This hearty, healthy salad is made with lentils, carrots, onions, and bacon mixed with a delicious Dijon Vinaigrette. It will give you all the nutrition and energy your body needs for the day!!! Serve it warm or cold and with mixed baby greens for a complete meal!
Lentils are easy and quick to prepare and a very inexpensive protein to have in your pantry. Not only are they a good protein but an excellent source of fiber, potassium, folate, iron, and manganese. Just a 1/2 cup can provide you with all the daily amounts needed. That’s amazing!
This Lentil Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette is my favorite way to eat lentils. It’s delicious warm or cold, over salad greens or on it’s own. Lentils are filling and give our bodies the energy we need to make it through our busy days. Even my kids love this recipe!!!
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE LENTIL SALAD
- Brown lentils
- Bacon strips, diced
- Small onion
- Carrots
- Rib celery
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Baby greens salad mix, baby spinach, or frisée
INGREDIENTS TO MAKE DIJON VINAIGRETTE
- Dijon mustard
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
HOW TO MAKE LENTIL SALAD WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE
- In a medium saucepan, combine lentils and 4 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are tender about 15-20 minutes.
- Drain well; set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until fragrant.
- In a medium bowl, add the lentils, bacon, carrot mixture, and ⅔ of the Dijon Vinaigrette; mix together.
- In another medium bowl, add the salad greens and toss with the remaining ⅓ of the Dijon Vinaigrette.
- Divide the salad greens on each plate and top with the Lentil Salad.
Lentil Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown lentils
- 4 bacon strips, diced
- 1 small onion, small diced
- 2 carrots, small diced
- 1 rib celery, small diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- salt and ground black pepper
- 6 cups baby greens salad mix, baby spinach, or frisée
Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 3 Tbsps red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsps olive oil
- salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine lentils and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until lentils are tender about 15-20 minutes. Drain well; set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the diced bacon until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Add onion, carrots, celery, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp ground black pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 more minutes, until fragrant.
- In a medium bowl, add the lentils, bacon, carrot mixture, and ⅔ of the Dijon Vinaigrette; mix together. In another medium bowl, add the salad greens and toss with the remaining ⅓ of the Dijon Vinaigrette. Divide the salad greens on each plate and top with the Lentil Salad.
Oh my goodness! I made this as a side to go with our grilled chicken. Once I tasted this luscious salad I forgot about the chicken. Then I ate a bit more for breakfast the next morning with an egg on top. This dish is delicious!! Thank you for such a great recipe!