This easy-to-make yet flavorful lentil grapefruit salad is the perfect side dish to serve for lunch or dinner this week. It comes together in under 20 minutes and is filled with nourishing ingredients.
The star of the salad is Florida Grapefruit, which is not only sweet and delicious, but is an excellent source of vitamin C- a powerful antioxidant that can help support your immune system during these cooler months.
This salad packs in fiber from the grapefruit and lentils, heart-healthy omega 3 fats from the avocado, and a variety of vitamins and minerals like potassium and thiamin.
There are so many ways to prepare hearty salads, but sometimes they can get repetitive. Here are a few tips to make the best salads at home:
- Add a grain or bean– grains or beans add such a hearty component to salads, and can take them from a side dish to a main meal. My go-to’s are lentils, chickpeas, farro or wild rice.
- Add a crunch– you’ll rarely ever see me eating a salad without some type of nuts or seeds. They add such a delicious crunch and help give texture to your salads. Toasting the nuts is an extra step, but adds the most rich flavor! My favorites are sliced or slivered almonds or walnuts
- Finish it off with cheese. Whether you use dairy or vegan cheese, the saltiness provides delicious depth of flavor and can add a little more heartiness to your salads
What you’ll need for this lentil grapefruit salad
This salad comes together with just a few simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Brown lentils- I prefer buying pre-cooked or canned brown lentils to save time. My favorite are the cooked lentil packs from Trader Joes
- Grapefruit– the vitamin-C rich fruit adds delicious zest and sweetness to this salad
- Mixed greens– If serving this salad right away, I love using mixed greens. If you plan to eat leftovers, kale would be the best option to prevent a soggy salad
- Avocado– for a little added fat and flavor
- Slivered almonds– for some crunch
- Feta cheese– I love the saltiness the cheese adds. It compliments the grapefruit so well!
- Homemade grapefruit dressing– made with only grapefruit juice, olive oil, honey, dijon mustard and salt & pepper
Make it a meal
While the salad alone has some protein from the lentils, nuts, and cheese, I love serving it with an added protein during dinner time for a more satiating meal. Here are a few main proteins to serve with your lentil salad:
Slow-roasted Lemon Dill Salmon– a delicious slow-roasted salmon cooked with onions, olives, lemon and dill
Branzino with Citrus Olive Salsa– buttery branzino fillets baked and topped with a zesty olive salsa
Spicy Salmon Burgers– one of my freezer staples that I love to meal prep and have around as a salad topper for a quick protein
Lemon Pepper Tofu– an easy vegetarian protein tossed in a zesty lemon butter sauce
This recipe is a simple weeknight meal that the whole family with love. It’s the perfect boost of nutrition for this time of year!
What to serve with your grapefruit lentil salad:
Honey Mustard Breaded Salmon
Branzino with Citrus Olive Salsa
Slow-roasted Lemon Dill Salmon
Lentil Grapefruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
- 2 cups cooked brown lentils. I buy pre-steamed lentils or canned
- 5 oz mixed greens, or sub arugula or kale
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 4 oz feta cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp mint, chopped
Grapefruit dressing
- Juice from 1/2 grapefruit, about 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper
Directions
- Add the greens to a large salad bowl with the sliced grapefruit, lentils, avocado, feta, mint and almonds
- Prepare the dressing by whisking the ingredients together in a small jar until smooth
- Toss with the salad when ready to serve. Adjust salt to taste
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