This Mediterranean lentil salad marries sautéed tomatoes, fresh basil and feta with steamed lentils for a hearty, flavorful vegetarian meal that takes less than 20 minutes to prepare!

I’m really excited because I’ve found another easy weeknight dinner to add to my arsenal! This lentil salad is quick, delicious and perfect for summer because it features a bunch of seasonal produce including tomatoes, onions, garlic and basil.

Trader Joe’s Steamed Lentils

You can totally plan ahead and cook your own lentils, but this dish is an absolute breeze to whip up with pre-cooked, steamed lentils from Trader Joe’s. These lentils are of my favorite items to buy from Trader Joe’s because because they’re perfect for tossing together quick protein-packed vegetarian meals. Usually I just serve them as a side or use them as a salad topper, but recently I decided to spruce them up a little. The result is the lentil salad recipe I’m sharing with you today.

Lentil Salad Video

Garlic, onions and tomatoes are sautéed with a bit of olive oil then tossed with the lentils, raisins, fresh basil and feta. The sautéed vegetables caramelize and add a nice depth of flavor to the dish while the crumbled feta melts and gives the salad a delicate creaminess.

The dish is versatile and works great as a make-ahead recipe because it tastes delicious served hot or cold. The first night I plated the warm lentil mixture over a bed of fresh spinach with a few chunks of avocado on top. And the next day I served it up the same way for lunch — only as a cold salad. I liked it both ways but the cold version is really refreshing on a hot day.

If you like lentils and Mediterranean flavors, you’re going to L-O-V-E this quick and easy meal. Trust me. 🙂

If you make this mediterranean lentil salad please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how it turns out. Your feedback is super helpful for the EBF team and other readers. 

Sautéed Mediterranean Lentil Salad

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• Author: Brittany Mullins
• Prep Time: 3 minutes
• Cook Time: 17 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 3 1x

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Description

This Mediterranean lentil salad marries sautéed tomatoes, fresh basil and feta with steamed lentils for a hearty, flavorful vegetarian meal that takes less than 20 minutes to prepare!

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked French lentils
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbed feta
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 avocado, sliced

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Instructions

1. Cook lentils according to package instructions if you didn’t buy prepared lentils.
2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Add in onions and garlic and sauté until fragrant and onions are translucent, about 5 minute. Add chopped tomatoes and sea salt, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often until tomatoes have softened. Add balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. Add in cooked lentils, give the mixture a stir and cook for another minute or two — until lentils are just warm.
3. Add basil, feta and raisins. Give the mixture a good stir to combine everything, remove from heat and serve.
4. Serve lentils over cooked brown rice or baby spinach. Top with fresh avocado slices and an extra sprinkle of feta.

• Category: Lunch/Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mediterranean

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 3/4 cup
• Calories: 324
• Sugar: 15g
• Fat: 13g
• Carbohydrates: 43g
• Fiber: 12g
• Protein: 15g

Keywords: lentil salad

More Lentil Recipes You Might Enjoy:

• Vegan Lentil Loaf
• Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Stew
• Cabbage Lentil Soup
• Roasted Garlic Lentil Soup
• Lightened Up Cauliflower Rice Mujadara
• Kale Sweet Potato Lentil Salad
• Lentil Tuna Salad