Lentil and Tuna Salad
Updated October 16, 2023
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup green or brown lentils, washed and picked over
1 bay leaf
½ medium onion
Salt to taste
1 can water-packed tuna, drained
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
33 grams carbs; 28 milligrams cholesterol; 368 calories; 10 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 15 grams fat; 6 grams fiber; 393 milligrams sodium; 28 grams protein; 2 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place the lentils, half the garlic, the bay leaf and the onion in a medium-size saucepan or soup pot. Add 1 quart water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and add salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon). Cover and simmer 30 minutes until the lentils are just tender. Remove the onion and bay leaf, and discard. Drain the lentils through a strainer set over a bowl.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the tuna, parsley, chives and drained lentils.
- Step 3
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, remaining garlic clove and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the broth from the lentils. Toss with the tuna and lentils, and serve.
Advance preparation: This will keep for four or five days in the refrigerator.
Private Notes
Comments
I love this, as I do all of Martha Rose Shulman's recipes! My lentils were ready after 25 minutes and would have been overdone had I cooked them 30 minutes, so I recommend checking periodically at the 20 minute mark. The flavor of the dressing is perfect. This recipe worked well as part of a modified Salade Nicoise, with tomatoes, olives, hard boiled eggs, green beans, avocado and lettuce. Thank you, Martha Rose S!
Throw some feta in this and it becomes unbelievably good
Canned salmon is delicious, too.
This was delicious. I used fresh tuna that I air fryer with olive oil and miso. The extra flavor of the tuna really carried through. I don’t know why all the NYT recipes call for canned tuna rather than fresh.
I found this recipe to be incredibly bland, so unless that’s what your taste buds love I’d probably find another recipe. I did end up adding a lot of lemon juice and, as someone else had suggested, capers, and that helped, but this still was far from my favorite recipe. Cooked the lentils for about 24 minutes and they were overdone. I would definitely heed others suggestions to check at 20 minutes. I served over arugula with cherry tomatoes. As I have plenty of leftovers I’ll eat it cold for lunch tomorrow, but I won’t be making this again.
This is delicious. I splurged and used a jar of the Italian tuna packed in olive oil and drizzled that instead of olive oil. Subbed in a scallion for the chive. I dished it up with avocado chunks, cherry tomatoes on a bed of greens.....thanks NYT chefs.