Some of my recipes start off with a strong concept or challenge, while others are designed to satisfy a craving. This lentil salad falls into the latter camp. It’s exactly what I’ve been craving lately.
This salad is tangy, crisp-tender, a little spicy, and quite satisfying. The earthy lentils and carrots ground the more bold flavors, so they’re not too overwhelming.
Dill, tahini and pepperoncini peppers aren’t everyone’s favorite ingredients, I know. I love them—the more, the better. If you’re not a fan, you’ll find some options to change up the recipe in the notes.
Better yet, try my Greek lentil salad with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, or my lemony lentil and chickpea salad with mint. Those are both safer bets!
Lentil Salad Serving Suggestions
This salad makes a nice lunch as is, and keeps well in the fridge for several days (it tastes even better the next day). So, it’s perfect for packing for lunch.
Or, you could serve this salad for dinner by topping your bowl with a fried egg, or maybe some roasted cauliflower. It’s also nice over leafy greens, perhaps with an extra drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice on top.
Please let me know how this salad turns out for you in the comments. I hope you love it like I do.
Tangy Lentil Salad with Dill & Pepperoncini
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Prep Time: 24 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 side salads 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
This lentil salad recipe features bold dill, tahini and pepperoncini pepper flavors! It’s tangy, crisp-tender, and delicious. Recipe yields about 6 to 8 side servings and keeps well for up to 4 days.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 ½ cups black beluga lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups grated carrots (about ¾ pound or 5 to 6 medium carrots, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater or in a food processor fitted with a grating attachment)
- ¾ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ cup (⅓ ounce) fresh dill leaves, tough stems removed, torn into small pieces
- ½ cup chopped celery (about 2 ribs)
- ½ cup thinly sliced green onion
- ½ cup chopped pickled pepperoncini pepper
- Optional cheese: ½ cup tiny cubes of havarti, havarti dill, mild cheddar, or crumbled feta
Tahini-dill dressing
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup (⅓ ounce) fresh dill leaves, tough stems removed
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (scale back or omit if sensitive to spice), to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
-
To cook the lentils: Fill a medium-to-large saucepan with water, leaving several inches of room at the top. Bring it to a boil over high heat.
-
Meanwhile, sort through your lentils for debris, then rinse your lentils in a fine-mesh sieve under running water until the water runs clear. Set aside.
-
Once the water is boiling, add the rinsed lentils. Add the bay leaf and salt. Set the timer for 16 minutes. Reduce the heat as necessary to prevent overflow and to maintain a lively simmer.
- Meanwhile, make the dressing in a food processor: Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, dill, tahini, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes and several twists of black pepper. Blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Set aside.
-
Once your timer has gone off, use a fork to scoop out a few lentils and test for doneness (careful, they’re hot). Your lentils are done when they are pleasantly tender throughout (not mushy or falling apart) and taste nicely earthy (undercooked lentils tend to taste somewhat metallic). If your lentils aren’t fully cooked yet, retest every 1 to 2 minutes until they are. Once cooked, strain off all the excess water.
-
Pour the lentils into a medium serving bowl, and discard the bay leaf. Pour in all of the dressing, and stir to combine. Add the grated carrots, parsley, the remaining dill, celery, green onion, and pepperoncini peppers. Wait to add the optional cheese until the lentils are just warm (not hot enough to melt the cheese).
- Stir to combine. Season to taste with additional salt (for overall flavor), red pepper flakes (for heat) and/or black pepper. If the salad isn’t tangy enough for your liking, you could add a tablespoon more lemon juice or chopped pepperoncinis.
- This salad is ready to serve, though it tastes even better after a 20-minute rest. It keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days.
Notes
Make it dairy free/vegan: Don’t add cheese.
Serving suggestions: This salad is great on its own, but you can make it more of a complete meal by topping it with a fried egg, roasted cauliflower or cauliflower “steaks.”
