Lentil Fattoush Salad With Mint Dressing Recipe

There's something extremely satisfying about making a fresh salad bursting with crisp and crunchy produce and a fresh herb dressing. This lentil fattoush salad with mint dressing is a twist on the traditional Middle Eastern salad, which is known for its fresh and vibrant flavors. The addition of lentils here makes this salad perfect for a meal or as a hearty side dish.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "If you have ever grown mint in your garden you know it grows abundantly, so I love to use it frequently in my cooking. Blending it with the other dressing ingredients gives you a freshness you just won't get in a bottled dressing. This is restaurant quality at its finest."

Read on to learn how to make this delicious and fresh salad. Once you know how to make the dressing you can use it in other ways, like as a sauce for fish or chicken, a topper for a buddha bowl, or a sauce for a roasted vegetables-stuffed pita.

To make this recipe, start in the produce aisle and pick up lemon, garlic, fresh mint, romaine lettuce, tomato, radishes, and red onion. "For the lentils, you can buy dry lentils and cook them or look for cooked canned lentils," Hahn advises. "I like using black lentils here because they are firmer and have an earthy and nutty taste," Hahn goes on to say.

Then grab some feta cheese, and you may have the remaining ingredients right in your panty. Look for olive oil, red wine vinegar, grainy mustard, salt, and pepper.

Add the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, ¼ cup mint leaves, mustard, salt, and pepper to a small blender.

Blend until smooth.

Chop the remaining mint.

Add the romaine, remaining chopped mint, lentils, tomatoes, radishes, red onion, and feta cheese to a large bowl.

Add the dressing and toss.

Serve the lentil fattoush salad with mint dressing.

There are many ways to customize this lentil fattoush salad. To start, we've used black lentils here but the green and brown varieties will work also. "If you are cooking your own lentils, whether they are black, green, or brown, make sure to cook them al dente so the texture remains firm in the salad. I would not recommend red lentils here as they tend to break apart and are better suited for soups," Hahn shares.

While the traditional fattoush salad often features romaine lettuce, you can use other greens like arugula, spinach, or mixed baby greens for a different flavor and texture. You can also double the greens in this salad to feed a larger crowd. Traditional fattoush salad also often contains small toasted pieces of pita bread, and this is a great way to use up stale pita bread, as well as another addition that will stretch the salad and make it a bit heartier.

For another twist, feel free to swap out some of the vegetables in the salad or throw in some additional ones. Cucumber, zucchini, carrots, snap peas, and celery are all good options. You can also add in more fresh herbs like cilantro, parsley, or basil, which all pair nicely with the mint. For dietary restrictions, you can easily make this recipe vegan by substituting dairy-free feta, which is readily available.

A classic Mediterranean combination of hummus and pita bread makes a great appetizer to serve alongside the fattoush salad. Tzatziki, a cooling cucumber and yogurt-based sauce, complements the flavors of fattoush and is great to use as a dip. 

For heartier options to complement the salad, serve with crispy homemade or store-bought falafel for a protein-rich addition to the meal. Grilled or roasted vegetables as well as protein kebabs, such as chicken, beef, or tofu, make for a satisfying main course when served with fattoush on the side.

Soup makes a nice pairing with the lentil fattoush salad. A warm tomato soup, especially one with Mediterranean herbs like basil and oregano, can complement the salad's flavors. Minestrone soup is another traditional favorite that works well here, or you could whip up something simple like a sauteed spinach soup or a cream of spinach soup.