Lentil Quinoa Salad with Feta Cheese.

This weekend I adapted an old favorite summer salad recipe to be gluten free. The original recipe for this lentil quinoa salad from Everyday Food required bulgur, and since we don’t do gluten in this house, that presented a bit of a problem. I decided to try the ancient grain quinoa, which we eat as a hot side dish fairly frequently, and is a good source of protein.

Quinoa cooks very quickly, so this salad can come together in a hurry. You can make it with millet if you prefer, or even brown rice.

The lemon juice, green onions, and cherry tomatoes make for a very fresh, bright salad that’s perfect for spring or summer. This would be the ideal recipe to bring to a summer barbecue or potluck.

The quinoa paired perfectly with the lentils, tomatoes, green onions, and tomatoes. This is a side dish that I’ll make again and again. I love that the quinoa worked so well for this recipe – now we can enjoy it even though we are gluten free!

Why you’ll love this lentil quinoa salad:

• it’s perfect for a picnic or potluck
• it’s gluten free and allergy friendly
• it’s hearty and filling
• it’s bursting with tangy flavor from the feta cheese and lemon juice

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Lentil Quinoa Summer Salad.

Easy and delicious lentil and quinoa salad recipe - this salad is a great dish to bring to a picnic or potluck.

Course Salad

Cuisine Egg Free, gluten free

Keyword picnic food

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 340 kcal

Author Kelly Roenicke

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils picked over and rinsed
• 1 cup quinoa white or red
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup green onions chopped
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup feta cheese crumbled
• sea salt
• pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, cover lentils with about an inch of water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until lentils are tender - about 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. In another sauce pan, bring 2 cups water and 1 cup quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat and cover, then cook on low for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Add more salt and pepper if desired. Serve sprinkled with feta.

Nutrition Facts

Lentil Quinoa Summer Salad.

Amount Per Serving

Calories 340 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g18%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 22mg7%

Sodium 290mg13%

Potassium 645mg18%

Carbohydrates 42g14%

Fiber 12g50%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 525IU11%

Vitamin C 19.8mg24%

Calcium 172mg17%

Iron 4.4mg24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you don’t have lentils on hand, I think that chickpeas or black beans would be fine substitutions. If you can’t eat dairy, it is still a great salad even without the feta cheese.

This lentil quinoa salad makes a nice lunch, especially on hot summer days. We enjoy it with fresh fruit and a side of gluten free bread and butter.

Do you eat a lot of quinoa? Do you prefer the red or white variety?