Change it up: You could omit the bay leaf and tahini if you don’t have them on hand, though they do offer some nice flavor. If you hate dill, skip it—you might like some extra parsley to make up for it.
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Hayley
This is an absolutely gorgeous salad! I love dill – and I definitely think it is the most underrated herb. I spotted black lentils for the first time in months at my grocery store this week so I can’t wait to give this a try.
Kate
I hoe you love it, Hayley! Be sure to report back.
willemien france
hi, in England we dont have those pickled peppers. is there an alternative?
Kate
Hi! Someone suggested pickled jalapeño peppers (not sure if you have access to those) or you could try pickling them on your own. Someone subbed roasted red peppers when they made it and enjoyed that. Let me know what you try!
Donovan
How would other lentils work? I happen to have French and brown.
Kate
Hi! You can replace as needed, although I love black here. You will need to adjust cooking time accordingly. Follow my perfect lentils as a guide.
Lisa
Can you substitute red lentils for the black?
Kate
Hi Lisa! Red lentils aren’t quite as sturdy, so they may not hold up as well. Although, you can substitute if that is what you have on hand.
Helen
Sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try. In Australia and having trouble finding pickled pepperoncini…would pickled jalapeños work?
Kate
That would be a good replacement! It might be a little hotter, depending on your jalapeños. Let me know what you think!
Maddie
I happened to have all the ingredients on hand tonight (except dill – I’m not a fan, so I used a little of the pepperoncini juice instead) and I had some cooked lentils to use up, so I gave it a try. YUM! What an unusual, surprising mix of flavors! The only part I’m not crazy about are the shredded carrots, and it’s a texture thing, not flavor. Maybe next time I will dice them instead. But I am thoroughly enjoying it tonight for dinner, so thank you for such a creative and delightful dish!
Kate
I’m so happy to hear you loved it and made it fit your tastes, Maddie. Thanks for making this one and leaving your feedback.
Breanne
Just finished making and eating my first bowl of this salad – yum! I love dill. I did sub out the pepperoncini for some roasted red pepper, since I’m not a fan of pepperoncinis. Added some cubes of dill havarti also. Ready for some delicious lunches at work this week!
T
THIS LOOKS SO GOOD. So, here’s a confession: whenever I see a recipe that calls for making your own lemon tahini dressing, I skip that part and just go with a bottle of Annie’s Goddess dressing, which is vegan, organic, and widely available in grocery stores. So I will TOTALLY make this salad with a bottle of Annie’s instead of the homemade dressing.
Kate
I hope you try it!
Astreaa
I thought the same thing, however, I went ahead and made the dressing, and OMG. Its way more amazing than the goddess, and so easy! Now I use it all the time. :)
Katrin
The dressing is so good it made me want to cry.
Kate
That’s powerful dressing, ha! Thanks for sharing, Katrin. I’m happy you liked it.
Lisa
This salad is amazing, I did not have black lentils and it worked fine with green but I watched the cooking time closely as I did not want them to get mushy. The peperoncini Adds great flavor! Definitely a keeper!
Kate
I’m glad you were able to substitute and enjoy it, Lisa! I appreciate you sharing your experience.
Gaye
I love lentils done in many ways!
Especially indian Dahl…but they most times they effect me with wind. Does anyone know a simple preparation method to prevent them causing flatulence and irritation?
Paula
Sprout them before cooking.
Karen C
Oh my goodness this is so good! It’s something different and tangy! The only change I made was cutting down on the dill because I am not a huge fan. The dressing — it’s a good thing I didn’t eat the entire dressing before the lentils were ready! It is just fab. Thank you!!!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you were able to make it fit to your liking, Karen.
LucySunshine
loved this one. I used lots of pepperoncinis and flakes. Thank you !
Kate
You’re welcome, Lucy!
Sophia
I just had to try this combination of flavors and am so pleased with the result. Using what I had on hand – mung beans, no French or black lentils; shredded red cabbage, no carrots (who has no carrots on hand?!?); minus parsley. Even with my adjustments it is so delicious. Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
I’m happy you loved it, Sophia! I love that you were able to get creative with this recipe and use what you had on hand.
