Chopped Lentil Salad Bowl

August 2026Robin Ralston
Chopped Lentil Salad Bowl

This modern take on a Mediterranean Black Lentil bowl is a love story to spoonable, chopped salad bowls with no lettuce. Built on a base of Ralston Family Farms Black Lentils, it’s layered with sweet roasted bell peppers, fresh herbs, toasted nuts for crunch, and generous shavings of aged Pecorino Romano that melt slightly into the warm lentils.  The dressing is bright with lemon zest, red wine vinegar, and good olive oil. Tossing the warm lentils directly in the dressing lets them absorb every bit of flavor. Serve it as a showstopping vegetarian main, a side at a dinner party, or a meal-prep hero that gets better overnight in the fridge. If you’re searching for black lentil bowl recipes, Mediterranean lentil salad with roasted peppers, beluga lentil bowls with herbs, healthy high-protein grain bowl alternatives, or impressive vegetarian dinner ideas, this Ralston Family Farms recipe delivers. 

Made with Black Lentils - 25lb Bucket

Ingredients

Black Lentils 

  • 3/4 cups Ralston Family Farms Black Lentils, rinsed and picked over 
  • 2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth 
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed 
  • 1 bay leaf 

Roasted Bell Peppers 

  • 1 red bell pepper, diced into ¼-inch pieces 
  • 1 orange bell pepper, diced into ½-inch pieces 
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced into ½-inch pieces 
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
  • Salt and black pepper 

Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette 

  • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 
  • 4 tbsp fresh lemon juice 
  • 2 tsp lemon zest 
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard 
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey 
  • 1 tsp ground cumin 
  • 1/2 tsp sumac, plus more for garnish 
  • Salt to taste 

 Bowl 

  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly torn 
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves, roughly torn 
  • ½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped 
  • 2 oz Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler 
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced 

For Serving 

  • Extra olive oil drizzle 
  • Flaky sea salt 
  • Lemon wedges 
  • Sumac 

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Spread diced bell peppers on a sheet pan, toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway, until tender, lightly caramelized at the edges, and beginning to blister. Set aside to cool slightly. 

  1. While peppers roast, cook the lentils. Combine Ralston Family Farms Black Lentils, water or broth, smashed garlic, and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered 18-22 minutes, checking at 18 minutes. The lentils should be tender with a slight bite, not mushy. Drain immediately, do not rinse, and discard the garlic and bay leaf. 

  1. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar, Dijon, cumin, and sumac in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 

  1. While the lentils are still warm, add them directly to the vinaigrette bowl and toss gently to coat.  

  1. Stir in the roasted peppers, green onions, and the parsley and mint to the lentil bowl. Taste and adjust salt, lemon, and sumac as needed. The lentils will have absorbed some of the seasoning as they sit, so be generous here. 

  1. Transfer to individual plates and top with the extra fresh herbs and walnuts. Finish with generous shavings of Pecorino Romano. 

  1. Enjoy topped with your favorite extras: more sumac, a drizzle of olive oil, flaky sea salt, and lemon wedges. 

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