This Black Lentil Salad with Grapefruit Orange Blossom Vinaigrette is absolutely delightful and the perfect summer salad! The vinaigrette has a unique flavor due to the combination of grapefruit juice and orange blossom water. The lentils provide a hearty bite and the veggies and grapefruit add a fresh quality. It’s a healthy and naturally gluten-free salad.
Our friends spent a week in a vacation rental close to where we live. We got to kitty sit Olive the cat while they were here. It’s always a treat to hang out with her! We hung out with our friends at the beach a few times which was really nice. They will be coming down more often because Robby is overhauling a vintage Schwinn bike for Beto.
Robby and Beto are in the process of searching out parts for it and are picking up the parts up from various places. If the parts are close to Beto, he will pick them up and bring them down to our house, hence a beach day. The bike madness has continued with yet another purchase of a 2 speed Racer. I think Beto now has the bug too! There is talk about getting Jill a matching bike as well. This is perfect for Robby because he gets to do his passion without having to buy another bike. We certainly do not need any more bikes, lol!
This salad is perfect with a sparkling wine such as a Cava or Prosecco.
Black Lentil Salad with Grapefruit Orange Blossom Vinaigrette - CaliZona
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Dried Black Lentils
- 6 Cups Filtered Water
- 1 Cup or whole Recipe Grapefruit Champagne Vinaigrette recipe below
- 1 Grapefruit - thinly sliced - cut the skin off - quartered
- 4 - 5 Radishes – thinly sliced or diced
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper – diced
- 3/4 Cup Asiago Cheese optional, you might need to add some salt if omitting
- 1/2 Cup Basil - minced
- 1 Garlic Clove - minced
- 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- Chevre Cheese - to taste - optional
Grapefruit Orange Blossom Vinaigrette
- 2/3 Cup Grapefruit Juice - fresh squeezed
- 1 Teaspoon Grapefruit Zest
- 2 Tablespoons Champagne Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Orange Blossom Water
- 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Shallots or 1/4 Cup - optional
- 2 Small Cloves Garlic or 2 Teaspoons
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
- Dash Black Pepper
Instructions
Lentils
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Sort the lentils to make sure there are no rocks then rinse and drain.
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Add the lentils and water to a medium pot, bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low and simmer.
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Simmer for 15 minutes. You don’t want them too soft or they will be mushy.
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While the lentils are cooking start the vinaigrette.
Vinaigrette
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Add mustard, grapefruit juice, zest, salt and pepper to a medium bowl and whisk together.
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Next, whisk in the champagne vinegar, orange blossom water and then slowly whisk in the olive oil.
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Stir in the garlic and shallots.
Assembly
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When the lentils are finished cooking, drain into a mesh colander and rinse to help cool them down. Cool to room temperature.
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Stir in the dressing (I add the whole recipe because I like the extra flavor and I don’t mind the extra liquid. If you want you can add less.)
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Stir in the salt, garlic and Asiago.
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Add the radishes, bell peppers and grapefruits.
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Add crumbled chevre onto individual salads.
