High-Protein Lentil Salad to Burn Fat Naturally
Cooked lentils toss with cucumber, tomato, and red onion in a lemony cumin dressing for a hearty salad.
Lentils are one of the more filling things you can put in a salad — they hold their shape once cooked and bring a solid dose of protein and fiber that plain vegetables alone don't offer. Rinsing the cooked lentils under cool water right after draining helps stop the cooking and keeps them from turning mushy in the salad.
Here they're tossed with diced cucumber, tomato, and red onion, then dressed simply with olive oil, lemon juice, and cumin. Because lentils digest more slowly than refined carbs, a salad built around them tends to keep you fuller for longer, which is often useful for anyone working toward weight-loss goals.
Serve it chilled or at room temperature, with fresh parsley scattered over the top.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked green or brown lentils — drained and cooled
- 1 cup cucumber — diced
- 1 cup tomatoes — diced
- 1/4 cup red onion — finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley — chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice — freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- to taste salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1Cook lentils until tender but not mushy, then drain and let cool.
- 2In a mixing bowl, combine lentils, cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.
- 3Add olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- 4Toss everything together until well mixed.
- 5Garnish with fresh parsley and serve chilled or at room temperature.