This black lentil salad with mushrooms, spinach, and a tangy Dijon dressing is perfect for lunches, make-ahead meal prep, and flavorful weeknight dinners.
🥗 Black Lentil Salad with Mushrooms & Mustard Vinaigrette
Lentils are a staple in my pantry year-round. They’re healthy, hearty, and endlessly versatile since they’re equally at home in soups and salads. This black lentil salad is one I return to again and again, especially when I’m looking for something simple, satisfying, and easy to prepare ahead of time.
Made with tender black beluga lentils, sautéed mushrooms, fresh spinach, and a tangy Dijon vinaigrette, this salad is full of earthy flavor and texture. Black lentils hold their shape beautifully when cooked, which makes them especially well-suited for salads like this one. It’s a great option for a healthy lunch or light dinner and travels well for picnics, potlucks, and packed meals.
💛 Why You’ll Love This Black Lentil Salad
- Nutritious & satisfying – Rich in plant-based protein, fiber, and iron
- Make-ahead friendly – The flavors improve as the salad rests
- Hearty yet fresh – Earthy mushrooms balanced with greens and a bright vinaigrette
- Naturally gluten-free – And easy to make vegan if needed
🖤 What Are Black Lentils?
Black beluga lentils are a unique variety of the lentil family. With their jet-black skin and small, round shape, they’re named for the caviar they resemble. Like other lentils, they’re high in protein, iron, and fiber, but they retain their shape after cooking, similar to French du Puy lentils. One of the biggest advantages of black lentils is their relatively quick cooking time (usually about 15 minutes). They have a mild, earthy flavor and a firm texture, making them especially well-suited for salads like this black lentil salad, where structure and bite matter.
🛒 Ingredients & Notes
For the Salad
- Black beluga lentils – Firm and quick-cooking; French green lentils can be substituted
- Mushrooms – Cremini mushrooms add depth; shiitake or mixed mushrooms also work
- Baby spinach – Tender leaves that hold up well once dressed
- Fresh thyme – A natural pairing with mushrooms
- Parsley – Adds freshness; chives can be used instead
- Goat cheese (optional) – Creamy and tangy; omit or use a vegan alternative
- Toasted walnuts – Add crunch and a nutty finish
For the Mustard Vinaigrette
- Extra virgin olive oil – Forms the base of the dressing
- Dijon mustard – Adds tang and helps emulsify
- Sherry or red wine vinegar – For acidity and balance
- Shallot – Finely minced for gentle sharpness
- Salt & black pepper – Season to taste
🍲 How to Cook Black Lentils
| Step | Tip |
| Rinse lentils | Remove any debris or dust |
| Simmer 15–20 min | Keep at a bare simmer, not a rolling boil |
| Drain & season | Salt after draining, while lentils are warm |
| Cool | Let lentils cool slightly before adding to salad to preserve texture |
👩🍳 How to Make Black Lentil Salad
- Cook the lentils
Simmer lentils in plenty of water until just tender. Drain well and let cool. - Sauté the mushrooms
Cook mushrooms in olive oil with thyme and a pinch of salt until golden. Set aside to cool slightly. - Make the vinaigrette
Whisk together Dijon mustard, vinegar, and shallot. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until emulsified; season to taste. - Assemble the salad
Combine lentils, mushrooms, spinach, parsley, and walnuts in a large bowl. Toss gently with the vinaigrette.
Finish & serve
Top with goat cheese if using. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
🌿 Variations & Add-Ins
- Mediterranean Black Lentil Salad: Add olives + feta instead of goat cheese for a salty, briney contrast
- Nutty Crunch: Toss in toasted almonds or the seeds of your choice instead of walnuts.
- Vegan Version: Skip the cheese or use a vegan cheese.
- Seasonal Greens: Try baby kale or mixed greens instead of spinach
🧊 Make-Ahead & Storage
This black lentil salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. The flavors deepen as it rests, making it an excellent choice for meal prep, packed lunches, and entertaining.
❓ Black Lentil Salad FAQ
Can I use another type of lentil?
Yes. French green lentils work well, though they take slightly longer to cook.
Is this salad gluten-free?
Yes!
Can it be served warm?
It can be served slightly warm, but it’s best once the lentils have cooled and absorbed the dressing.
