This simple warm salmon lentil salad with tzatziki makes for a great lunch or dinner, packed with nutrients and good-for-you ingredients. If you’re on the lookout for some everyday meal recipes, you might want to add this one to your weekly rotation.
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I’ve been making this salmon lentil salad for many years, and I can’t believe I never shared the recipe with you… until now. If you think about it, there is absolutely nothing special about it, just simple flavors put together. But sometimes this is just the little thing that was missing: get inspired to prepare a new dish on your weekly rotation.
So here we are with this warm salmon lentil salad bowl, that combines Puys lentils, sautéed zucchini and salmon chunks with a lot of refreshing dill. Serve with a generous dollop of tzatziki, and it’s ready. This healthy, nourishing bowl has something absolutely irresistible that will make you come back to it again and again!
Why you’ll love this warm salmon lentil salad:
- A nourishing salad bowl for lunch or dinner
- Simple to assemble and perfect for meal prep
- Equally delicious served warm, lukewarm or cold
What goes into this warm salmon lentil salad?
These are the main components of the recipe. Please head over to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
- Salmon fillets. You can choose individual portion fillets or a whole salmon fillet that feeds 4. Alternatively, you can add your fishmonger to prepare the salmon fillets by removing the skin underneath and cut into chunks. This way, you can bake the salmon chunks all at once in the oven.
- Puys lentils. These are my preferred choice of lentils for this recipe, but you could also use Beluga lentils.
- Fresh dill. The recipe calls for a lot of fresh dill, and I recommend you don’t skip it. Dill is incredible with salmon and it is what brings all the refreshing flavors to this dish.
- Zucchini. You need 2 medium zucchini for this recipe, sliced.
- Tzatziki. Homemade is better but store-bought is ok~ish if necessary. Note that I added some feta to the tzatziki for more salty and cheesy flavors.
A 3-step recipe
In order to help you prepare the recipe, I shared below the 3 main steps to keep in mind. When every single one of them is ready, all you need to do is assemble the salad and serve right away.
- Prepare the salmon and zucchini sheet pan. Basically, everything goes onto the same sheet pan, the salmon on one side, the zucchini on the other side, all seasoned with garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and lots of dill. Place in the oven and bake!
- Cook the Puys lentils in the meantime, until al-dente (check ‘pro tips for success’ further below) and add the seasonings.
- Prepare the tzatziki (or use store-bought).
Pro tips for success:
- Ensure the lentils are al-dente. To do so, rinse them briefly after cooking under cold running water to stop the cooking time and prevent them from being mushy.
- Use salmon chunks instead of fillets if you get a chance to have your fishmonger prepare them for you. It will make your job easier and guarantees neat, equal size bites.
- Monitor the salmon baking time closely to ensure it is tender inside. Every oven is different and so are the size of your salmon fillets so you want to make sure it is done right.
- You can briefly warm up the lentils in the microwave before assembling the salad to ensure all the components are warm (except for the tzatziki).
Meal prep and recipe variations
- Meal prep. There is absolutely no reason that stands in the way of meal preping this recipe. You can cook the salmon and zucchini sheet pan ahead of time, same goes with the Puys lentils, and store them all in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 5 days. You can also make the tzatziki in advance but store in a different airtight container. Try to keep some fresh dill aside so you can add it just before serving.
- Recipe variation ideas. Crispy oven baked potatoes will be a great addition to this warm salmon lentil salad. When in season, you can replace the zucchini with some green asparagus. For a quicker version, use smoked salmon instead of samon filets. I often add some crumbled or diced feta cheese to the salad. As for the lentils, you can use either Puys lentils or Beluga. Also, feel free to replace the tzatziki with another dip: a whipped feta dip or a baba ganoush would work a wonder.
More lentil recipes you’ll like..
- Braised Fennel, lemon, dill and Puy Lentils
- Lentil, Chickpea and Sweet Potato Curry
- Greek Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Lentils
- French Lentil Salad with Beets, Baby Spinach and Feta
- Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd’s Pie
Warm Salmon Lentil Salad with Tzatziki
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Mains
This simple warm salmon lentil salad with tzatziki makes for a great lunch or dinner, packed with nutrients and good-for-you ingredients.
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We’ll send it straight to your inbox, along with weekly food inspiration!
Ingredients
For the warm lentil salad with salmon:
- 2 cups (300g) Puys lentils
- 4 to 5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, or more if needed
- ¼ red onion, minced (+ extra for serving, sliced)
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 4 salmon fillets or 1 whole salmon fillet
- 2 medium zucchini, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill (+ extra for serving)
For the tzatziki with feta:
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly diced
- 1 ½ cup (340g) plain Greek yogurt
- 1.7 ounces (50g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, freshly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prepare the zucchini and salmon sheet pan. Place the salmon portions on one side of the baking sheet and the zucchini slices on the other side. Add garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and scatter dill all over. Place in the oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until salmon is tender and cooked through and the zucchini slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes. Remove the salmon skin and cut into chunks.*
- Cook the lentils. Rinse lentils under running water. Sauté the red onions with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan, until translucent. Add lentils, and cover with triple the volume of cold water and cook for about 20-25 minutes, until tender but not mush. Drain under cold water and transfer back to the pan or a large bowl. Mix in 3 Tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, and season with salt and pepper.
- For the tzatziki, place the diced cucumber in a cloth and gently squeeze all the moisture out. Transfer to a bowl, add yogurt, feta, dill, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt and stir until creamy.
- To assemble the warm lentil salad, mix together the lentils with the baked salmon chunks and zucchini slices. Add a dollop of tzatziki to each bowl. Scatter slices of raw red onions if desired, more fresh dill, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
* Note that you can also use salmon chunks and bake them at once onto the baking sheet. This way, you won’t need to cut salmon pieces afterwards. This is an easier method, as long as the salmon chunks are already prepared when you by them at the fishmonger (i.e. skin off and cut into same size chunks).
Quick recipe variation. You can also make this warm lentil salad by using smoked salmon instead of salmon filets, or a mix of baked and smoked salmon.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Warm Salmon Lentil Salad with Tzatziki, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
