Roasted Zucchini Tomato Lentil Salad
on May 10, 2021, Updated Aug 20, 2024
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Dressed in balsamic vinaigrette, this easy lentil salad has roasted tomatoes and zucchini in each bite. This is a recipe that makes multitasking a breeze because you can cook the lentils and make the dressing while the veggies roast in the oven. It is a wholesome and satisfying salad that’s finished with chopped parsley and Parmesan.
Also, try this sugar snap pea lentil salad for more of this pantry ingredient.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Lentils make this salad hearty and filling. These legumes are a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. They’re an ingredient you should keep in your pantry. You will love the texture and bite lentils give to salads, soups and more.
Since this salad has lentils as a base instead of leafy greens, it won’t wilt or get soggy. That’s why it’s good for potlucks and picnics if you’re planning to feed a crowd. Plus, it’s great for meal prep such as a week of work lunches.
You can think of this salad as a main dish or a side dish. Again, it is very handy to have salad recipes in your rotation that don’t have lettuce because there are so many ways you can serve them depending what else you are including in the meal.
The Ingredients
This is what you need:
- Tomatoes: You can use either cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes. When you slice them in half and roast them, their flavor develops and they will hold their shape when you toss them in a salad.
- Zucchini should have medium to dark green skin and be firm and not limp. You can substitute with yellow squash.
- Black lentils are a solid choice for salads. You can substitute with green lentils, also known as puy lentils. Avoid red lentils, which fall apart as they cook. They are better in soup recipes.
- Garlic: I include a minced garlic clove in the vinaigrette.
- Mustard adds flavor to the vinaigrette and helps it emulsify.
- Balsamic vinegar: My top pick is white balsamic vinaigrette. It is lighter in color and more mild than regular dark balsamic, but you can use either one.
- Olive oil: For the best taste, use extra virgin olive oil. You need it for roasting the veggies and making the dressing.
- Kosher salt & black pepper season the zucchini and tomatoes before they roast as well as the vinaigrette.
Optional Additions
You can go with this salad recipe as written, or you can make any of these additions:
- Leafy greens: It’s ok to add lettuce. Try chopped kale, arugula or baby spinach. This is also an easy way to stretch the salad into more servings. Just keep in mind that they will soften if you have leftovers.
- Hard-boiled eggs: You can chop them and stir them right in.
- Nuts: For crunch, stir in chopped walnuts or almonds.
- Chicken, shrimp or another protein: The mediterranean flavors of this salad work well with roasted or grilled chicken or shrimp.
How To Make This Roasted Tomato Zucchini Lentil Salad
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
1. Prep the tomatoes and zucchini. Toss them with oil, salt and pepper right on a baking sheet. Then put the zucchini on one half of the pan and the tomatoes, cut-side up, on the other side.
2. Roast the tomatoes and zucchini. After 15 minutes flip over the zucchini. You can leave the tomatoes cut side up. The zucchini should turn out lightly browned. The tomatoes should be wrinkled but still juicy.
3. Cook the lentils. Put the lentils and salt in a medium pot and cover them with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer with the lid partially on. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are just tender. Check their doneness after 15 minutes. Pour the cooked lentils into a strainer and rinse with cold water.
4. Make the vinaigrette. In a small bowl, whisk the garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil.
5. Stir about half the vinaigrette into the lentils. Do this in a bowl that is large enough to hold the entire salad.
6. Fold the roasted vegetables, parsley and parmesan into the lentils. Drizzle in additional dressing as desired.
Serving
Because it has lentils as a base, this salad is filling enough to be a meal on its own. Of course, you can serve it as a side. Try it with summer recipes such as barbecue veggie tofu skewers, roasted mediterranean vegetables & halloumi or baked zucchini corn fritters.
Storage & Leftovers
You can keep the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. If you don’t end up tossing all the dressing into the salad, store the extra in a mason jar. Let the vinaigrette sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before stirring it and using it in the salad. The oil will likely harden in the chill of the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
Just leave out the parmesan cheese or use a plant-based, dairy free substitute.
Yes, lentils are legumes, so they do not contain gluten.
No, the oil that you toss the tomatoes and zucchini in will be enough to prevent them from sticking. You just need to arrange the tomatoes, so they are cut side up.
More Salad Recipes
Roasted Cauliflower Lentil Salad
Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Zucchini Corn Salad
Kale Quinoa Salad
Chickpea Cucumber Salad
Napa Cabbage Salad
Roasted Vegetable Salad
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Check out my collection of simple seasonal salad recipes including some of favorite ingredients and tips for making better salads. Love veggies? Don’t miss my roasted vegetable guide.
Roasted Zucchini Tomato Lentil Salad
Ingredients
For zucchini and tomatoes
- 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch-thick
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For lentils
- 1 cup black lentils, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Water
For vinaigrette
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
For salad
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- On a sheet pan, toss the zucchini and tomatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Arrange the zucchini on one half of the pan and the tomatoes, cut-side up, on the other side.
- Roast the vegetables for 15 minutes, flip over the zucchini and continue roasting for 15 minutes until the zucchini is lightly browned and the tomatoes are wrinkled but still juicy.
- Place the lentils and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer with the lid partially on the saucepan. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are just tender. Taste them to check their doneness after 15 minutes. Once the lentils are ready, pour them into a strainer and rinse with cold water. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl.
- For the vinaigrette, whisk the garlic, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, vinegar and 1/4 cup olive oil in a small bowl.
- Stir half the vinaigrette into the lentils.
- Carefully fold the roasted zucchini and tomatoes, parsley and parmesan into the lentils. Add more vinaigrette as desired.
Notes
- Leafy greens: kale, arugula or baby spinach. They will soften if you have leftovers.
- Hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- Nuts: chopped walnuts or almonds.
- Chicken, shrimp or another protein
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love fresh salads and garden vegetables and I have eaten this before very good Thank you!
Haven’t tried yet reads good enough to make
Easy to make and delicious. A great salad recipe.
Excellent great fantastic Very healthy
So easy and so good! Thanks for sharing as I will make this salad again and again 😋
Just made this tonight, for tomorrow’s lunch. Looked so good I couldn’t resist eating a bowl warm – soooo tasty! The roasted tomatoes taste like candy! The dressing is tart and tangy. All together very flavorful and filling!!!