Lemony Lentil and Pasta Salad

  • Prep 25 min
  • Total 1 hr 40 min
  • Ingredients 10
  • Servings 4

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced

Salad

  • 1 cup dried lentils, sorted, rinsed
  • 4 oz. (1 cup) uncooked small shell pasta
  • 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium carrot, coarsely shredded (1/3 cup)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Steps

  • 1
    In small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; beat with wire whisk until well blended. Refrigerate.
  • 2
    In medium saucepan, combine lentils and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool.
  • 3
    Meanwhile, cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; rinse with cold water to cool.
  • 4
    In large bowl, combine pasta, lentils and all remaining salad ingredients. Pour dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors. If desired, serve on bed of leaf lettuce.

  • Cook the pasta for this salad al dente, Italian for "to the tooth." When bitten into, the shells should be tender but slightly firm, not soft. To retain their shape and texture in the salad, the lentils should also be tender but firm, too.
  • For a Greek lentil salad, use orzo pasta in place of the shells and add one 6-ounce jar of marinated artichoke hearts, drained, to the salad along with a handful of Greek olives. Sprinkle the salad with 1/4 cup (1 ounce) of crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh oregano.
  • Serve this salad with sliced ripe tomatoes and warm pita bread.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 1/4 Cups
Calories
330
Calories from Fat
70
Total Fat
8g
12%
Saturated Fat
1g
5%
Cholesterol
0mg
0%
Sodium
430mg
18%
Total Carbohydrate
48g
16%
Dietary Fiber
16g
64%
Sugars
4g
Protein
17g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
110%
110%
Vitamin C
15%
15%
Calcium
4%
4%
Iron
30%
30%
Exchanges:
3 Starch; 3 Other Carbohydrate; 1 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1 Fat;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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