Black Lentil Salad with Celery, Walnuts, and Parmesan is the perfect entree salad to make on a busy weeknight - it's quick and easy, delicious, and healthy!
Do you do much cooking with legumes? I have been using them a lot lately.
While I definitely did not grow up loving beans and lentils of any sort, I grew into them. And, lucky for me, my kids have both always loved them, and they're one of the few foods that are high in fiber or protein that my daughter will eat enthusiastically. So I cook them often.
Sometimes they come from a can. Because honestly, I usually either forget to soak them, or don't have time for the long simmer that most of them require.
But lentils are different - they don't need to be soaked, and they take at most 20 minutes to cook them from dry.
Some lentils cook up soft and almost mushy, making them ideal for soups and curries, but black lentils stay firm. This makes them the ideal ingredient for salads. One of my favorite salads to make with them is Black Lentil Salad with Celery, Walnuts, and Parmesan.
This salad is very easy to make, and quick enough for any weeknight. The dressing and the veggies for the salad can easily be prepped in the time it takes to cook the lentils, then all it takes is a quick toss to get all of the ingredients to come together.
Having a hard time finding black lentils?
Black lentils (also known as beluga lentils, which is helpful to know if you're searching for them online) aren't as common as other types of lentils. I often have a hard time finding them at many of the grocery stores I go to.
However, they're often available in bulk at natural food stores or organic markets. I've also found them on Amazon, and since it's the Whole Foods brand, they should be available at Whole Foods too.
If you're in Canada like me, try specialty food stores. In Edmonton I've had the most success at the Italian Center. You could also try Bulk Barn, but my local store doesn't carry them.
If you really can't find them, try using green lentils in this salad instead, as they also stay quite firm after cooking (but don't look quite as cool as the black ones).
Black Lentil Salad Nutrition Notes:
The above nutrition information uses 1 cup of spring mix per serving as a bed for the black lentil salad. Note that this salad is very high in fiber, while being fairly low in calories.
It's also gluten-free and vegetarian. Skip the cheese or use a vegan Parmesan alternative to make the salad vegan and dairy free.
Want more Black Lentil Recipes?
Black Lentil Salad with Celery, Walnuts, and Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry black lentils picked through and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 small (or ½ large) shallot minced (about 2 Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 stalks celery thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, peeled and halved or quartered and thinly sliced
- leafy salad greens optional
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Add 1 cup dry black lentils (rinsed) and ½ teaspoon of salt to a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer until lentils are tender, about 15-20 minutes, checking the water level periodically. If the lentils become too dry, add more water (try to cook them with a minimal amount of water to preserve their black color as much as possible). When lentils are tender, drain using a fine mesh strainer.
- Whisk together the minced shallot, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Slowly drizzle in 2 Tablespoons olive oil, whisking constantly.
- To the bowl with the salad dressing, add the cooked lentils, sliced celery, and sliced carrot. Toss well. Serve the lentil salad over a bed of leafy greens, if desired, and top with ¼ cup chopped walnuts, ¼ cup shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese, and 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley, if using.
Nutrition
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