This strawberry lentil salad highlights with the best of the season – early summer berries. This delicious and vibrant summer salad is made with beluga lentils, sweet and juicy strawberries, spring onion and fresh herbs, and is tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing which brings out its full flavor.
As a big fan of lentils salads, I love to serve this salad as a main meal salad for two. It’s undeniably healthy, as well as delicious and satisfying. Lentils are packed with plant-based protein, fibre and iron. And together with asparagus, herbs and strawberries you are getting a well-balanced meal packed with essential vitamins and nutrients. One that is super easy to make and tastes good too!
Strawberry lentil salad ingredients
You are going to love how easy this summer salad is!
Lentils: black beluga lentils are the best choice for this recipe. Not only do they look fantastic with the contrast of vividly red strawberries, but they have an al dente texture which makes them such a great choice for salads. Green put lentils would be a good substitution, as they can be used interchangeably.
Green asparagus: when it comes to asparagus in salad, green is the way I like to go. Its has a slightly grassy flavor and which I particularly love. Purple asparagus is nuttier and sweeter, so if you can get your hands on it definitely give it a try.
Spring onions: purple or green spring onions are my go-to choice here. However, red onion or sweet white onion could be used in its place. Or even chives for that matter.
Strawberries: since they are the star of this salad, you want to choose juicy, ripe, in-season-now strawberries. The sweeter, the more flavourful, the better.
Herbs: fresh flavor, aroma and a pop of color. Basil adds a particularly delicious punch of flavor when paired with strawberries.
Dressing: balsamic brings out the sweetness of the strawberries, and it pairs perfectly in a lentil salad. Feel free to add an extra splash at the end for a little extra punch!
How to adapt this lentil salad with strawberries recipe
There really isn’t much I would want to change about this salad, however I do have a few ideas.
- Instead of asparagus, try adding fresh, blanched broad beans (dicke bohnen) or shelled edamame. Or try a mix with asparagus.
- Add a sweet-tart note by garnishing with pomegranate seeds
- Garnish with poppy seeds or try toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds for a little crunch
- Try topping with a little crumbled goat cheese
- For a little extra sweetness drizzle a little crema di balsamico over tope when serving
- Serve over a bed of tender greens (e.g. mesclun or butter lettuce) (Eichblattsalat).
Looking for other lentil salad inspiration?
Try one of these delicious recipes:
- Roasted Beet and Lentil Salad with Dijon-Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Mediterranean Lentil Salad
- Nectarine Lentil Salad
- Roasted Cherry Tomato Lentil Salad
Strawberry Lentil Salad with Asparagus
A brightly flavoured beluga lentil salad with strawberries, green asparagus, spring onion and fresh herbs, tossed in a balsamic dressing. Enjoy as main or a side dish.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 200 g beluga lentils (1 cup)
- 250 g green asparagus, trimmed
- 3 green or purple spring onions, thinly sliced
- 125 g strawberries, sliced
- 1 generous handful basil leaves, slivered
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley,
For the dressing:
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more, to taste
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
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Cook lentils in a large saucepan of simmering salted water until tender but still firm, 20–25 minutes (according to package instructions). Drain using a sieve and rinse under cool running water. Shake well to get rid of excess moisture and transfer the lentils to a large serving bowl to cool.
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Meanwhile, steam (or blanch) the asparagus. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan. Add the asparagus, cover and let steam until bright green and crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness of the spears. Use tongs to and transfer immediately into a bowl of ice cold water, to stop the cooking. Drain the water then rinse the asparagus under cold running water. When completely cool, drain well and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Slice into 3cm pieces on the diagonal.
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In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients (oil, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper) until well combined.
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Pour the dressing over the lentils and toss well. Add the asparagus, onion strawberries, and herbs and toss again until well-combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired; a splash of balsamic vinegar and more salt, if needed.
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Serve and enjoy!
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