Ildiko
I made the salad today – it is really tasty!
It will become a recurrent recipe, for sure.
Thank you!
Kate
Hooray! I’m glad you loved it. Thank you for your review.
Tracie Birks
I was looking for a new way to use lentils and made this for dinner tonight; it was delicious! I added diced summer squash and zucchini, so good.
Kate
I like your spin on it, Tracie! Thank you for sharing.
Gale
This salad was a big hit with my family! I almost didn’t make it because the combination of ingredients sounded odd. But it called for all the things I needed to use up in my fridge, so I went for it. Really delicious. I made it exactly as per the recipe (including the egg), except no peppers, which I didn’t have. The dressing is great and could be used for many other salads.
Kate
Thank you for sharing! I’m happy it was a hit with your family.
Gail
YUM! This a very tasty salad and easy to do. It’s light and filling at the same time. I used my instant pot for the lentils, and just used a whisk for the dressing. I will be making this salad again (and again and again!) Five stars!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Gail! I can’t wait for you to make it again. Thanks so much for your review!
Wanda Bowring
This is a fantastic salad. It’s a keeper. However, I put the pepperoncini in the blender with the dressing, and OMG way too hot. I’m wondering if this salad is freezable? Or if I make it again without the pepperoncini if that will take it down a notch? But even though my kids can’t eat it, and I can barely stand the heat, the flavour is fantastic. Truly, a genius salad. Thank you so much for creating it for us! :0)
Kate
Hi Wanda! Thank you for sharing how you made this and sorry it was too hot. I’m not sure this would be the best salad to freeze, sorry! It does make great leftovers, though.
Wanda
What leftovers? By day two it had toned down. I made it again and did not blend and it was normal hot, and fine! But still no leftovers past the second day. This salad is insane good. Oh…I think the pepperoncini in oil are the best; in vinegar the flavour diminishes too quickly. Thanks again!
Kate
I’m so glad you loved it, Wanda!
Hillary
This is a delicious and hearty salad. We absolutely love it! The addition of red pepper flakes gave it just a hint of heat that made it so tasty. Thank you Kate! This will be a go-to salad for picnics. :)
Kate
Thank you for your review, Hillary! I’m happy it’s going to be a go-to for you.
Jill
I made this tonight and WOW! This dish is delicious! And that dressing is ridiculously tasty. I accidentally got unpickled peppers at the store so I chopped them up and then followed one of your “quick pickle” recipes! It was a win! Love this. Thank you!
Kate
You’re welcome, Jill! Thanks for trying it and letting me know your thoughts :)
Nathalie Cantalamessa
Outrageous lentil salad recipe!!! The tahini dill dressing is especially delicious and I can already imagine using it for other recipes. Thanks for this one… it’s a keeper!!!
Marianne
I made this salad last week and loved it! I used green lentils, will use black lentils when I find them again, which tasted great. I put a fried egg on top and loved it so much I had it for lunch for three days. Delicious!!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing and letting me know your feedback, Marianne!
Lily
This is an amazing Kathryne…and it looks sooo yummy & more colorful as well..and i was read a new way uses of lentils….i will trying to make tonight…Thanks for sharing…..!
Kate
What did you think, Lily? I hope you loved it!
Eve
This recipe gets a 5 star after a day of sitting in the fridge, and a 3 star if you eat it right away. Right away, I found the salad too sesame-y with the tahini. The following day though- FABULOUS!! The dill and pepperoncini peppers come alive. Difficult to find the black lentils, limited supply at Whole Foods.
Kate
Yes, it marinates and is great as leftovers! Thank you for sharing, Eve.
Laura
I start my weekly menu planning on Cookie and Kate website, I have loved every other recipe I’ve tried and many have become family favorites.
