This Green Goddess Chopped Salad with Crispy Lentils is an incredible vegetarian main salad that satisfies with both delicious flavor, heft, and fantastic textures! Greens are topped with a homemade herby goddess dressing, crispy lentils, and garlicky breadcrumbs. Heaven!
I adore salads. If I am going to count one as a meal, though, it needs to be spectacular.
This Green Goddess Chopped Salad with Crispy Lentils is nothing short of spectacular. It’s hearty and satisfying with tons of flavor and varying texture. Huge requirements for a salad!
Crispy pan-fried lentils are a thing of beauty. This is not my first go with them, and they were just as addictingly crunchy and savory as they were the first thing I tried them. They add INCREDIBLE crunch and you can season them any way you please.
They take a bit of prep, though. Because we aren’t cooking the lentils ahead of time, they do need time to soak in water to hydrate and soften enough to be edible. One hour of time should do it.
Once you have them soaked and drained, though, the rest of the recipe comes together in no time.
We’ve got a delicious herby green goddess dressing that comes together in a blender in minutes.
We’ve got a mix of greens: chopped romaine, cabbage, and broccoli slaw. I love this combo for the varying textures and flavor they bring. I also add in some sliced avocado for some richness.
We’ve got some super quick toasty garlicky panko breadcrumbs for sprinkling over the salad for extra flavor and crunch. They work really well with the crispy lentils.
This bowl is LOADED with flavor and texture that will make you swoon. It’s a vegetarian main dish that will satisfy even the most devoted of meat lovers. It’s also a great meal prep option because you can prep each component ahead and combine them when you are ready to serve.
Don’t let the long ingredient list freak you out for this one. Each component has its own list, but nothing is over the top or unnecessary. Promise! We need all the flavor to keep this meat-free salad interesting.
Ingredients for This Green Goddess Chopped Salad with Crispy Lentils:
- Fresh herbs: basil, parsley, chives, and mint
- Lime
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Worcestershire sauce
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Dried lentils – soaked in water for 1 hour
- Avocado oil
- Sugar
- Smoked paprika
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Garlic salt
- Dried Italian herbs
- Romaine lettuce
- Red or green cabbage (or combo of both)
- Bagged broccoli slaw
- Avocado
- Salt and pepper
How to Make This Green Goddess Chopped Salad with Crispy Lentils:
- Soak the Lentils: Start by soaking the lentils in water for 1 hour (or longer). Drain well after and hour and allow to dry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. We want them as dry as possible before frying.
- Make the Dressing: Combine the herbs, lime juice, vinegar, honey, and yogurt in a blender or food processor. Run the machine until everything is well combined and pureed. Add the olive oil and blend until smooth and emulsified. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- Pan-Fry the Lentils: Heat ¼-inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the lentils, in batches, to the hot oil and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crispy and yellow, about 2 minutes. Drain the fried lentils on a plate lined with paper towels. Toss the sugar, paprika, and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle over the fried lentils while they’re still warm.
- Crisp the Breadcrumbs: To the same skillet used for the lentils, add another drizzle of oil and set over medium heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and toasty. Season the hot breadcrumbs with garlic salt and dried Italian herbs.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli slaw. Stir in a few tablespoons of the dressing, tossing well with tongs, and adding more as needed. Season the greens with salt and pepper. Just before serving, top the salad with avocado slices, the crispy lentils, and the garlicky breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Green Goddess Chicken Salad Phyllo Cups
- Green Goddess Egg Salad
- Our Favorite At-Home Cava Bowls
- Herby Lentil Salad with Avocado & Feta
- Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Crispy Fried Lentils
- Coconut Curry Lentil & Sweet Potato Soup
This is just the sort of meal I love to wake me up during the dulldroms of winter. It is lively and bright while still remaining comforting.
It is an excellent salad for this time of year!
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Green Goddess Chopped Salad with Crispy Lentils
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This Green Goddess Chopped Salad with Crispy Lentils is an incredible vegetarian main salad that satisfies with both delicious flavor, heft, and fantastic textures! Greens are topped with a homemade herby goddess dressing, crispy lentils, and garlicky breadcrumbs. Heaven!
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh basil
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup fresh chives
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the Lentils:
- 1 cup dried lentils, soaked for 1 hour
- Avocado oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
For the Breadcrumbs:
- Drizzle of avocado or olive oil
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
For the Salad:
- 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups chopped red or green cabbage (or combo of both)
- 2 cups bagged broccoli slaw
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
For the Dressing:
- Combine the herbs, lime juice, vinegar, honey, and yogurt in a blender or food processor. Run the machine until everything is well combined and pureed.
- Add the olive oil and blend until smooth and emulsified. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
For the Lentils:
- Drain the soaked lentils and pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat ¼-inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the lentils, in batches, to the hot oil and cook, stirring frequently, until they are crispy and yellow, about 2 minutes.
- Drain the fried lentils on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Toss the sugar, paprika, and salt in a small bowl and sprinkle over the fried lentils while they’re still warm.
For the Breadcrumbs:
- To the same skillet used for the lentils, add another drizzle of oil.
- Once hot, add the breadcrumbs and toast, shaking the pan or stirring, until the breadcrumbs are golden and toasty. Season with garlic salt and dried herbs while hot.
For the Salad:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli slaw. Stir in a few tablespoons of the dressing, tossing well with tongs, and adding more as needed. Season the greens with salt and pepper.
- Just before serving, top the salad with avocado slices, the crispy lentils, and the garlicky breadcrumbs. Serve immediately.
Notes
If you don’t want to take the time to soak, drain, and crisp the lentils, you can sub in with any vegetarian protein you prefer. Chickpeas, other legumes, or crispy tofu would be great here. The crunch of the lentils is something special, though!
- Prep Time: 1 hour (inactive time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: salad
Hi There. I'm Molly. I'm a food-obsessed, self-taught cook and I can't wait to share my passion for all things culinary with you. My love for egg yolks is just the tip of the iceberg!
a great salad, the dressing of course, but also really like these ingredients, thank you!