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This lentil salad recipe with herbed goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette is a delicious, impressive-looking, and easy-to-make salad that packs a ton of nutrition.
Do you have a birthday buddy? I do; actually, I have a few. (Give me a shout out if your birthday is also September 30th!) But I was an adult when I first met I someone with the same birthday as mine. (Which is pretty sad, right? That would have been so much fun as a kid!)
Anyway, she and I worked together at the last job I had before I went blogging full-time. I’m not sure if it’s because we share a birthday or not, but we are definitely kindred souls.
For starters, we both adore good food, and our lunch breaks were frequently spent together enjoying it. One day we were out to lunch and having the hardest time deciding what to order. A lentil salad caught both of our attention, and while she decided on a black bean and vegetable burrito, I ended up ordering the salad. One bite and I knew I had to recreate it at home.
Earthy brown lentils and fruity balsamic vinaigrette is a pairing that’s perfect in its simplicity. And although herbed goat cheese looks impressive, it couldn’t be easier to make! Basically, just coat goat cheese in fresh herbs.
Why not enjoy a restaurant-quality meal from the comfort of your own home?!
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Lentil Salad Ingredients
- Dried brown lentils – Or you can use one 15 oz/425 g can of no-salt-added brown lentils, rinsed and drained.
- Water – To cook the dried lentils.
- Red onion – For sharp, savory flavor. The pungent flavor of onion is a lovely pairing with earthy lentils.
- Cherry tomatoes – Adds sweet/tart bursts of flavor.
- Parsley – For pretty pops of green color. To bump up the nutrition, feel free to increase the parsley (if you’re a fan of parsley-heavy salads like tabbouleh, you can add up to 1 bunch of minced fresh parsley here).
- Salt – So the salad isn’t bland.
- Baby spinach – For serving; or you can use any kind of leafy greens you like.
Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients
- Balsamic vinegar – Fruity and robust.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Rich and peppery.
- Dijon mustard – Sharp and pungent to cut through the richness.
- Black pepper – Piquant and balancing. Note that we don’t add salt to the vinaigrette because we add it to the lentils when we dress them. (TIP: If you’re making a big batch of this vinaigrette to keep in the fridge to use on other salads, go ahead and add salt to taste.)
Herbed Goat Cheese Ingredients
- Fresh parsley and chives – Bright, grassy, and a little oniony, this is the herby coating for our goat cheese.
- Goat cheese – You’ll need a 4-ounce log of goat cheese cut into 8 rounds.
Instructions
- Prepare the lentils. Sort through the lentils to remove any small stones or pieces of dirt, and then rinse with cold water in a colander. Bring the rinsed lentils and the water up to a boil in a lidded medium saucepan. Cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain. (PRO TIP: It’s important to cook lentils at a gentle simmer; boiling can cause their skins to split and turn to mush while the inside is still hard.)
- Make the dressing. Whisk together all ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette; set aside.
- Coat the goat cheese. Combine the parsley and chives in a small dish. Roll each slice of goat cheese in the herbs; set aside.
- Dress the lentils. Mix together the lentils, onion, tomato, parsley, salt, and vinaigrette.
- Serve. Divide the spinach between 4 plates. Add 1/4 the lentil salad on top of each plate of spinach, and top each with 2 slices of goat cheese.
Storage
- Balsamic vinaigrette – Make a double batch because this salad dressing stores well in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Dressed lentils – Once the lentils are dressed (step 4 in the recipe instructions), you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tips For the Best Lentil Salad
- Make the lentils ahead of time. Cook the lentils up to 5 days in advance and store them covered in the fridge. Or if you’re really pressed for time, use canned brown lentils instead.
- Let the flavors blend. Once you dress the lentils, it’s ready to go. However, if you have the time, let it chill in the fridge for an hour or two so the flavors can marry.
- Add a little texture. For a little crunch, feel free to add a handful of your favorite toasted, chopped nuts or seeds. Walnuts and pumpkin seeds are my favorites here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not if you’re using canned lentils, which are pre-cooked (simply rinse, drain, and they’re ready to use). However, if you’re using dried lentils, yes, they need to be cooked first.
It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to cook brown lentils on the stovetop. Be sure to cook them until they’re tender, but not mushy.
Instead of cooking dried brown lentils for this recipe, you could substitute canned brown lentils. Just rinse and drain them well before using. Alternatively, you could use Puy lentils, which are also known as French lentils. Also, pardina lentils, also called Spanish lentils, are a good choice!
Or you could use beans for this salad. Canned beans of any kind will work well, or you could use dried beans. If you’re using canned beans, rinse and drain them well. If you’re using dried beans, cook them until tender, and then rinse and drain.
