This vibrant and cheery Lentil Quinoa Salad is full of Thai taste! Crunchy veggies and aromatic herbs in a tangy Thai Dressing. Vegan & gluten-free.
Why You’ll Love This
For me, salad season by no means actually begins or ends. It’s a year-round occasion; nonetheless, it appears to ramp up exponentially after the vacations. Give me an excellent quinoa salad, and I’m comfortable!
This Thai quinoa lentil salad recipe was impressed by a latest occasion at H is for Love (my favourite skincare line), and I simply stored craving it, so in fact, I needed to recreate it and share.
You’ll love that the quinoa and black lentils prepare dinner together- they take about the identical time to get tender, solely 10-Quarter-hour! Whereas they’re simmering, prep the veggies and dressing, and the salad comes collectively rapidly. The most effective half is it retains as much as 4 days within the fridge, excellent for meal prep and mid-week meals. It’s a salad you’ll need to eat on repeat- I promise!
Substances
Quinoa: I take advantage of white quinoa for this recipe, however be at liberty to make use of any sort, like crimson, black, or tri-color quinoa.
Black lentils: Additionally referred to as caviar lentils. You’ll be able to sub inexperienced or brown lentils, simply test the notes because the cooking instances differ.
Veggies: Shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, crimson bell peppers, English cucumber, snow peas, radishes, jicama, or crimson onion. Use you favorites and blend and match. Crunchy veggies work finest for this salad!
Mint, cilantro, and inexperienced onions: Add contemporary, aromatic taste. Be at liberty to sub Thai basil for the cilantro if desired.
Orange and lime: Citrusy orange zest and each juices are used on this Thai dressing.
Toasted sesame oil: Add toasty, wealthy taste to the dressing.
Rice vinegar: Provides acidity and tanginess to the dressing.
Lemongrass, garlic, and ginger: Use finely chopped lemongrass or paste. Use freshly grated garlic and ginger. Ginger paste and garlic powder can be utilized in a pinch.
Non-obligatory garnishes: Roasted chopped peanuts and lime wedges.
Make Lentil Quinoa Salad
1. Prepare dinner the quinoa and lentils. Add the 1/2 cup lentils and three/4 cup quinoa to a fantastic mesh strainer and rinse for one minute. Drain and switch to a medium saucepan with the water, salt, and olive oil. Combine, then carry to a boil over excessive warmth. Cowl the pot tightly with a lid, then cut back warmth to medium-low.
Gently simmer for 12-14 minutes, or till the entire water is gone. Use a fork to fluff up the combination, then cool. This step is crucial to stop the combination from turning into mushy.
2. Prep the veggies. Shred and slice the veggies. If meal prepping, lower the cucumbers somewhat thicker so that they maintain their crunch.
3. Zest the orange. Then set the zest apart.
4. Make the dressing. Add the entire dressing components to a small bowl (orange juice, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and sriracha, lime juice). Whisk till mixed and clean.
5. Assemble. Add the cooled quinoa and lentils to a big bowl. Add the veggies, herbs (avoid wasting for garnish), and inexperienced onions. Pour within the dressing and orange zest and toss effectively.
6. Style and alter. Style for salt, warmth, acid and sweetness. Add sriracha or cayenne for warmth or orange juice for sweetness.
7. Garnish. Serve with a sprinkling of contemporary herbs, chopped peanuts, and lime wedges.
Variations
Add protein: You can flip this salad right into a heartier meal along with your favourite protein on high, like salmon, chicken, or tofu.
Add candy potatoes: For somewhat one thing further and a contact of sweetness!
Miss the lentils, and simply use extra quinoa in case you want.
Chef’s Ideas
Lentils: If utilizing black or inexperienced lentils, you possibly can prepare dinner them with the quinoa as a result of they take the identical period of time (10-Quarter-hour). Giant brown lentils take 25 minutes and must be cooked individually. Or pre-cook the brown lentils for 10 minutes coated earlier than including the quinoa.
Quinoa: In case you want, you possibly can solely use quinoa, utilizing a ratio of 1 1/4 cups quinoa to 2 cups water.
Meal prepping: You’ll be able to meal prep this recipe by cooking the quinoa and lentils, shredding and slicing the veggies, and whisking collectively the dressing. Then when able to get pleasure from, toss all the things collectively! Slice the cucumbers thick so that they keep their crunch.
Storage
It’s finest to retailer all the things individually till able to serve. Retailer the lentils and quinoa collectively in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Retailer the dressing in a sealed jar for as much as 10 days. As soon as blended collectively, the salad will maintain for 2-3 days.
This salad tastes nice chilled or delivered to room temperature. Your desire!
Can I used canned lentils?
As a result of the lentils prepare dinner with the quinoa, there isn’t a purpose to make use of canned lentils on this recipe. The flavour and high quality of the lentils will likely be improved by cooking from scratch.
How lengthy does lentil quinoa salad final within the fridge?
As soon as assembled, the salad retains for 3 days.
Get pleasure from this contemporary and comfortable salad- please depart a ranking and a remark below- at all times appreciated!
This vibrant and cheery Thai-inspired quinoa lentil salad is full of crunchy veggies and aromatic herbs in a tangy Thai Dressing. The lentils and quinoa prepare dinner collectively on the identical time! Vegan & gluten-free.
Prepare dinner the quinoa & lentils. Rinse the black lentils and quinoa in a strainer for one minute. Drain effectively and place in a medium pot with the water, salt, and olive oil, and blend. Convey to a boil over excessive warmth. Cowl tightly and decrease warmth to med-low- and gently simmer for 12-14 minutes, or till all of the water is gone. Fluff with a fork and let cool.
Prep your veggies, shredding and slicing. If meal prepping this, lower the cucumbers somewhat thicker so that they maintain their crunch.
Zest the orange and set the zest apart.
Make the dressing, inserting the ingredeints in a small bowl- orange juice, olive oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, Sriracha, lime juice and whisk.
Mix. Place the cooled quinoa and lentils in a big bowl. Add the shredded veggies, herbs (save somewhat for the garnish), and inexperienced onions. Pour within the dressing and orange zest and toss effectively to mix.
Season. Style, alter salt, warmth (add extra sriracha or cayenne), lime, or sweetness (orange juice) to style.
To serve, sprinkle with contemporary herbs, chopped toasted peanuts, and lime wedge.
Notes
Lentils: small lentils (black and inexperienced) can prepare dinner on the identical time with the quinoa- they each take roughly 10-Quarter-hour. Giant brown lentils take 25 minutes to prepare dinner and can must be cooked individually, or pre-cook them in the identical allotted water, coated for 10 minutes, earlier than including the quinoa. You can also depart the lentils out and solely use quinoa- utilizing a ratio of 1 ¼ cups quinoa to 2 cups water.
