Bursting with flavour, this nourishing quinoa lentil salad is so easy and tasty, and packed with plant-based protein for a hearty side or a simple vegetarian dinner.
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If dense bean salads are a thing again, can we also bring back the grain salad? A big bowl of this French lentil and quinoa salad is equal parts comforting, grounding and nourishing…so it fits the vibe, no matter what you’re after.
And it’s as easy as it comes: just 6 ingredients, plus a tangy lemon Dijon vinaigrette. Oh, and not a ton of chopping because maybe we’re not into that today…so the whole thing is ready in 30 minutes (including cooking the lentils and quinoa).
Need a satisfying grain salad to bring to the party or picnic? She’s perfect. Looking for a simple, complete plant-based dinner that’s weeknight friendly? Yep, that too.
Quinoa makes a great whole grain salad base because it cooks up quickly…but I feel like I need to address the protein question. As a dietitian, I see folks touting quinoa for protein ALL! THE! TIME! I hate to break it to you…quinoa isn’t actually a high protein food.
If you’re like, um, WHAT?!? Let’s talk.
One serving of this salad contains about ¾ cup cooked quinoa which is about 6.5g of protein. That’s a lot of quinoa…not a lot of protein! Why are folks always yapping about protein and quinoa? Because quinoa is a “complete” protein. Not because it has a lot of it.
The reason why this lentil + quinoa salad works as a complete vegetarian meal is that the lentils add another 13g of protein, plus another 3g from walnuts and kale. So as a meal, it’s got plenty of protein (22g) and fiber (about 15g).
This is why you’re here: super tasty plant-based recipes that make it easy to eat more plants with a side of evidence-based nutrition. Want more? You might like my first cookbook, called, um, Eat More Plants.
How to make this simple quinoa lentil salad
This crushable kale, quinoa and lentil salad is ready in 30 minutes including cooking the quinoa and lentils. If you’ve got leftover quinoa and lentils it’s like a 15 minute situation.
Speaking of leftovers…I highly recommend that if you’re going to go to the trouble of cooking lentils and quinoa, why wouldn’t you make extra? At least double! Then you can cool and store extras in the freezer for the next time you want to make this salad. And you will want to make this salad, I promise!
Step One: Sort and cook the lentils. I cook lentils like pasta, in plenty of salted boiling water, until al dente, 8-20 minutes depending on the type and age of the lentils. Just check them every 2-3 minutes after the 8 minute mark. At the same time, cook the quinoa according to package directions.
Step Two: While everything is cooking, thinly slice the dates, the kale (remove the stems first!), the shallot and chop the walnuts. Make the dressing.
Step Three: In a large salad bowl, massage the kale in 2 tbsp of the dressing until it wilts and softens.
Step Four: Drain and rinse both the quinoa and the lentils in cold water to help them cool.
Step Five: Toss the lentils, quinoa, shallot, walnuts and dates together with the kale in the salad bowl. If you’re going to eat now-ish, dress and serve. If you’ve got 5-10 minutes to let the flavours blend, that’s awesome.
Pro Tip: cooking in advance? Leave the dressing off the salad until 10 minutes before serving, as the salad tends to suck the dressing up and it won’t be as flavourful.
Make this your own: swaps and stuff
Remember, recipes are a guide! And this quinoa + lentil salad is particularly forgiving of swaps. Use what’s in your kitchen or what’s on sale at the store.
- Lentils: use any brown or green lentil, just not red lentils
- Dates: dried cranberries, cherries or apricots could work
- Kale: any kind of kale, chopped spinach (don’t massage!) or very finely chopped broccoli would work
- Walnuts: any nut you have on hand or use pumpkin or sunflower seeds to make this nut free
- Low FODMAP? Use 1 cup total rinsed canned lentils, ditch the shallot and garlic in the vinaigrette. Maybe add a pinch of chile flakes to add a bit of zip. The recipe is already gluten free.
More satisfying salads
30 Minute Quinoa Lentil Salad with Kale
Bursting with flavour, this nourishing quinoa lentil salad is so easy and tasty, and packed with plant-based protein for a hearty side or a simple vegetarian dinner.
- 1 cup dry French lentils, 3 cups cooked, see Low FODMAP note below.
- 1 cup quinoa, 3 cups cooked
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, destemmed and thinly sliced
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped
- ½ medium shallot, very thinly sliced, omit for Low FODMAP see note
- ⅓ cup Medjool or Deglet Noor dates, pitted and thinly sliced
- 1 batch Fresh Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Cooking the lentils and quinoa
Sort and rinse the lentils. Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Salt and add lentils, cooking until al dente – not soft! – about 8-20 minutes. Just check every 2-3 min after the 8 min mark.
Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package directions.
When done, drain and rinse both the quinoa and lentils with cold water to help them cool.
Assembling the salad
Place the kale in a large salad bowl. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons (15 mL) of the dressing and massage the kale until it wilts and softens, 1-2 minutes.
Next, add the cooked lentils, quinoa, dates, walnuts, shallot and toss.
If serving soon, toss well with the dressing. If making in advance, wait until 10-15 minutes before serving to dress so the salad doesn’t suck up all the dressing.
Salad keeps very well, dressed or not, for 3-4 days in the fridge. Leftovers will need some extra dressing to boost flavour.
Low FODMAP notes: Use 1 cup total rinsed canned lentils in place of the cooked lentils. Ditch the shallot and garlic in the vinaigrette. Maybe add a pinch of chile flakes to add a bit of extra zip.
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