Creamy Avocado Lemon Lentil Bowl (Printable)
Protein-packed bowl with lentils, avocado, vegetables, and zesty lemon dressing for fresh meals.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Lentils
01 - 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
02 - 3 cups water
03 - 1 bay leaf
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables & Herbs
05 - 1 large ripe avocado, diced
06 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
07 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
08 - ½ small red onion, finely chopped
09 - ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
→ Creamy Lemon Dressing
11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
14 - 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
15 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened plain yogurt
16 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
17 - ½ teaspoon salt
18 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ To Serve
19 - 2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds
20 - Lemon wedges
# How-To Steps:
01 - Combine lentils, water, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes until lentils are tender but not mushy. Drain, discard bay leaf, and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Let cool to room temperature.
02 - While the lentils cook, dice avocado, halve cherry tomatoes, dice cucumber, and finely chop red onion, parsley, and mint.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, mustard, yogurt, garlic, salt, and pepper until creamy and emulsified.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled lentils, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and mint. Pour over the dressing and toss gently to coat.
05 - Gently fold in the diced avocado, taking care not to mash it.
06 - Divide the salad among bowls. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The creamy avocado melts into warm lentils creating the most satisfying texture
- Fresh herbs and lemon make every bite feel bright and alive
02 -
- Let those lentils cool completely before adding avocado or it will turn brown and mushy
- The dressing tastes even better after sitting for 10 minutes so all flavors meld together
03 -
- Red lentils will turn mushy so stick to green or brown for this recipe
- Toasting pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes makes them exponentially more flavorful