Italian Lentil Salad

Name: Italian Lentil Salad
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound green lentils; 2 scallions, white part only, chopped; 1 cup halved seedless green grapes; 1 cup halved seedless red grapes; 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced; 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced; 1/2 cup coarsely chopped skinned and toasted hazelnuts; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons); 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons); 1/3 cup olive oil; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

December 20, 2011

Italians love lentils and cook them in lots of creative ways, including the traditional lentil and sausage dish that is served on New Year’s Day. Lentils are also very often used as the basis of a main-course salad like this one, which is a little more refined than most thanks to the sweet, juicy grapes and chopped hazelnuts. Like lentil soup, this salad develops more flavor the longer it sits, and it makes a wonderful bed for flavorful fish such as salmon. Certainly you can eat this right away, or make it ahead of time, refrigerate overnight, and serve at room temperature the next day.

Recipe notes

Mango Sticky Rice

Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.

Easy Egg Custard

With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.

Simple Hot Cocoa for One

With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Crispy Salmon With Avocado Sauce

You’ll want to put this creamy (but dairy-free) green sauce on everything and it’s particularly sublime under crispy-skinned salmon.

Sheet-Pan Chicken Souvlaki

Tender, juicy chicken skewers are possible in the oven—especially when roasted alongside spiced chickpeas and finished with fresh tomatoes and salty feta.

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken With Summer Salad

Charred chicken breasts coated in a tangy dry rub sit atop a fresh salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and onions.

Jalapeño Popper Skillet Tacos

Roasted poblanos, jalapeños, and red onion are coated with a melty sauce—warm with the flavors of pepper jack, and stabilized with a block of cream cheese.