remaining, you can drain the water and then fluff.

    Is lentil quinoa salad allergy friendly?

    This recipe is naturally gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.

    How do I make this ahead?

    To make lentil quinoa salad ahead of time, layer the ingredients and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you chose to layer, toss everything together just before serving. Mix the salad and store and keep the dressing separate if storing as a mixed salad.

    What can I do with leftover salad?

    Salads can go bad faster than soups and stews. So plan and make. With this salad you can convert it into burger patties! Remove the oranges, add some breadcrumbs and flour. Mix. mash a third of the salad, add more spices, shape into burgers and bake or pan fry.

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    1. Jamie L Hermansen

      August 26, 2023 at 1:32 pm

      5 stars
      This salad is incredible! I forgot to buy cilantro and orange, so I made it without, but followed everything else. Oh my! It’s so good. My seeds were sunflower. I really recommend adding the seeds.
      Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        September 01, 2023 at 9:37 am

        🙂

        Reply
    2. Michelle Stevenson

      July 12, 2023 at 6:38 am

      5 stars
      I made this for my husband and I and it was amazing and super easy to make. I didn’t have lentils so I used Moong Split and it worked fine. I also used a clementine instead of an orange only because we had so many. I happened to have some vegan Feta so I used that for the cheese and again, it was amazing. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Thank you for your great recipes.

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        July 14, 2023 at 6:30 pm

        so kind! thank you michelle!

        Reply
    3. Bella

      July 10, 2023 at 6:52 am

      5 stars
      Very delicious recipes!
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Vegan Richa Support

        July 14, 2023 at 6:37 pm

        thank you!

        Reply

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