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Lentil Salad with Feta and Mint
This hearty lentil salad brings together earthy legumes, salty feta, and fresh mint. Baking the lentils in the oven keeps them perfectly tender without turning to mush. A simple dressing of olive oil and white wine vinegar mixes with kalamata olives and minced shallots for a sharp, briny punch. It works beautifully as a light lunch or a make-ahead side dish for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 5 garlic cloves, lightly crushed and peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
- 1 large shallot, minced
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- 1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (¼ cup)
- 1. Dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 quart warm water (about 110 degrees) in bowl. Add lentils and soak at room temperature for 1 hour. Drain well.
- 2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine lentils, 1 quart water, garlic, bay leaf, and ½ teaspoon salt in medium ovensafe saucepan. Cover, transfer saucepan to oven, and cook until lentils are tender but remain intact, 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Instructions
- 1Drain the cooked lentils thoroughly and throw away the garlic cloves and bay leaf. Whisk the olive oil and white wine vinegar together in a large mixing bowl. Toss the warm lentils, chopped kalamata olives, and minced shallot into the dressing until well coated. Taste the mixture and season with salt and black pepper.
- 2Move the dressed lentils to a serving platter or bowl. Fold in the chopped fresh mint gently so it does not bruise. Scatter the crumbled feta cheese over the top. Serve the salad warm or let it cool to room temperature.
Notes
- To prepare the lentils from scratch, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 quart of warm water. Soak 1 cup of rinsed lentils in the salt water at room temperature for 1 hour, then drain well.
- For perfectly cooked lentils, heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the soaked lentils, 1 quart of water, 5 lightly crushed garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, and a half teaspoon of salt in an oven-safe saucepan. Cover and bake for 40 to 60 minutes until tender but intact.