Vegan Pomegranate & Mint Lentil Salad with Cucumber

Total time50 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time25 min

4.6

(14)

Vegan Pomegranate & Mint Lentil Salad with Cucumber

This salad is a genuine showstopper — jewel-bright pomegranate arils, cool diced cucumber, and torn fresh mint layered over hearty lentils that have been tossed in a golden cumin-turmeric dressing. Every bite delivers a little crunch, a little sweetness, and a bright citrusy kick from fresh lemon juice. The whole thing is built entirely from plants, so there's nothing to swap or substitute — it's naturally free of animal products from start to finish without any compromise on flavor or satisfaction. Green or French lentils are the right call here because they hold their shape after cooking, giving the salad real body instead of turning mushy. Spreading them out to cool before dressing them is a small step that makes a big difference, keeping the texture clean and the dressing from going flat. Scallion greens and optional flat-leaf parsley round out the freshness, making this feel like something you'd order at a restaurant rather than throw together at home. It works beautifully as a main or a side, and it only gets better as the flavors settle together.

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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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