Classic French Lentil Salad With Le Puy Lentils

Classic French lentil salad is Le Puy green lentils, simmered until just tender, tossed warm with a shallot and Dijon vinaigrette, and finished with parsley: about 35 minutes start to finish, and better the next day. It is the salad of every Paris bistro case and every French family table, and it depends on one thing above all: real Le Puy lentils, which hold their shape instead of collapsing into mush.

Why Le Puy lentils and not regular lentils?

Le Puy green lentils grow on the volcanic soils of the Haute-Loire and carry their own protected designation of origin, a rarity for a legume. Thin-skinned and dense, they cook through while staying whole and slightly firm, with a peppery, mineral flavor that ordinary brown lentils cannot match. In a salad, that structure is everything. We stock the Sabarot Le Puy PDO lentils, from a French family company milling specialty grains since 1819.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (7 oz) Le Puy green lentils
• 3 cups water (or half water, half broth)
• 1 bay leaf and 1 whole garlic clove, for the pot
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• A generous handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

How do you make French lentil salad?

1. Rinse the lentils. No soaking needed. Put them in a saucepan with the water, bay leaf, and garlic clove, and bring to a simmer.
2. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape. Add the diced carrot and celery for the last 8 minutes so they soften but keep a little bite. Salt only near the end of cooking.
3. While the lentils cook, make the vinaigrette: whisk the minced shallot, Dijon mustard, and red wine vinegar with a pinch of salt, then whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
4. Drain the lentils well and discard the bay leaf and garlic. While they are still warm, toss with the vinaigrette; warm lentils drink up the dressing.
5. Fold in the parsley, season with salt and pepper, and taste. It should be bright and mustardy. Serve warm or at room temperature.

How do you serve it, and what can you add?

In France this salad sits beside roast chicken, sausages, or a slice of country pâté, and it is a complete lunch topped with a soft-boiled egg. Good additions: crumbled goat cheese or feta, flaked tuna or smoked salmon, halved cherry tomatoes, or a spoonful of aged balsamic in place of some of the red wine vinegar. A few drops of 10-year Modena balsamic over the finished plate adds a sweet, dark echo to the lentils' minerality.

Can you make it ahead?

Yes, and you should. The salad keeps four days refrigerated and tastes best after a night in the dressing. Bring it back to room temperature before serving and refresh with a splash of vinegar and a little fresh parsley. It travels well, which makes it the ideal potluck and picnic dish.

Related reading

• Sabarot: France's Heritage Brand for Lentils and Beans
• La Vecchia Dispensa: A Guide to Modena Balsamic
• Terre Exotique: A Guide to Rare Peppers, Salts and Spices
• Perelló Gordal Olives: The Spanish Snacking Classic

Frequently asked questions

Do Le Puy lentils need soaking?

No. Rinse them and simmer. They cook in 20 to 25 minutes from dry.

Why did my lentils turn mushy?

Either they were not true Le Puy lentils, or they boiled too hard or too long. Keep the simmer gentle and start checking at 18 minutes; they should be tender with a slight bite.

Should you salt lentils during cooking?

Salt near the end of cooking. Heavy salting at the start can toughen the skins and slow cooking; acid, like vinegar, should only be added after cooking.

Is French lentil salad served warm or cold?

Either, but never refrigerator-cold. Warm or room temperature is traditional, and the vinaigrette is always added while the lentils are still warm.

How long does lentil salad keep?

Four days refrigerated in an airtight container. It improves overnight as the lentils absorb the vinaigrette.