Eggless Turmeric-Ginger Lentil & Cucumber Salad
Bright, earthy, and packed with texture, this lentil and cucumber salad is the kind of bowl that feels genuinely nourishing without any effort to make it so. The dressing is where the magic happens — fresh lemon juice, grated ginger, and ground turmeric come together with olive oil into something vibrant and deeply savory that coats every lentil beautifully. Crisp cucumber half-moons, fresh parsley, scallion greens, and crunchy pumpkin seeds round out the bowl with layers of flavor and satisfying bite. Because the whole dish is built on whole-food plant ingredients and a simple whisked dressing, there's nothing here that relies on eggs as a binder, emulsifier, or hidden additive — it's naturally free of them from start to finish. That makes it a genuinely stress-free option for anyone navigating egg-free eating, whether for allergies, dietary preference, or just wanting to know exactly what's in your food. It works equally well served slightly warm right after the lentils cool, or chilled the next day when the dressing has had time to soak in even further. Make a big batch and you've got lunches covered for days.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the lentils
- 1 cup green or french lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- ½ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
- ½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup dry-roasted pumpkin seeds
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the rinsed lentils, water, and 1/2 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, turmeric, grated ginger, garlic, cumin, black pepper, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl until the dressing is uniform in color and the oil is fully emulsified.
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