Honey Free Turmeric-Ginger Lentil & Cucumber Salad
Bright, earthy, and packed with texture, this lentil and cucumber salad is the kind of dish that feels both nourishing and genuinely exciting to eat. The dressing is where the magic happens ā fresh lemon juice, grated ginger, ground turmeric, and cumin come together with olive oil into something vibrant and deeply savory, with zero need for any sweetener to make it sing. Many store-bought dressings and packaged salads sneak in honey or agave to balance acidity, but here the lemon and spices do all that work naturally. French or green lentils hold their shape beautifully after cooking, giving you a hearty base that soaks up every drop of that golden dressing. Cool cucumber half-moons, fresh parsley, scallion greens, and crunchy dry-roasted pumpkin seeds round things out with color and contrast in every bite. It works equally well as a light main or a bold side, and it only gets better as it sits and the flavors meld together.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the lentils
- 1 cup green or french lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water
- Ā½ tsp salt
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 Ā½ lemons)
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- Ā½ tsp ground cumin
- Ā¼ tsp black pepper
- Ā¼ tsp salt
For the salad
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
- Ā½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 3 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- Ā¼ cup dry-roasted pumpkin seeds
- Ā¼ 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, 20ā25 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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