French Lentil Salad With Broccolini (Printable)

Tender French lentils with crisp broccolini, jammy eggs, and zesty Dijon vinaigrette.

# What You'll Need:

→ Lentils and Vegetables

01 - 1 cup French green lentils, rinsed
02 - 1 bay leaf
03 - 8 oz broccolini, trimmed and halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

→ Eggs

06 - 4 large eggs

→ Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
12 - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

→ To Finish

13 - 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
14 - Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine lentils, bay leaf, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender. Drain and discard bay leaf.
02 - While lentils cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccolini and blanch for 2-3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
03 - Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Gently lower eggs and simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 2 minutes, then peel carefully.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
05 - Add warm lentils, broccolini, red onion, and parsley to the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine and coat evenly.
06 - Divide salad among plates. Halve the soft-cooked eggs and place on top. Sprinkle with goat cheese or feta if using. Finish with cracked pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 45 minutes and tastes like you spent all afternoon on it.
  • The soft-cooked egg yolk becomes its own sauce when you break it into the warm salad.
  • You can eat it hot, warm, or cold, which means it's perfect for meal prep without tasting tired by Thursday.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath for the eggs—it stops the cooking immediately and is the difference between a barely-set yolk and one that's gone chalky and pale.
  • Those French lentils are worth seeking out; they taste different from regular lentils, more sophisticated somehow, and they actually stay intact instead of turning to soup.
03 -
  • French green lentils hold their shape where other varieties would turn to mush, so don't substitute unless you want to adjust the cooking time and accept a softer texture.
  • Taste the lentils a minute before you think they're done—there's a narrow window between perfectly tender and overcooked, and it only takes 60 seconds to cross it.
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