Lentil Egg and Feta Protein Salad
By Better Plate RecipesGreen lentils cooked until they still hold their shape are folded with six chopped hard-boiled eggs, crumbled feta, cucumber, tomato, red onion, and a lot of dill and parsley. The lemon and Dijon dressing keeps it sharp, and the eggs make it creamy without any mayonnaise.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is proof that a great salad does not need anything expensive. Green lentils and six hard-boiled eggs make it filling, feta makes it salty and creamy, and cucumber, tomato, and red onion keep it fresh. The chopped yolks break down slightly as you fold everything together and act as a natural creamy dressing, so there is no mayonnaise anywhere. What lifts it above ordinary is the herbs: a full third of a cup of dill plus the same of parsley, which turns an earthy legume bowl into something bright and almost springlike. Twenty-five grams of protein from pantry staples, and it is delicious eaten cold straight from the container.
What Makes This Recipe Work
The eggs are treated as an ingredient rather than a garnish. Chopped coarsely and folded in with just a few turns, they leave creamy pockets throughout the salad, while finely chopped eggs would simply vanish into the lentils. The lentils get half the dressing to themselves for five minutes, because they absorb far more than the vegetables do. Dijon in the vinaigrette emulsifies the oil so it clings instead of sliding to the bottom, and the baby spinach goes in with only a light toss so the leaves stay distinct.
Before You Start
Choose green or French lentils and start tasting at eighteen minutes so they stay round rather than collapsing. Use slightly older eggs if you have them, since very fresh eggs are notoriously hard to peel, and give them a full three minutes in ice water so the shells slip and the yolks stay golden rather than gray-ringed. Spread the cooked lentils out to cool before dressing them, and chop the dill and parsley just before mixing.
Ingredient Notes & Easy Swaps
Green or French lentils: They hold their shape and give the salad structure. Start tasting at eighteen minutes; two minutes separates perfectly tender from collapsed.
Eggs: Six large eggs, boiled eleven minutes for fully set yolks with no gray ring, then straight into ice water. Slightly older eggs peel far more easily than very fresh ones.
Feta cheese: Four ounces of brined feta adds salt and creaminess. Crumble it by hand and add it at the end so it stays in visible pieces.
Baby spinach: Tender enough to fold through the lentils without needing to be chopped. Add it at the end with a light toss so it does not bruise.
Fresh dill: The herb that lifts this from earthy to bright. Use a full third of a cup and add more at the table if the bowl tastes flat.
Dijon mustard: Emulsifies the lemon and oil into a dressing thick enough to coat lentils, which otherwise shed a thin vinaigrette.
English cucumber: Diced small so it distributes evenly. Its water content is what keeps a lentil-heavy bowl from feeling dense.
Lemon juice: Three tablespoons of fresh juice. Lentils absorb a surprising amount of acid, so taste at the end and add another squeeze if it tastes muted.
Lentil Egg and Feta Protein Salad
Description
Green lentils cooked until they still hold their shape are folded with six chopped hard-boiled eggs, crumbled feta, cucumber, tomato, red onion, and a lot of dill and parsley. The lemon and Dijon dressing keeps it sharp, and the eggs make it creamy without any mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry green or French lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
- 6 large eggs
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 large English cucumber, diced
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1/3 small red onion, finely diced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 4 cups baby spinach
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1Equipment: a 3-quart saucepan, a medium saucepan with a lid, a bowl of ice water, a fine-mesh strainer, a rimmed plate or small sheet pan, a slotted spoon or tongs, a cutting board, a chef's knife, a microplane or fine grater, a large mixing bowl, two large spoons or a silicone spatula, a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, measuring cups, measuring spoons, 4 meal-prep containers, 4 small containers or bags for the spinach, 4 small covered cups for the remaining dressing, and 4 small covered containers for the eggs and feta.
- 2Add 1 cup rinsed green or French lentils, 3 cups water, 1 bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to the 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a full boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle uncovered simmer. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, beginning to check at 18 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still round and intact.
- 3As soon as the lentils begin simmering, place 6 large eggs in the medium saucepan and cover them with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring the water to a full boil over medium-high heat. As soon as it boils, cover the saucepan, remove it from the heat, and set a timer for 10 minutes.
- 4When the egg timer ends, immediately transfer the eggs to the ice water with the slotted spoon or tongs. Let them stand for 5 minutes, then peel them and cut each egg into quarters or large bite-size pieces. The lentils can continue simmering while the eggs cool.
- 5When the lentils are tender, drain them in the fine-mesh strainer, discard the bay leaf, and spread the lentils across the rimmed plate or sheet pan. Let them cool for about 10 minutes, until barely warm.
- 6While the lentils cool, dice 1 large English cucumber, quarter 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, finely dice 1/3 of a small red onion, chop 1/3 cup dill, chop 1/3 cup parsley, and grate 1 small garlic clove.
- 7In the jar, combine 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, the grated garlic, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Seal tightly and shake for about 20 seconds, until the dressing looks pale and evenly combined.
- 8Add the cooled lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, dill, and parsley to the large mixing bowl. Pour half of the dressing over the mixture and gently stir. Let it stand for 5 minutes so the lentils absorb some of the dressing.
- 9Divide the lentil and vegetable mixture evenly among 4 meal-prep containers. Pack the 4 cups baby spinach separately. Divide the eggs and 4 ounces crumbled feta evenly among the small topping containers, and divide the remaining dressing among the small dressing cups. Cover and refrigerate all components promptly. Use the refrigerated components within 3 to 4 days.
- 10Serve chilled. Add one portion of spinach to one portion of the lentil mixture, shake the dressing, and toss gently. Arrange one portion of eggs and feta over the top after tossing so the egg pieces remain intact.
Tips and Tricks
- 1
Ice Bath, Every Time: Three minutes in ice water stops the yolks from turning gray-green and makes the shells slip off cleanly.
- 2
Chop Eggs Coarsely: Large pieces give you creamy pockets. Finely chopped eggs disappear into the lentils and the salad loses its character.
- 3
Dress the Lentils First: Lentils absorb far more dressing than the vegetables do, so give them a head start with half the vinaigrette.
- 4
Double the Dill: Fresh dill is what makes this taste bright rather than earthy. Add more at the table if the bowl tastes flat.
Nutrition
Serving size: 1 of 4 bowls
Calories: 508kcal, Protein: 25g, Carbs: 41g, Fat: 26g, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 6g, Sodium: 786mg.
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredient brands, product sizes, preparation methods, and substitutions. It is not intended as medical or dietary advice.
Recipe Guides
This recipe appears in
15 High-Protein Bean Salad Recipes for Lunch and Meal Prep
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