But this one was along the line of “well, that was a lot of work for not much rave” effort. I could not find black lentils at the grocer, so that may have been the kiss of death from the start. The dill was fragrant and that helped redeem the salad. Maybe my tahini was too bland? At any rate, this was good but not something I will make again.
Kate
Oh no! I’m sorry you didn’t love this one. It is best with black lentils or you could do with green. I have found tahini to vary significantly. What brand did you use? Some are honestly, just not great.
Steph
Excellent salad – incredibly flavourful and fresh. The dill was a nice change for us and the pepperoncini peppers was a great addition. We loved it so much we made it two weeks in a row!!
Kate
I’m excited you loved it, Steph! Thank you for sharing.
Christy
I made this last night! Our whole family loved it (including the kids, aged 9, 7, 6, and 4). I’m so happy to have another summer salad recipe!
Kate
A big hit with everyone it seems! I love it. Thank you for sharing, Christy!
Lacy
Kate I have yet to try a single recipe of yours I didn’t like. I made this last week and it was so good I’m making it again today. Officially one of my favorite recipes! I am a huge fan of dill and the combination of flavors truly taste amazing together. Havarti dill was a great addition to this salad.
Kate
One of your favorites! Yes, I love it. Thank you or sharing, Lacy.
Jessica Melindy
This is such a good interesting and refreshing recipe! I’ve already made it twice!
Kate
I love you have made it twice already! Thank you for sharing, Jessica.
Lacy
Me too Jessica! My new favorite summer salad!
The Pontificator
Nice recipe but made as directed found the salad to be quite ‘dry’. Added some extra virgin olive oil and more fresh squeezed lemon juice which helped immensely.
Kate
I’m sorry you didn’t love it. I appreciate your feedback!
Sherri Annino
I made this recipe and really loved it. It will be one of my go to recipes for group gatherings (if we ever get to do that again) and myself.
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Sherri! Thank you for sharing.
serafinadellarosa
A friend of mine made this for lunch the other day. It was outstanding!
Staryet
Really, really good, only omitted the fill because I didn’t have any
Taryn Contento
Love this! I made double the dressing and added it on a bed of rice. Very fresh!
Julie
Tangy is one of my favorite flavors! This recipe turned out great. I had to use common brown lentils, which were fine but less pretty than the black ones. I packed a bowl of this salad and a can of white wine for a socially distant picnic in the park — delicious and fresh.
Laura
Have made a few of your recipes before and LOVED them all (including baked oatmeal, granola, a few soups, etc.), but today was the first time I clicked over just to peruse, and I happen to have everything I need to make this. I know what I’m having for lunch today! Super excited about this.
Doreen
Finally made this for lunch today. It was great! My husband really liked it too! Everything worked so perfectly together. Another winner from you! Thanks
Miriah
What a great recipe! I have to say, I started making this and realized the lentils I thought were in the cupboard were not. So I subbed two cans of chickpeas and it turned out really well! Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. Grating the carrots was a bit of a chore by hand, so the chickpeas are a nice shortcut if you’re looking for one. The dressing is AMAZING!! Best tahini dressing I’ve ever had. Will definitely be making this again and again and again.
E.
This a delicious and unusual salad. My husband also loved it and even my kid ate it, although he didn’t love it as much as we did. The tahini in the dressing and the pickled peppers make it irresistible! I used regular large lentils.
Toby
Excellent! Didn’t have black lentils on hand but had French green. Not a big fan of tahini so I used a couple of Ts of Greek yogurt in the dressing. Also, perfect timing finding this recipe today as I just picked a bunch of dill and was wondering what to do with it all!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Toby! I’m happy you loved it.
Kim
Delicious and different! Made as written, except for one shortcut…used prepared lentils ( “Steamed Lentils” from Trader Joe’s). Topped with dill havarti (also from TJ’s). This recipe is a keeper, like most everything else I have tried from C+K. Thank you!
