Lentil salad with Pesto Dressing
This fresh and hearty lentil salad with pesto dressing is bursting with flavor and texture. Made with brown or green lentils, crisp veggies, and a zesty herb-packed dressing, it’s the perfect healthy meal for lunch, dinner, or meal prep. Quick to make and full of plant-based protein, it's as nourishing as it is delicious.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 can brown or green lentils drained and rinsed
- 1 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 handful chopped lettuce
- 1 small cucumber diced
- 1 tomato diced
- ⅓ cup fresh dill chopped
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
For the Dressing:
- 1 handful spring onion
- 1 handful fresh dill
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 cloves garlic
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- salt to taste
- 2-3 tbsp water to thin the sauce
Instructions
- Dice the cucumber and tomato, chop the red onion and lettuce. Place in a large mixing bowl with the drained lentils.
- In a blender or food processor, combine spring onion, dill, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Add the chopped parsley and dill to the salad bowl. Pour over the pesto dressing and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top just before serving for a nutty crunch. Enjoy!