Lentil salad with feta and pomegranate

Lentil salad with feta and pomegranate: a fresh salad with lentils, cucumber, parsley, sheep's cheese and a light mustard and honey dressing.

At a glance

• Serves 2
• Prep time: 15 min
• No cooking needed
• Total time: 15 min
• Calories: 380 kcal per serving
• Protein: 18 g
• Fat: 16 g
• Carbs: 35 g

Ingredients

• 1 tin (400g) brown lentils
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 small red onion
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ sweet-sour pomegranate
• 150 g mild sheep's cheese
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp runny honey
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method

You’ll need: mixing bowl

1. For the dressing, whisk the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
2. Add the drained lentils, cucumber and red onion to the dressing and mix carefully.
3. Fold in the parsley and most of the feta so the salad is fresh and creamy at the same time.
4. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds and loosely crumble the rest of the feta on top.
5. Cover the salad and leave it in the fridge for 15–30 min so the flavours come together.
6. Toss gently once more before serving and finish with a little olive oil, pepper or parsley if needed.

Good to know

A salad like this is just right when you want something fresh and filling but still light. It tastes fresh and juicy, and the little sweet-sour touches give it real depth.

Swaps

Sheep's cheese → soft goat's cheese or cottage cheese (also with protein, depending on the product) Honey → lemon juice or a little mashed date (fresh sweetness, less added sweetness) Cucumber → celery or pepper (more crunch and extra micronutrients) Tinned brown lentils → home-cooked beluga lentils (firmer texture and usually less added salt)

Allergens

Contains milk from the feta, and mustard. Raw onion and vinegar can irritate sensitive children or people with a sensitive stomach; during pregnancy, pasteurised feta and well-washed herbs are the safe choice.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of iron is in lentils?

Lentils contain non-haem iron, the form of iron found in plants. Cucumber adds only a little vitamin C to this salad, parsley a bit more.

What's in parsley, nutritionally?

Flat-leaf parsley contains vitamin K, plus vitamin C and some carotenoids. It's often seen as just a garnish, but here it really does add micronutrients.

Is feta OK if you're sensitive to lactose?

Many types of feta naturally contain less lactose than fresh dairy products, but it isn't always completely lactose-free. How well you tolerate it depends a lot on the product and on your own sensitivity.

Why does olive oil fit this salad nutritionally?

Olive oil mainly provides monounsaturated fat and small amounts of vitamin E. It also rounds off the flavour of the salad well.

Are pomegranate seeds just decoration, or do they add something?

Besides freshness, they bring fibre and polyphenols. In a salad, they mainly add juicy, sweet-sour bursts of flavour.