This French lentil salad, or Salade de Lentilles, turns humble brown lentils into a deliciously satisfying meal. The lentils are gently simmered with aromatic vegetables and a classic bouquet garni, then tossed while warm with a bright Dijon mustard vinaigrette, fresh herbs, and shallots. Serve it with crisp vegetables and salad greens for an easy, nourishing French-inspired lunch or light dinner.
Try these other French salads suitable for a meal: Best Rotisserie Chicken Salad Recipe, Like Cobb Salad French Ham & Cheese Salad, or not French but still a great main meal salad Thai Meat Salad.
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Why You Will Love French Lentil Salad
Brown lentils are often included in dishes in France.
I love this recipe for its nutritional benefits just as much as the ease of making it as lentils don't take long to cook, unlike beans, and more because of its wonderful flavor.
But if canned lentils are used, this dish becomes much quicker and easier to make.
This colorful lentil salad recipe will be enriched with the freshest French herbs available. If you have some at home in your garden, they will be the freshest and add the best flavor to your salad.
The most popular herbs for this recipe are parsley, tarragon, and chives with chopped shallots.
Get the scoop on different types of salads and how to make them with The Ultimate Salad Guidebook.
Substitutions For Lentil Salad
- This colorful lentil salad recipe will be enriched with the freshest French herbs available. If you have some at home in your garden, then that is wonderful as they will add the best flavor to your salad. The most popular for this recipe are parsley, tarragon, and chives with chopped shallots.
- You can use the dried brown lentils as I have here or for a quick version you can buy canned lentils and use those instead. Canned lentils are just as good and are ready to use right out of the can, but unfortunately, you won't get the flavor of the cooking stock!
- Choose your favorite fresh vegetables to serve with the lentils, what you have seasonally from your local market, or whatever is left in your refrigerator!
Variations
- Rather than serving this brown lentil salad with cut-up vegetables a green salad would pair well.
Key Ingredients For French Lentil Salad
- dried brown lentils or ready-cooked in a can/tin
- onion
- carrot
- Bouquet Garni
- celery
- Vinaigrette à la Moutarde
- shallot
Vinaigrette à la Moutarde
- vinegar - apple cider or red wine, but not balsamic
- olive oil
- fresh herbs
- Dijon mustard
If you would like to choose a different vinaigrette dressing, there are 13 to choose from at French Dressing Recipes and Easy Blender Mayonnaise Recipe, where you will find 4 tasty variations.
How To Make French Lentil Salad
- In this recipe, I have chosen dried lentils, then cooked by boiling for five minutes.
- During those five minutes, the vegetables can be started by peeling the onion, carrot, and shallot.
- Take the whole, peeled onion and stick the cloves into it securely.
- Wash the celery and chop it up, along with the carrot and shallot, which need to be finely minced.
- Then you add all the prepared vegetables (except the shallots) and herbs, which are now in a Bouquet Garni, together with the lentils in a pot.
- Then cover all the ingredients in the pot with water, place the lid on, and simmer together for 30 minutes, enjoying the delightful aroma!
- When this simmering heaven is complete, drain. You can discard the bouquet garni, onion, celery, and carrots or make a delicious cream soup by blending the vegetables and following one of my soup recipes.
- Then, before it cools too far, mix the Vinaigrette à la moutarde into the warm lentil mixture.
- Add the shallots when this delicious blend has cooled down.
- Serve with cut-up fresh crudites or a crunchy salad like Artichoke Salad With Vinaigrette Dressing or Tomato Salad With Basil Vinaigrette with their own selection of dressing.
How To Make Vinaigrette à la Moutarde
- Put the salt into a bowl together with a little black pepper.
- Stir in the vinegar and continue until the salt has dissolved - because salt will not dissolve in oil.
- Now add the oil, a little at a time, beating continuously until the dressing is cloudy.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard and then the parsley.
- Allow to stand for about 10 minutes, then shake again before use.
This brown lentil salad served with vegetables will make a complete meal, and here are other great salads that are all-in-one meals.
- The classic Salade Auvergnate is a prime example of a salad that provides all the needs of a filling meal. Especially if made with potatoes, which many homes in France include, and my recipe does too.
- The Famous Salade Niçoise is a quick and delicious traditional salad that reminds me of the American Cobb Salad. Both of these salads have lots of wiggle room for whatever you have in the fridge or a favorite ingredient.
French Lentil Salad FAQ
In French Lentil Salad unlike beans, brown lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking and take much less time to cook. Making them a convenient and healthy food.
French lentil salad is a classic bistro dish made with small, earthy French green lentils, often Puy lentils or brown lentils, that hold their shape and firmness when cooked. It is tossed in a sharp Dijon vinaigrette while still warm, the lentils are combined with fresh herbs and crisp vegetables like carrots and shallots.
French Lentil Salad with vegetables and dressings will last 2-3 days in the fridge. After that, it may not be bad, but it will begin to break down and won't be as lovely to eat.
Cooked lentils not used right away in this salad will last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
Yes, French Lentil Salad with dressing can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for 3 months, without the vegetables. Thaw in the fridge and stir well before serving.
📖 Recipe
Prep Like a Pro
Before you start cooking, chop, measure, and prep every ingredient, and gather your tools.
This simple habit reduces stress, prevents overcooking, and instantly improves your meals. Mise en Place - "Everything in its place."
French Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb dried brown lentils or ready-cooked in a can
- 1 small onion
- 1 small carrot
- 2 cloves
- Bouquet Garni*
- 1 stalk celery
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 finely chopped shallot
Vinaigrette à la Moutarde
- 1-2 tbsps of vinegar - apple cider or red wine but not balsamic
- 2 pinches of salt
- black pepper
- 3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- fresh herbs
- Dijon mustard
Instructions
- If using dried lentils, spread them out on the counter or cookie sheet to remove small stones and other debris that may have been harvested with the lentils.
- Then rinse them in cold water, place them in a pot that leaves room for boiling, then cover with fresh water, bring them to a boil with salt if you like, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Drain them and put them back in the pan together with the onion (now stuck with the clove - just stick it into the onion!), the carrot cut in small chunks, celery, garlic, black pepper, and Bouquet Garni*.
- Cover with boiling water and simmer for half an hour or until they are tender.
- Drain immediately and discard the bouquet garni, onion, celery, and carrot pieces, or make a delicious cream soup by blending the vegetables and following one of my cream soup recipes.
- Mix your Vinaigrette à la Moutarde dressing (directions below), into the warm lentils, and add the chopped herbs and finely chopped shallot.
- Serve with fresh vegetables on the side, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and greens or choose another fresh crudite from this list.
How To Mix Vinaigrette à la Moutarde
- Put the salt into a bowl together with a little black pepper.
- Stir in the vinegar and continue until the salt has dissolved - this is because salt will not dissolve in oil.
- Now add the oil, a little at a time, beating continuously until the dressing is cloudy.
- Stir in the Dijon mustard and then the parsley.
- Allow to stand for about 10 minutes, then shake again before use.
- Savourer!
Loved it, tweaked it, or not your "cup of tea"... I’d really love to hear how it went for you.