🥗 Easy Greek Lentil Salad with Marinated Lentils
This salad is fresh, filling, colorful, and packed with Mediterranean flavor. The best part is letting the lentils sit in the lemon-herb dressing before adding the vegetables—the lentils absorb the dressing and become much more flavorful.
🛒 Ingredients
Serves 6
For the lentils
- 1 cup dry green or brown lentils
- 3 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
Or: use about 2 cans cooked lentils, rinsed and drained well.
For the salad
- 1½ cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 large cucumber, diced
- ½ red onion, finely sliced
- ½ green or red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup Kalamata olives, sliced or halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped, optional
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, optional
For the Greek marinade/dressing
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp honey, optional
The combination of olive oil, lemon, oregano, vegetables, olives and feta is a common base for Greek-style lentil salads.
👩🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cook the lentils
Rinse the lentils thoroughly under cold water and remove any small stones or debris.
Place them in a saucepan with 3 cups water and ½ tsp salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 18–25 minutes.
You want the lentils to be tender but still firm enough to hold their shape. Don’t overcook them or the salad can become mushy.
2. Drain and cool
Drain the lentils very well.
Run them briefly under cold water, then allow them to drain completely.
Spread them on a plate or baking sheet for a few minutes so excess moisture evaporates.
This step is important: watery lentils will dilute the dressing.
3. Make the marinade
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together:
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Red wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Oregano
- Garlic
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Honey, if using
Whisk until the dressing looks slightly creamy and combined.
4. Marinate the lentils
Add the cooled lentils directly to the dressing.
Toss gently until every lentil is coated.
Let them sit for 15–30 minutes while you prepare the vegetables.
This is what makes the recipe special—the lentils absorb the lemon, garlic and oregano flavors instead of tasting plain.
5. Prepare the vegetables
While the lentils are marinating, chop:
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Red onion
- Bell pepper
- Kalamata olives
Try to keep the pieces roughly bite-sized.
6. Combine everything
Add the chopped vegetables to the marinated lentils.
Add the parsley, dill and mint if using.
Gently toss everything together.
7. Add the feta
Fold in most of the crumbled feta.
Save a little feta for sprinkling over the top—it makes the finished salad look much prettier.
8. Let it rest
Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
For even better flavor, make it a few hours ahead or the night before. The lentils continue absorbing the dressing while the salad rests.
Before serving, give it a gentle toss and taste.
Add more lemon juice, black pepper or a little salt if needed.
🍋 Serving
Serve chilled or allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before eating.
Top with:
- Extra feta
- Fresh parsley
- A drizzle of olive oil
- Lemon wedges
- A few Kalamata olives
It’s delicious by itself for lunch or served alongside grilled chicken, fish, pita, hummus or roasted vegetables.
⭐ Tips for the Best Greek Lentil Salad
- Don’t overcook the lentils. They should have a slight bite.
- Drain them extremely well.
- Marinate the lentils before adding cucumber and tomatoes.
- Be careful with salt because feta and olives are already salty.
- For the freshest texture, add the feta shortly before serving.
- For meal prep, this salad holds up well in the refrigerator for several days.
🧊 Storage
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. The flavor often gets even better after sitting overnight.
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