Artificial Food Coloring Free Pomegranate & Mint Lentil Salad with Cucumber

Total time50 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time25 min

4.6

(14)

Artificial Food Coloring Free Pomegranate & Mint Lentil Salad with Cucumber

Every ingredient in this vibrant salad is exactly what it looks like — whole lentils, fresh cucumber, real pomegranate arils, and herbs straight from the bunch. There are no dye-laden dressings or pre-packaged seasoning blends to worry about, just a simple homemade vinaigrette built from olive oil, fresh lemon juice, cumin, and turmeric. That golden dressing clings beautifully to the lentils and makes the whole bowl look stunning without a drop of artificial color in sight. The pomegranate arils bring jewel-bright pops of sweetness and tartness, while torn mint and scallion greens keep every bite feeling fresh and lively. Lentils are simmered until just tender so they hold their shape in the salad rather than turning mushy, giving you satisfying texture alongside the crisp cucumber. It's the kind of dish that works as a hearty lunch, a make-ahead side, or a crowd-pleasing addition to any spread — and you can feel genuinely good about every single thing that went into it.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the lentils

1 cup green or french lentils, rinsed
2 ½ cups water
½ tsp salt

For the dressing

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp salt

For the salad

1 english cucumber, diced (about 2 cups)
¾ cup pomegranate arils
½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the rinsed lentils, water, and ½ tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 20–25 minutes. Drain any remaining water and spread the lentils on a large plate or sheet pan to cool for 10 minutes.
2
While the lentils cool, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, and ¼ tsp salt in a small bowl until the dressing is uniform and slightly thickened.

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