Name: Greek Lentil Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Feta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1½ cups cooked lentils (from about ½ cup / 100 g dry); 1 bay leaf and 1 garlic clove (for cooking the lentils); 1 onion (diced); 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 spring onion (thinly sliced); ⅓ cup dry white wine; ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes (diced); ½ cup Greek feta cheese (crumbled); 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (chopped, like spearmint, parsley and dill); ½ cup extra virgin olive oil; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1 garlic clove (minced); 1 lemon (juiced); ½ teaspoon honey (optional); sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

This Greek lentil salad is tender green lentils tossed with sweet sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta, fresh herbs, and onions softened in olive oil and white wine, all in a bright lemon vinaigrette. The onions are the secret: cooked down with a splash of wine, they turn sweet and mellow, and their juices soak right into the lentils.

This is the salad I make over and over. I eat it most days, just as it is for lunch, and with chicken or a piece of grilled salmon for dinner. It’s quick, it’s filling, and it tastes even better after a short rest.

If you love this Greek lentil salad, you’ll also love my Greek lentil soup (fakes), lentil and spinach soup with lemon and my roasted corn tomato salad.

Close-up of a Greek lentil salad with sun-dried tomatoes, crumbled feta and fresh herbs in a bowl

Overview

Why you will love Greek Lentil Salad

The onions make it. Softened in olive oil and white wine, they add sweetness without the bite of raw onion.
Salty, tangy, fresh. Feta and sun-dried tomatoes against lemon, mint and dill.
Lentils that keep their shape. Cooked just until tender, they stay firm in the salad.
Lunch and dinner sorted. Ready in about 30 minutes, it keeps in the fridge for days. I eat it on its own at lunch and next to chicken or salmon at dinner.

The best lentils for lentil salad

Green or French (Puy) lentils are best. They hold their shape and keep a little bite.
Brown lentils work too; start tasting a few minutes early, since they soften faster.
Black (beluga) lentils are another good choice.
Skip red and yellow lentils. They break down and turn mushy, which is perfect for soup but not for salad.
Short on time? Use 1½ cups of canned or vacuum-packed cooked lentils, rinsed and drained.

For more lentil and bean dinners, browse my Greek & Mediterranean dinners.

Here is what you need

Lentils, herbs, onions, olive oil, garlic mustard, wine and sun-dried tomatoes, ingredients for greek lentil salad.

Lentils. Green, brown or Puy. See above.
Onion and spring onion. Sautéed together until soft and starting to caramelize.
Dry white wine. Deglazes the pan and mellows the onions. The alcohol cooks off; for an alcohol-free version, use a splash of water with a teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
Sun-dried tomatoes. Oil-packed or dry; chop them small so every bite gets some.
Greek feta. Use a block of feta in brine and crumble it yourself; pre-crumbled feta is drier and less creamy.
Fresh herbs. Spearmint, parsley and dill, the herbs of a Greek summer kitchen. Any one or a mix works.
For the dressing: extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and a little honey to round off the lemon.

Jenny’s Tip

This lentil salad is a delicious, complete meal. All you need is some crusty bread or rusks. To make it more filling, add two cups of cooked rice to the lentils, along with the dressing, and toss. Greek cooks often make fakorizo with lentil leftovers.

What makes this lentil salad Greek

Lentils (fakes, φακές) are everyday food in Greece, mostly as a pot of Greek lentil soup on a weeknight. This salad takes the same humble lentil and dresses it with what’s always in a Greek kitchen: good feta, extra virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic, and handfuls of fresh herbs, especially spearmint (diosmos), the mint Greeks reach for in salads, keftedes and dolmades.

Softening onions in olive oil with a splash of wine is a Greek kitchen habit too, the same start you’ll find in so many stews and ladera.

Lentil salad with feta and sun-dried tomatoes served with bread and lemon

Step by step

STEP 1. Cook the lentils. Rinse them, then simmer in plenty of water with a bay leaf and a garlic clove for 20–25 minutes, until cooked but still firm. Drain, discard the bay leaf and garlic, and let them cool slightly while you prepare the rest.

Onions and spring onions softened in olive oil and white wine in a sauté pan

STEP 2. Soften the onions. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and spring onion and cook for 3–5 minutes, until soft and starting to caramelize. Pour in the white wine, stir, and let the alcohol cook off. Transfer the onions and all their liquid to a bowl.

Lemon vinaigrette in a jar with olive oil, Dijon mustard and garlic

STEP 3. Make the vinaigrette. Shake the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic and honey in a jar until emulsified.

Lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and herbs being tossed in a large bowl

STEP 4. Toss. In a large bowl, combine the lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, onions with their liquid, herbs and feta. Shake the dressing again, pour over 2 tablespoons and toss well.

Taste and rest. Add more dressing, salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away, or let the salad rest at room temperature for 30 minutes so the flavors come together.

Tips for the best lentil salad

Don’t overcook the lentils. Start tasting at 18 minutes. Soft lentils won’t firm back up.
Dress them slightly cooled. Warm (not hot) lentils soak up the dressing without turning mushy.
Keep the onion juices. The wine and oil from the pan are part of the dressing.
Taste before salting. Feta and sun-dried tomatoes are both salty.
Brighten it at the end. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of red wine vinegar right before serving wakes it up.

Variations

Vegan or fasting-day version: skip the feta and the honey, and add Kalamata olives for saltiness.
More vegetables: cucumber, roasted red peppers or cherry tomatoes.
More protein: a handful of chickpeas, or serve over greens with grilled chicken.

What to serve with Greek lentil salad

For lunch: just as it is, the way I eat it most days. Add warm pita or crusty bread if you like.
For dinner: with chicken or a piece of grilled fish. Grilled lamb chops work too.
On a meze table: as part of a spread with keftedes, dips, Greek fries, and a horiatiki salad.

Storage and leftovers

Fridge: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature and add a squeeze of lemon before serving.
Leftover dressing: keep it in the jar in the fridge for up to 4 days (it contains fresh garlic) and shake before using.
Freezer: not recommended; the feta and herbs don’t freeze well.

Greek lentil salad FAQ

Absolutely. In Greece we never eat lentil soup without a piece of feta on the side, never! Salty, creamy feta is a perfect match for earthy lentils, and in this salad a squeeze of lemon ties them together.

Green or French (Puy) lentils, which hold their shape. Brown and black lentils work too. Avoid red lentils, which turn mushy.

A lemon vinaigrette with olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon and garlic. A little honey balances the lemon.

They overlap. A Greek version leans on feta, olive oil, lemon and herbs like mint and dill.

Yes, up to a day ahead. Add the herbs and an extra squeeze of lemon just before serving.

Yes. Use 1½ cups, rinsed and drained.

Cooked it? Rate it!

If you tried this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it — drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thegreekfoodie__.

Greek Lentil Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Feta

5 from 1 vote

2 Comments

Daryl says:

August 11, 2025 at 6:31 am

This elegant lentil salad reminds me of Greece. The feta, olive oil & tomatoes are iconic. It has just enough zesty dressing and herbs to get your attention.

1. Jenny Skrapaliori-Graves says:
  
  August 11, 2025 at 6:42 am
  
  Thank you Darly!