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You are here: Home / Recipes and Cooking Tips / Greek Lentil and Rice Salad

Greek Lentil and Rice Salad

September 14, 2017 by Alea Milham 1 Comment

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This easy Greek lentil and rice salad recipe makes a tasty side dish or a hearty make-ahead lunch recipe. The Greek salad includes artichoke hearts, olives, & tomatoes. Includes recipe for homemade Greek salad dressing.

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Nine years ago, I accidentally picked up a bag of lentils instead of beans. It is the best shopping accident ever. Instead of returning the lentils, I started researching different ways to cook lentils and was pleasantly surprised to find how easy lentils are to cook and how versatile lentils are!

Cooking with Lentils

Lentils do not require soaking. None! Just rinse the lentils to remove any dust or debris and then the lentils are ready to cook.

Lentils are faster than take-out! Green lentils cook on the stove top in just 15 – 20 minutes and split lentils cook in 5 – 7 minutes.

You can batch cook lentils and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for 3 months. You guys know how I love batch cooking! I store the cooked lentils in 1 3/4 cup portions and then use them in place of a can of beans in recipes.

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Lentils are Versatile

Lentils are flavor sponges. They soak up the flavors of the other ingredients which makes it easy to incorporate them in a wide range of dishes including casseroles, salads, and desserts.

Lentils can be used in place of ground meat. Cooked lentils are similar in size to the crumble of ground beef, so they work well in tacos, sloppy joes, burritos, and stuffed peppers.

Lentils make a great substitute for beans. They are similar in texture to beans, so they can easily be swapped without impacting the texture of a dish.

Lentils are delicious hot or cold, so you can use them in place of pasta in a salad.

Cooked lentils can be pureed to add body to a recipe or to thicken a dish, sauce, or soup.

BONUS: There are 12 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber in a  ½ cup cooked serving of whole green lentils. You can find more nutritional facts about lentils here.

Greek Salad recipe with lentils and rice

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Greek Lentils and Rice Salad

This recipe works as a side dish for dinner or a hearty salad for lunch. It is delicious hot or cold.

Green lentils take the same amount of time to cook as basmati rice, so I cook them together to reduce the number of pots I have to wash. Lentils double in size while cooking and rice triples in size, so I start with more dried lentils than rice, so the lentils don’t get upstaged by the rice.

Greek Lentils and Rice Salad Recipe

Make-Ahead Tip: This salad can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Salad Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups dried green lentils
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup sliced olives
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
  • Feta cheese (optional)

Homemade Greek Dressing Ingredients: 

  • 6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of pepper

Directions:

1. Add the lentils, rice, and water to a large pot. Heat over a medium-high flame until it reaches a boil. Then place a lid on the pot and lower the flame and allow the lentils and rice to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until the lentils are fork tender and the liquid has been absorbed, approximately 5 minutes. If there is any remaining liquid when the lentils and rice are tender, drain it off.

One Pot Lentils and Rice Recipe

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2. Add the lentils and rice to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, onion, and celery. Toss to combine.

Add vegetables to cooked lentils and rice

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3. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a cruet or lidded jar. Shake to mix. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Then toss well to coat.

Toss vegetables with the lentils and rice until the Greek Salad is thoroughly combined

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4. Serve immediately or refrigerate the salad to serve cold. Top with feta cheese if desired.

Greek Lentils and Rice Salad Recipe

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For more delicious lentil recipe ideas and cooking tips visit Lentils.org.

Printable Recipe for Greek Lentils and Rice Salad

Greek Lentils and Rice Salad Recipe
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Greek Lentils and Rice Salad

Greek Lentils and Rice Salad Recipe
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword Greek Lentils and Rice Salad Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 329kcal
Author Alea Milham

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups dried green lentils
  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 5 cups water
  • 12 ounces frozen artichoke hearts thawed
  • 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup sliced olives
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion
  • 2 celery stalks thinly sliced
  • Feta cheese optional

Homemade Greek Dressing Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
  • 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • pinch of pepper

Instructions

  • Add the lentils, rice, and water to a large pot. Heat over a medium-high flame until it reaches a boil. Then place a lid on the pot and lower the flame and allow the lentils and rice to simmer for 15 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and cook until the lentils are fork tender and the liquid has been absorbed, approximately 5 minutes. If there is any remaining liquid when the lentils and rice are tender, drain it off.
  • Add the lentils and rice to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, olives, onion, and celery. Toss to combine.
  • Add all of the dressing ingredients to a cruet or lidded jar. Shake to mix. Drizzle the dressing over the salad. Then toss well to coat.
  • Serve immediately or refrigerate the salad to serve cold. Top with feta cheese if desired.

Notes

Make-Ahead Tip: This salad can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 580mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 4mg

Have you cooked with lentils? Share your favorite way to serve them in the comments!

 

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About Alea Milham

Alea Milham is the owner of Premeditated Leftovers and the author of Prep-Ahead Meals from Scatch. She shares her tips for saving money and time while reducing waste in her home. Her favorite hobby, gardening, is a frugal source of organic produce for her recipes. She believes it is possible to live fully and eat well while spending less.

Comments

  1. Shirley Wood says

    September 24, 2017 at 3:23 am

    Alea, I have never tried lentils! But now that I have read your facts, I am going to give them a try. I didn’t know that lentils were so versatile! Can’t wait! Thanks for being a part of the Merry Monday party.

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Welcome. I'm Alea!

On Premeditated Leftovers I share simple recipes made with whole foods, practical shopping tips, time saving techniques, and meal planning strategies. I also share tips for minimizing food waste, so more of the food that is purchased ends up on the table.

While volunteering as a budget counselor, I realized that food is the element of most people’s budgets where they have the greatest control. I set out to develop low-cost recipes from scratch to prove it’s possible to create delicious meals on a limited budget. Eating well while spending less is about more than just creating recipes using inexpensive ingredients; it’s about creatively combining ingredients so you don’t feel deprived and are inspired to stick to your budget.

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