Claire
this is the bomb diggity! i love trying new recipes and this is just delish. Looking forward to lunch tomorrow :)
Krista
Making now! I realized I am out of lemon but have apple cider vinegar and white vinegar – what would you recommend? Thanks!!
Kate
Hi! You could try lime juice if you have it. But, vinegar can work too. Let me know what you try!
Krista
So I tried a mix of mostly lime juice, but added some pepperoncini juice and it turned out so good!!
Dora
Incredible! This is the first time I have cooked lentils and I love it
Thanks a lot!
Trina
We loved it! Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome, Trina! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Natalie D
Super delicious. I used French green lentils instead of black lentils, mixed in crumbled feta, and served it with a crispy fried egg on top for dinner.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Natalie! Thank you for your review.
April
Made this today with your pinto soup- SO good- I love tang and this hit the spot, didn’t even need to add my Harvarti cheese- scrumptious!
Heather
Wow, this salad is super tasty! I love the texture but also the interesting blend of flavors. I omitted the cheese because i steer away from dairy but I really don’t feel like it needed it. Didn’t have black lentils so I used green instead. I devoured it very quickly. My new favorite salad! Thank you Kate!
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made it, Heather! I’m happy to hear that.
Lesley
This salad is fabulous! Thank you! Love all of your recipes – Lesley
Kate
You’re welcome, Lesley!
Kasumi
Can I use green/brown lentils instead?
Kate
Hi! Yes, I love black here but that would work as a substitute.
Austin
We made this today alongside some roasted vegetable sandwiches. Only had brown lentils on hand, but they worked out well. Loved it, but I’m going to add even more pepperoncinis to the leftovers to boost the tang (as suggested)! We went with dill havarti on the cheese front– highly recommend it.
Kate
That sounds delicious, Austin!
Robin Godwin
I make these tangy lentils often. Delicious!
Kate
That’s great! They are delicious. I appreciate your review.
Mai
This is one amazing salad! I have made this salad on many Sundays, and I eat it for lunch throughout the week. The dressing is light and delicious, the beans are healthy and filling, and the dill & pepperoncini peppers are a must! So good.
Thank you Kate.
Laura
This is rather labor intensive, but SO FREAKING GOOD! I made it last summer as well… Question: do you think the dressing would freeze well? I got a ton of dill in my CSA this week and not sure what to do with it all. If the tahini won’t work for freezing do you have something else you would suggest? Thanks so much! Love you recipes!!!
Kate
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I’m not sure how all these ingredients would hold up frozen. Sorry!
Carole
I am making this salad for the 3rd time. I’m bringing it to a picnic. It’s a unique combination of ingredients—just love it. I’m sure it will be a hit.
I have purchased your book and use it often. I have also given it as a gift on two occasions.
Kate
I love that! Thank you for your support, Carole.
a brick
yum yum yum and I never really liked lentils. Also, I reckon you could use this sauce on other salads or potatoes with good effect!
Jenny D
I was super excited to try this recipe! I substituted canned lentils (couldn’t find the black), didn’t use the onions or garlic, julienned the carrots, doubled the carrots and celery, used the red pepper chili flakes…it was SO DELICIOUS! I do love lentils, dill and pepperoncini peppers, so this recipe is a winner for me! Can’t wait to try the black lentils!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Jenny! I’m delighted you loved it.
Jessicca
I made this exactly as written except I substituted green lentils because that’s what I had on hand. My book club and I loved it and I will definitely be making it again!
Sarah
Absolutely delicious! I had to improvise as I didn’t have a few of the ingredients. I your made your lemon tahini dressing in place of the dill tahini dressing as I didn’t have any dill. I added some pimento stuffed olives in place of pepperocini peppers. Just devoured the whole salad with my husband! Thanks Kate, I’m loving your recipes!
Kate
I’m glad you loved this salad and my other recipe, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
Katie
Delicious! I’m not being that person who completely changes the recipe. I just used what I had and made it work, had I had all the ingredients I wouldn’t have changed a thing because Kates recipes are always on point. Only change in the dressing was dried dill and because of that added some flat leaf parsley. For the salad didn’t have carrots used kale, radish greens, red onion, & pea shoots. Used green lentils instead of black. Used pickled jalapeños instead of the pepperoncini Grilled some halibut to have with it, AMAZING!!
