By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- About 40 minutes
- Rating
- 4(354)
- Notes
- Read community notes
A delicious salad that works equally well warm or at room temperature.
Featured in: Lentils in Salads, Pilafs and Pies
Learn: How to Cook Beans
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:Serves 6 generously
- 2cups / 14 ounces green, brown or black lentils, rinsed and picked over6 cups water
- 1small or ½ large onion, cut in half
- 3 to 4garlic cloves (to taste), minced
- 1bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- ¼cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- ⅓cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼cup broth from the lentils
- 2roasted red peppers peeled, seeded sliced in 2-inch long julienne
- 1cup chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, chives, mint, dill, oregano (any combination)
- Freshly ground pepper
- 3ounces feta, crumbled
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
449 calories; 16 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 58 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 395 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
In a medium size pot, combine lentils, water, onion, bay leaf and 2 of the garlic cloves. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Add salt to taste, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes, until lentils are cooked through but still have some texture. They should not be mushy. Taste and adjust salt. Using tongs, remove onion and bay leaf.
Step
2
Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together vinegar, remaining garlic, salt to taste, and olive oil. Set aside.
Step
3
Place a strainer over a bowl and carefully drain lentils. Transfer lentils to a bowl. Measure out ¼ cup of the broth and whisk it into the dressing, then toss dressing with the lentils. Stir in roasted pepper strips and allow to cool if desired. Taste and adjust salt. Shortly before serving stir in fresh herbs, pepper, and feta.
Ratings
4
out of 5
354
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Steve Mason
To roast the red pepper, heat oven to 500 and roast for 40 minutes, turning them every 10 min. Cover with tin foil then allow to cool for 30 min. Peel off the skin.
Add bay leaf to lentils at outset (not in instructions)
GG
Why all the pots? Just drain the lentils in a sieve over the pot they were cooked in--add the oil and water and mix with the chopped herbs and toss in the pot they were cooked. I agree this is a lot of lentils--even for 6 people but it keeps! I didn't roast the peppers but used the heat from the lentils to soften them. Worked perfectly!
Dave
There's always the option of using the roasted peppers that come in a jar. Not a bad shortcut, especially if one is making multiple dishes for a holiday feast.
Loved It But ...
I thought roasting the red peppers was more trouble than it's worth. I'm going to dice them and include them raw this time. Fresh herbs are great particularly the mint.
Colleen
I used roasted red peppers from a jar. Worked great!
MaryT
Options:Blend the onion with the broth and add to the dressing.
Anne
Made exactly as instructed, and the full cup of herbs is perfect! Cleaned out fridge of all the leftover herbs from other recipes for this one.
bonnie
Good. Used roasted baby peppers, balsamic vinegar. Didn’t have feta cheese, used manchego but prefer feta.
Gerry
25 minutes is too long for the lentils. 15 to 20 minutes is adequate. You don’t want the lentils to get mushy.
Laura
This needs a lot of salt to bring out the flavors that SMELL SO GOOD, but need some encouragement to come out in the flavor. Used 2 bay leaves and lots of extra garlic, and one large onion. Next time I want to err on the side of undercooking the lentils.
Tasha
I added Greek olives-yummy!
Phil
Just to note to the editors of the NYT Cooking, this recipe neglects to mention in the instructions to add the bay leaf. I now know where I should have added the bay leaf, but the recipe should be edited for future readers.
Diana
So good! It needed more acidity so I squeezed an orange into it (the choice was made because my mom had cut one up for breakfast and the leftover was sitting out on the table), plus doubled the feta. All I had available for herbs was parsley, and we had no bay leaves. It kept a couple of days and was still delicious.
Diana
I also accidentally bought larger lentils, and I think they held dressing well. They also have a longer cooking time.
Loved It But ...
I thought roasting the red peppers was more trouble than it's worth. I'm going to dice them and include them raw this time. Fresh herbs are great particularly the mint.
Dave
There's always the option of using the roasted peppers that come in a jar. Not a bad shortcut, especially if one is making multiple dishes for a holiday feast.
Betsy Karpenkopf
This was very tasty and and easy and it makes a great dish for sending in a lunchbox to school or work. For those who found that the lentils cooked more speedily than mentioned in the instructions, I suggest tasting them after about ten minutes, and then every couple of minutes until they taste done. Also black lentils cook more slowly than green.
GG
Why all the pots? Just drain the lentils in a sieve over the pot they were cooked in--add the oil and water and mix with the chopped herbs and toss in the pot they were cooked. I agree this is a lot of lentils--even for 6 people but it keeps! I didn't roast the peppers but used the heat from the lentils to soften them. Worked perfectly!
tdalec
On my stove the lentils were perfectly done at 16 minutes into the simmer. I used roasted red peppers from a jar and lot of parsley and dill from my winter indoor herb garden. Very tasty and the family loved it. BUT, so many bowls, so many utensils, so many pots and pans. I won't make this again until I can afford a scullery maid.
Beth
I too overcooked the lentils and then regretted mixing the broth into the dressing. I found this surprisingly flavorless considering all the herbs. Maybe just one cup of lentils next time?
VC
I had hopes for this but I guess I must have overcooked the lentils b/c they were mushy. I used 2 red peppers, as the recipe requires, but really could have used another. It felt like there were too many lentils and too much dressing. Would not try to fix and do again.
Private notes are only visible to you.
