This lentil avocado salad is a refreshing and nutritious dish that's perfect for any meal. Combining the earthy flavors of lentils with the creamy texture of avocado, and the crispness of cucumber and cherry tomatoes, this salad is both satisfying and healthy. It's easy to prepare and can be enjoyed immediately or stored for later.
If you don't usually cook with lentils, you might need to pick some up at the supermarket. They are typically found in the dried beans and legumes section. Make sure to get fresh avocados and cherry tomatoes for the best flavor. Red onion adds a nice sharpness, but if you prefer a milder taste, you can substitute with green onions.
Ingredients For Lentil Avocado Salad Recipe
Lentils: A nutritious legume that forms the base of the salad, providing protein and fiber.
Avocados: Adds a creamy texture and healthy fats to the salad.
Cherry tomatoes: These small, sweet tomatoes add a burst of color and flavor.
Cucumber: Provides a refreshing crunch to the salad.
Red onion: Adds a sharp, tangy flavor that complements the other ingredients.
Olive oil: Used as a dressing to add richness and enhance the flavors.
Lemon juice: Adds a zesty, tangy flavor that brightens the salad.
Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the salad.
Black pepper: Adds a subtle heat and depth of flavor.
Technique Tip for This Recipe
When cooking lentils, be sure to use a large pot with plenty of water to allow them to move freely and cook evenly. Adding a pinch of salt to the boiling water can enhance their flavor. After cooking, drain the lentils thoroughly and spread them out on a baking sheet to cool quickly, which helps maintain their texture for the salad.
Suggested Side Dishes
Alternative Ingredients
lentils - Substitute with chickpeas: Chickpeas provide a similar texture and protein content, making them a great alternative in salads.
avocados - Substitute with edamame: Edamame offers a creamy texture and a good amount of healthy fats, similar to avocados.
cherry tomatoes - Substitute with grape tomatoes: Grape tomatoes have a similar sweetness and juiciness, making them an excellent substitute.
cucumber - Substitute with zucchini: Zucchini has a similar crunch and mild flavor, which works well in salads.
red onion - Substitute with green onions: Green onions provide a milder onion flavor and add a nice color contrast.
olive oil - Substitute with avocado oil: Avocado oil has a similar healthy fat profile and a mild flavor that complements salads.
lemon juice - Substitute with lime juice: Lime juice offers a similar acidity and citrus flavor, making it a suitable replacement.
salt - Substitute with soy sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty flavor along with a bit of umami, enhancing the overall taste.
black pepper - Substitute with white pepper: White pepper provides a similar heat and flavor profile, making it a good alternative.
Other Alternative Recipes Similar to This Salad
How to Store / Freeze This Salad
To keep your lentil avocado salad fresh, store it in an airtight container. This will help maintain the crispness of the cucumber and the creaminess of the avocados.
Place the container in the refrigerator. The salad will stay fresh for up to 2-3 days. However, note that the avocados may start to brown slightly due to oxidation, but this won't affect the taste.
If you plan to make the salad ahead of time, consider adding the avocados just before serving. This will ensure they remain vibrant and green.
For longer storage, you can freeze the cooked lentils separately. Spread them out on a baking sheet to freeze individually before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, thaw the lentils in the refrigerator overnight. Combine them with fresh avocados, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion as per the recipe.
Avoid freezing the entire salad as the texture of the avocados and cucumbers can become mushy upon thawing, which may affect the overall quality of the dish.
If you have leftovers, give the salad a gentle toss before serving to redistribute the olive oil and lemon juice, ensuring each bite is flavorful.
For an extra burst of freshness, you can add a squeeze of lemon juice or a drizzle of olive oil just before serving the refrigerated salad.
How to Reheat Leftovers
- If you have leftover lentil avocado salad, it's best to enjoy it cold straight from the fridge. However, if you prefer it slightly warmed, follow these steps:
- Microwave Method: Place the salad in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium power for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just enough to take the chill off without cooking the avocados and vegetables.
- Stovetop Method: Use a non-stick skillet over low heat. Add the salad and stir gently for 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to overheat, as this can make the avocados mushy.
- Room Temperature Method: Simply take the salad out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving. This method preserves the texture and flavor of the avocados and vegetables.
- Avoid Oven: Reheating in the oven is not recommended as it can overcook the avocados and vegetables, making them lose their fresh texture and flavor.
Best Tools for This Recipe
Pot: Used to cook the lentils in boiling water until they are tender.
Strainer: Necessary for draining the cooked lentils after they have finished boiling.
Large mixing bowl: Used to combine the cooled lentils with the other salad ingredients.
Cutting board: Provides a surface for dicing the avocados, cucumber, and red onion, as well as halving the cherry tomatoes.
Chef's knife: Essential for dicing the avocados, cucumber, and red onion, and halving the cherry tomatoes.
Measuring cups: Used to measure out the lentils, cherry tomatoes, and other ingredients accurately.
Measuring spoons: Necessary for measuring the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.
Wooden spoon or spatula: Useful for gently tossing the salad ingredients together without mashing the avocados.
Lemon squeezer: Helps to extract freshly squeezed lemon juice efficiently.
Serving bowl: Ideal for presenting the salad when serving immediately or for storing it in the refrigerator.
How to Save Time on Making This Salad
Cook lentils in advance: Prepare the lentils ahead of time and store them in the fridge. This way, you can quickly assemble the salad when needed.
Use pre-chopped veggies: Purchase pre-diced avocados, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion to save chopping time.
Make dressing in bulk: Mix a larger batch of olive oil and lemon juice dressing and store it in a jar. Use it for multiple salads throughout the week.
Quick cooling: Spread cooked lentils on a baking sheet to cool them faster, reducing waiting time.
Lentil Avocado Salad
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup Lentils rinsed
- 2 Avocados diced
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 1 Cucumber diced
- ¼ cup Red Onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Cook the lentils in a pot of boiling water for about 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and let cool.
- 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled lentils, diced avocados, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion.
- 3. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine.
- 4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.
Nutritional Value
Keywords
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