Ingredients
For the lentil salad:
- 1½ cups black beluga lentils (300 g)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- handful Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (10 olives)
- 200 g cherry or mini roma tomatoes, halved
- 100 g feta (or sheep’s cheese), crumbled
- 1/2 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped and lightly toasted (60 g)
- 3-4 handfuls spinach, stemmed and chopped
For the dressing:
- 120 ml extra-virgin olive oil (8 tablespoons)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons sumac
- 2 teaspoons za’atar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook lentils in a large saucepan of simmering salted water until tender but still firm, 20–25 minutes. 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 further cool.
- Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan and stirring often, until the nuts are fragrant and golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to plate to cool.
- In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, garlic, spices, and lemon juice). Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the lentils, add the green onion, olives and tomato. Toss well to coat. Add the feta, almonds and spinach and toss again to incorporate.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
- This salad is perfect for meal prepping. It holds up well as leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days. I use mature spinach (würzelspinat) for this recipe, if using young or delicate greens, it is better to add them before serving if planning to store over a few days.