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you adapted it to fit your tastes, Katie!
Eileen
Oh my goodness—YUM! This was absolutely worth the trip to the grocery store for Beluga lentils. I like the mix of textures and flavors, and I love how sturdy and inexpensive it is, great for a potluck. I used jarred dillweed; otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.
Steve Hiller
I’m now a diabetic and need to add lentils to my diet, this looks like a great start. I’ll add homemade feta cheese and an animal protein to kick back the carbohydrates and slow digestion further. Looks like another winner from Cookie and Kate!
Heather Teng
I have made dozens and dozens of Kate’s recipes and this one is my absolute favorite. To be fair, they have all been absolutely sensational, but the flavors of this one pop spectacularly. I love the dill, and the pickled peppers. And the Crunch!!! I made it exactly, just omitted the cheese. I have to get tahini on line, and I just ordered another jar even though I have plenty left……I don’t want to be without this salad at all this summer. Xoxoxoxo
(Baby Grace is one lucky little girl!)
Fredrick
Hi,
I have made this a couple of times and it is really great. I was wondering if you have an alternative for the dressing though as Tahini is expensive here. Thanks!
Kate
Hi Fredrick, sorry to disappoint but I don’t have a great alternative without testing something out.
Jane H
What a surprise! This is wonderful! I kept tasting as I went along, and wondering whether I would like this dish. The last ingredient I added was the peperoncini – it is truly the secret ingredient. It made an enormous difference, and once I added it to the salad, I realized I didn’t need the cheese (I had been planning to add some feta). I’m not a huge fan of parsley, and it kind of got drowned out by the other flavors, so I probably won’t use it next time. Overall, a big win, especially when topped with a fried egg for a bit of extra protein. Thank you!
Kate
I’m glad you loved it Jane! Thank you for your review.
BigMoney
I really like the recipe, keep it up!
Mary
Oh my gosh this salad is amazing! The dressing is incredible . I followed the recipe exactly with no changes. It was so good I had to eat more!!! I did squeeze on a little lemon at serving as I lost some of the dressing on the sides of my Vitamix. I don’t have a food processor, but that’s next on my list. Thanks for such a great recipe! I absolutely loved it!!!!
Kate
I love to hear that, Mary! Thank you for your review.
Marianne Phelps
We loved this hearty salad! It took some prep time, but for two people there is enough for another meal. I served it cool. Trying to get more vegetables into a carnivore husband of 56 yrs., and this was well-received by him. Oh, had to adjust since no fresh dill was available so I used dry dill weed. Couldn’t taste it at all. No black lentils, so used yellow. Eliminated the spicey peppers. Not missed. Too many vegetarian recipes use hot spices. We cannot tolerate them. PS. I bought your cookbook! Looks great.
Kate
Great to hear, Marianne! I appreciate your review.
Jeanine Evans
This is the most unusual recipe and it is simply delicious. All the flavors work so well together. I highly recommend trying this.
Kate
Thank you for your comment, Jeanine! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Mary Q
Is this 1 1/2 cups dried lentils — or cooked lentils?
Kate
This is measured dry. See cooking in the instructions.
Mary Q
I’m hoping someone can answer my previous comment/question quickly as I’m getting ready to cook this. Does 1 1/2 cups lentils refer to dried lentils (before cooking) or cooked lentils. Thank you!
Cristen
Somehow the brininess ended up making this salad remind me of a tuna salad- i LOVE this.
Jill
Loving this for my lunch all week long. Might add more pepperoncini and juice and dill as the week goes on to perk it up. Love all the crunch, flavors and textures. Also used Havarti with Jalapeno (store was out of dill havarti) and it was great.
Kate
That’s great to hear, Jill!