Is this salad good for meal prep?
Yes — it stores very well in the fridge and tastes even better as the flavors meld. (Reserve the spinach leaves until serving for the best texture.)
🥗 Final Thoughts
This black lentil salad with mushrooms and mustard vinaigrette is one of those recipes that will quickly earn its place in your meal rotation. It’s hearty without being heavy, fresh yet satisfying, and flexible enough to adapt to whatever you have on hand.
Whether you’re making it for a healthy lunch, a light dinner, or a make-ahead dish for entertaining, it’s a simple salad made with healthy ingredients you’ll turn to again and again.
More Lentil Recipes:
Black Lentil Salad with Mushrooms and Spinach
This simple yet satisfying black lentil salad with spinach and mushrooms makes a great healthy lunch or light dinner.
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette:
- 1 Tablespoon/1ml red wine or sherry vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons/30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛th teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small shallot, finely minced
For the Salad:
- 1 cup/172g black beluga lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (divided use)
- 1 Tablespoon/30ml extra virgin olive oil
- 8 ounces/227g cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- ¼ cup/30g walnuts, finely chopped
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 3 ounces/85g baby spinach
- 2 ounces/56g of goat cheese, crumbled (use a dairy-free goat cheese for vegan or paleo)
Instructions
Make the Vinaigrette:
- In a large bowl whisk together all the ingredients until well combined and set aside.
Make the Salad:
- Place the lentils and bay leaf in a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover the lentils by at least 3-4 inches. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to a bare simmer (just a few bubbles along the edges) and cook until just tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- While the lentils are cooking sauté the mushrooms.
- Heat the olive oil a large sauté pan over medium heat, add mushrooms and quickly toss to coat then spread into a single layer.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes over medium heat without stirring until browned on one side. Stir in thyme leaves and remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and continue to cook stirring occasionally for an additional 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place chopped walnuts on a parchment lined sheet pan and toast in oven for 3-5 minutes or until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool.
- Once lentils are cooked, drain and discard bay leaf. Spread lentils out on a sheet pan to quickly cool and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt to season.
- Toss lentils, mushrooms, parsley and spinach with vinaigrette until well coated. Top with toasted walnuts and crumbled goat cheese if using and serve.
Notes
variations:
Substitute French lentils instead of black lentils if desired. Use other fresh herbs of choice such as chives in addition to parsley. For a vegan version use a dairy-free goat cheese instead or omit.
storage:
Lentils, mushrooms and dressing can be made ahead time and stored in fridge until needed. Toss with spinach, walnuts and cheese just before serving.
dietary info:
Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, No Refined Sugar
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2.5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12.5gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 520mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 11g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
Rina Rosenberg says
Sylive, the black lentils recipe is fabulous! I used balsamic vinegar (instead of sherry vinegar) and the baby spinach. I sauteed the cremini mushrooms. The dish is divine and I will certainly make it again. My husband Hassan loves it!
I discovered your website today and also posted the link on my Facebook page. Many thanks
Sylvie says
That's great, I'm so glad you both enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing it on Facebook as well!
Stephanie says
This is a great dish and I was just given these cute little black lentils and was wondering what I should make with them. Thanks for this!
Baker Street says
I love black lentils. The salad would make for a perfect mid week meal. 🙂
nipponnin says
These photos look fabulous! Even if you don't like lentil (I do) people will try making this dish.
Jamie | My Baking Addiction says
First of all these photos are absolutely incredible, Sylvie! Secondly, I love lentils, but have never heard of black lentils, so thanks for the new find!
Magic of Spice says
Too funny...sounds as though we have the same shopping habits and pantry woes 🙂
I do adore lentil and have a salad with them nearly weekly, I will be adding this beauty for sure! In fact I am making lentil soup so I will save a bit for this salad 🙂
EA-The Spicy RD says
Gorgeous lentil salad! Eating more lentils is on my food resolution for 2012-now I have no excuses not to make this dish!
Toni (Boulder Locavore) says
Sylvie I love black lentils and feel you've really created a perfect, seasonal dish. Your photos are nothing less than enchanting. I savored every morsel of the post!
kale @ tastes good to me! says
I totally buy things that are already in my pantry! Lovely photos; the lentils look beautiful.