What Are the Different Types of Lentil Salads?

There are many different types of lentil salads, but each uses a legume referred to as a lentil as its base. Some common recipes for this dish include lentils with feta cheese and sliced grapes, Moroccan salads, and beluga lentil salad. These salads each include a mixture of lentils, vegetables or fruits, and a variety of spices and garnishes. Besides such recipes, a person can also experiment by adding a variety of different ingredients to suit his tastes. Lentil salads are often described as healthy meals, as the legumes are high in fiber and protein, and the vegetables and fruits provide essential vitamins.

One of the popular types of lentil salads includes a combination of brown or green lentils, feta cheese, and sliced grapes. This dish is often made by first cooking the lentils until they are tender and then combining them with sliced grapes. Then, a person usually crumbles feta cheese over the mixture. He might also enhance this recipe with the addition of toasted walnuts and chopped celery. As a dressing, a person might use a combination of lemon juice or extract, vinegar, and cooking oil.

Moroccan lentil salads are also among the common lentil-based recipes. This salad is prepared with either brown or green lentils, peppers, and a variety of spices and dressings, including lemon juice, garlic, mayonnaise, and mustard. This recipe is often prepared by simmering the lentils with garlic cloves until the lentils are soft and then mixing the other ingredients in with the lentils.

Beluga lentil salads are made with beluga lentils, which are small and black. Besides beluga lentils, this salad is often prepared with cucumber, tomatoes, and salad dressing. A person can also boost the flavor of this salad by adding a shallot and salt and pepper to taste. To prepare beluga lentil salads, a person usually simmers the lentils until they become tender and then adds the remaining ingredients.

Lentils go well with a wide variety of ingredients, which means a person can usually create his own salad recipes with ease. An individual might experiment with different dressings and combinations of vegetables and fruits to create a unique dish. Feta cheese, red or purple grapes, and tomatoes are common ingredients, but a person can also add pineapples, hot peppers, oranges, or chopped onions for variety or include grains such as rice or couscous. An individual can even experiment with temperature, serving these salads hot or cold.