This Peach & Arugula Lentil Salad is filled with corn, hearty lentils, sweet peaches and a super flavorful creamy maple Dijon herb vinaigrette! With toasted pine nuts and vegan feta, there’s lots to love about this salad!
Why I love this Peach & Arugula Lentil Salad
This salad is a perfect dish to bring to a gathering or to enjoy at home with friends or family. It’s beautiful (lots of colors and shapes!) and tastes amazing too. There’s something magical about this salad combination of ingredients. Lentils are definitely getting a glow up with this recipe!
Since we’re including lentils, it’s extra hearty. I’ve enjoyed this salad as lunches throughout the week, as it is filling while really satisfying those tastebuds.
Tips for making this recipe
You can use canned lentils or cook them from scratch. Canned lentils: be sure to rinse and drain them well. I used canned brown lentils in this recipe. Cooking the lentils from scratch: you can use black or green lentils as well, avoiding red lentils. Cook them in salted water or vegetable broth for extra flavor.
Be super careful to avoid over-cooking the lentils. You’ll want them al dente. Otherwise, they will be too mushy in the salad. Drain away any remaining liquid and let them cool completely. You can spread them out on a baking tray lined with parchment paper to cool. It’s a simple way to speed up the cooling process.
Fruit substitutions: Either peaches or nectarines will work here. If you don’t have pine nuts or they’re too pricey, you can use chopped toasted pistachios. They will also taste amazing! I know this is called Peach & Arugula Lentil Salad, but you can substitute the peaches for blueberries as another delicious option.
Making ahead: You can make this salad a day ahead. Just store the dressing separately and the arugula separately to avoid wilting. Add the nuts on the day you’re eating the salad.
The dressing: This dressing recipe makes a bit more than you’ll need for this salad, so you can use it to top another salad.
The feta: This recipe calls for vegan feta. The flavor of vegan feta can be on the stronger side, so you can start small and add more. The brands of vegan feta typically come in a block form. Simply crumble the amount you need with your fingers.
Other Delicious Lentil Recipes
Vegan Lentil & Potato Curry with Spinach
Charred Cabbage & Lentil Salad
Lentil & Mushroom Salad with Quick Pickled Cucumbers
Peach & Avocado Salad with Lentils and Quinoa
Peach & Arugula Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 1 ear of corn
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 peach sliced
- 4 oz. arugula
- 1/4 cup vegan feta crumbled
- 1 cup lentils*
Dressing
- 2 tbsp vegan mayo
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon optional for extra tang
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil then drop in corn. Boil for 7 to 8 min, then carefully remove corn from water and set aside to cool. Once cooled enough to handle, chop off corn kernels from the cob.
- Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts by heating a small pan on medium heat. Add pine nuts and toss frequently until lightly golden brown. Depending on how hot your pan is, you may need to wait 30-60 seconds before the nuts begin to toast, but watch them carefully. Remove from pan and set aside to cool.
- Whisk together all Dressing ingredients in a bowl until creamy and smooth.
- Top arugula with sliced peaches, lentils, corn, vegan feta, toasted pine nuts and about 3/4 of the dressing. Toss and taste for seasoning. Add more salt/pepper/dressing as desired.