Sun-Dried Tomato & Arugula Lentil Salad

Sweet, sun-dried tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, savory lentils, fresh arugula, and fresh tomatoes. All topped with a wholesome Turmeric Ginger Dressing! (opens in a new tab) Perfect for a small summer gathering with friends or as an easy, inspired weeknight meal. This easy-to-make arugula lentil salad is full of summer flavors that truly make it NEXT LEVEL!

One of my favorite things about this time of year is playing around with fun, summertime ingredients and making delicious, fresh, flavor-filled salads! If you’ve been around here for awhile, then you know that I used to HATE salads. I wanted my food COOKED! But since really learning about what ingredients compliment each other, making homemade dressings, and adding in ingredients that truly add so much flavor and the right textures, I can say that I now LOVE (like, really love) salads.

Friends, I’m so excited to share one of my FAVORITE spring/summer salads with you guys today! It’s quick, easy, and sure to impress. Made with both fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, this lentil arugula salad is so incredibly flavorful! Easily make it vegan by using vegan crumble cheese (opens in a new tab) instead of goat cheese, or pair it with your favorite protein. Let’s make this yummy Sun-Dried Tomato & Arugula Lentil Salad!

RELATED: 15+ Healthy Spring Salad Recipes

Ingredients

All you need to make this Sun-Dried Tomato & Arugula Lentil Salad are 6 simple ingredients!

• Lentils – Green or brown lentils (opens in a new tab) both work great! You can make your own lentils or buy these pre-cooked lentils (opens in a new tab) for salads.
• Arugula – The peppery taste of arugula is wonderful in this recipe!
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes – The flavor that sun-dried tomatoes add to this delicious lentil arugula salad is unbeatable! These sun-dried tomatoes (opens in a new tab) are my favorite to keep on hand.
• Grape Tomatoes – I also like adding freshly cut grape tomatoes to this salad, but it can be optional as we do also already have sun-dried tomatoes.
• Walnuts – Chopped walnuts add texture and healthy fats to this yummy salad.
• Goat Cheese – There’s nothing like creamy goat cheese in this arugula lentil salad to balance the flavors!
• Vegan Turmeric Ginger Dressing – Last but not least, this Vegan Turmeric Ginger Dressing is my favorite for this recipe. The flavors in this dressing really bring it all together! Other options for dressings are this Creamy Lemon Tahini Dressing or Classic Lemon Vinaigrette.

How to Cook Lentils for Salads

One of my favorite things is to make a big batch of lentils all at once and then have them on hand for recipes throughout the week. They are such a great source of vegetarian protein and are perfect for adding to soups, salads, toast, and so much more! Here’s how to cook lentils for salads:

1. Rinse the lentils.
2. Using a 4:1 ration, bring water to a boil.
3. Add in the lentils.
4. Cook green lentils for 18-20 minutes and brown lentils for 20-22 minutes.
5. Drain any excess water and add to your salads!

Cooked lentils can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months!

How to Make an Arugula Lentil Salad (in 4 Easy Steps!)

Making an arugula lentil salad is INCREDIBLY easy. Here’s how to whip this recipe up in 4 easy steps!

1. Cook the lentils.
2. Combine arugula, tomatoes, walnuts, goat cheese, and dressing or vinaigrette.
3. Mix in the cooked lentils.
4. Enjoy!

Want to add more protein? Roasted chicken is a great pairing with this salad!

What to Make with Leftover Lentils

Need recipe ideas for leftover lentils? Here’s what to make!

• Vegetarian Lentil & Sweet Potato Curry
• BEST Lemon Balsamic Lentil Salad
• Tomato & Lentil Breakfast Bruschetta
• The BEST Coconut Lentil & Chickpea Curry
• Hearty Vegan Lentil Soup Recipe

Did you make this Sun-Dried Tomato & Arugula Lentil Salad? Be sure to give it a rating below and tag your photos @jar.of.lemons! (opens in a new tab)