The robust flavor of balsamic vinaigrette pairs really well with lentils, and it’s quick and easy to make from scratch. Another great option is honey lemon vinaigrette; lemon brightens the lentils, honey adds sweetness for balance, and a touch of fresh garlic takes it to the next level. Or for Mediterranean lentil salad, make a simple Greek inspired salad dressing with lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
If You Can’t Get Enough Bean and Lentil Salads
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you probably know that I’m a big fan of bean and lentil salads. Here are a few more of my favorites:
- Mediterranean Butter Bean Salad With Feta
- Lemony Chickpea + Herb Wheat Berry Salad
- Pardina Lentil, Green Apple + Kale Salad
- Strawberry Black Bean Salad
More Must-Try Lentil Recipes
- Red Lentil Bolognese
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Chicken Sausage Soup
- Panang Curry Red Lentil Soup
- Dal Makhani (Indian Butter Lentils)
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Lentil Salad Recipe With Herbed Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
Lentil Salad:
- 2/3 cup dried brown lentils (or 1 15 oz/425 g can no-salt-added brown lentils, rinsed and drained)
- 4 cups water
- 1 small red onion (finely diced)
- 6 ounces cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (slightly scant)
- 4 ounces baby spinach (about 4 cups; for serving)
Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch black pepper
Herbed Goat Cheese:
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
- 4 ounces log goat cheese (sliced into 8 rounds)
Instructions
- Prepare the lentils. Sort through the lentils to remove any small stones or pieces of dirt, and then rinse with cold water in a colander. Bring the rinsed lentils and the water up to a boil in a lidded medium saucepan. Cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally; drain. (PRO TIP: It's important to cook lentils at a gentle simmer; boiling can cause their skins to split and turn to mush while the inside is still hard.)
- Make the dressing. Whisk together all ingredients for the balsamic vinaigrette; set aside.
- Coat the goat cheese. Combine the parsley and chives in a small dish. Roll each slice of goat cheese in the herbs; set aside.
- Dress the lentils. Mix together the lentils, onion, tomato, parsley, salt, and vinaigrette.
- Serve. Divide the spinach between 4 plates. Add 1/4 the lentil salad on top of each plate of spinach, and top each with 2 slices of goat cheese.
Notes
- Make the Lentils Ahead of Time: Cook the lentils up to 5 days in advance and store them covered in the fridge. Or if you’re really pressed for time, use canned brown lentils instead.
- Storage:
- Balsamic Vinaigrette: Make a double batch because this salad dressing stores well in a covered glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Dressed Lentils: Once the lentils are dressed (step 4 in the recipe instructions), you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on January 10, 2014 and updated on July 24, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Shut up! MY BIRTHDAY IS SEPTEMBER 30th! When I read that line, I was like, sure, sure….wait! Growing up I always said, “It’s the end of the fiscal year and the day all the coupons expire”, but I didn’t know anyone who shared my birthday. Anyway, thanks for the yummy-looking recipe, buddy. I’ll be throwing this together soon!
Oh Faith I think of you often,as we simply put, think alike…I made fresh steamed asparagus the other night, I cut the stems I kept them,(thought of you)I had a memory of a recipe that I had stumbled upon re: fat free pasta sauce using stems; a bit of pasta water;finished the tops, threw the chopped bottoms in steam water,added herbs & spices, kept adding water until they were mush, puree
the stems & tossed it w/veg penne & added tops! OMG, glad I never throw out anything. Last night, was roasted veg, so yummy…I love this lentil recipe & you baby girl! Just polished off a pot of them, they talk about meatless Monday…for me it’s like what day will I eat meat? But I eat MEAT…it’s just not a goal, my thing is healthy well rounded meals. You rock girl, Andrea
This salad looks marvelous…and I am one of your birthday buddies…I’m not at all surprised since I’ve loved every one of your dishes that I’ve tried!
Tanya, Awww, you are too kind! And yay, I’m happy to meet another birthday buddy! :)
This is my kind of work lunch, and that herbed cheese is such a perfect pairing..hope the New Year is going well for u and Mike, stay in touch x
Such a healthy and tasty salad!
I love lentil salads! Simple, delicious and so satisfying. Bonus: nutritious.
This salad would definitely make eating a healthy lunch much more exciting!! Herbed goat cheese never fails to make me happy.
My husband would love the lentils, I love the goat cheese – might have to try it!
i want to eat more lentils. this looks delicious!
My kind of recipe in every way! Love lentil and bean salads but the herbed cheese surely makes this special!!
The salad sounds so yummy but I actually really love the dish you served it on! Great photos :)
Faith, this salad is SOOOOOO dreamy! I just recently discovered I love lentils, so I’m excited to try this. Hope you’re doing great, mama.
That goats cheese looks perfect!!
i know a friend we share our name and birthday – pretty freaky right. I have known her since middle school and it got us excited about our birthdays when we were little. and this salad, you had me at that herbed goat cheese.
I don’t have any friends that are birthday twins right now :( When I was a freshman in college, I lived in a dorm with a girl who shared my birthday…but haven’t met any others since that time (at least that I know of). The salad looks great. the herbed goat cheese is a nice touch, and I love that its not fried goat cheese! YuM!
This salad is magnificent and so mouthwatering!
Cheers,
Rosa