I want to make a salad with canned lentils to have something quick during the week. I'd like to know what ingredients go well with them, because lentils alone seem pretty boring to me. Does anyone have a recipe that works for you?
What I do is put together the salad with canned lentils rinsed really well, a handful of fresh arugula or spinach, and then I throw in whatever I have on hand: shredded carrot, cherry tomatoes, a bit of red onion. What really changes everything is the vinaigrette with mustard, apple cider vinegar and a touch of honey, plus a cheese that brings flavor like feta or parmesan. Oh, and if I have fresh basil or cilantro I give it a completely different level, but honestly it works fine even without herbs - the key is that it's not bland, that it has texture contrast and acidity.
I've tried a ton of combinations and what really works is throwing in a strong vinaigrette with lemon and garlic, feta or goat cheese, and something crunchy like walnuts or diced red onion! Canned lentils absorb flavors like crazy, so don't be afraid to be generous with the vinaigrette and seasonings.
Canned lentils work better if you rinse them really well before making the salad, because that gets rid of the sodium and that slightly slimy texture they have. Once you've dried them thoroughly (paper towels work great for this), add a strong vinegar - red wine vinegar or balsamic - and let them soak for about half an hour. That's what really brings them to life, because they absorb the flavor and lose that flat taste they have fresh out of the can.
For the rest, throw together whatever you have on hand: tomato, cucumber, some red onion if you can handle the bite, cheese (feta is perfect, but even regular semi-cured works). What nobody usually mentions is that a handful of raisins or dried cranberries gives it a sweet touch that contrasts really well with the acidity of the vinaigrette. And if you want it not to be boring, add something crunchy - nuts, toasted bread, whatever you've got. I love letting it sit in the fridge for a bit before eating; the lentils get more body and the salad becomes way more flavorful than if you eat it right after making it.
Lentils go great with acidic and textured things, so apart from what people have already said about vinaigrette and rinsing, I'd recommend playing around with flavor contrasts. It works for me to throw in something spicy - a bit of fresh chili or a pinch of paprika - because it brings out everything else. And don't underestimate cooked vegetables: some roasted beetroot or pan-fried zucchini give it a depth that raw vegetables alone can't achieve.
Another thing that changed how I make this was thinking of the salad as something you put together five minutes before eating, not the night before. Lentils keep fine in the fridge, but throwing everything together makes them get soggy and lose their character. I keep them ready in a container, and then I add the fresh vegetables, the vinaigrette and whatever else depending on what I have that day. That way it always tastes fresh even though it's quick to put together.
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