Lentil and Tuna Salad

Name: Lentil and Tuna Salad
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves four
Ingredients: 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 cup green or brown lentils, washed and picked over; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 medium onion; Salt to taste; 1 can water-packed tuna, drained; 1/4 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; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

By Martha Rose Shulman

Updated Oct. 17, 2023

Lentil and Tuna Salad — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(500)
Notes: Read community notes

Lentils and tuna are a wonderful combination. This mixture also makes a great stuffing for tomatoes.

Featured in: Lentils: Packed With Protein â and Flavor

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves four

2garlic cloves, minced
1cup green or brown lentils, washed and picked over
1bay leaf
½medium onion
Salt to taste
1can water-packed tuna, drained
¼cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1tablespoon chopped chives
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1tablespoon sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼cup extra virgin olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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.

Tip

Advance preparation: This will keep for four or five days in the refrigerator.

Ratings

5 out of 5

500 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Betsy6 years ago

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!

HBN6 years ago

Canned salmon is delicious, too.

Mike6 years ago

Throw some feta in this and it becomes unbelievably good

Stacie6 years ago

Very tasty recipe. Served it warm for supper, then cold for lunch the next day. My lentils were overcooked at 30 minutes so like the post below I recommend checking at 20 minutes. I served it on a bed of arugula, which added a nice bite to the salad.

Christopher6 years ago

Love this recipe! I may never have tuna without lentils again. Great healthy protein meal. I served over greens and sliced grape tomatoes marinated in a strawberry vinaigrette. Never had this before and the result is delicious. For best taste use quality grainy Dijon mustard. The extra texture goes well with the tuna lentil combination.

Emily3 years ago

I added some capers for some brininess. So tasty!

tar heel4 years ago

Very bland but good with additions. Added a diced jalapeño and halved black olives but this also could have used feta and cherry tomatoes, as others have suggested.

Joan4 years ago

I added cherry tomatoes because I had them, it was excellent for a light dinner.

Hannah3 years ago

So simple, delicious, hearty. I followed the advice given by other comments and added an extra can of tuna (I used oil packed for extra flavor, and poured that oil into the lentils.) My lentils were also finished cooking at 20 minutes. This is delicious warm, room temperature, cold. Makes great leftovers, too.

Anastasia4 years ago

I loved this recipe, but I have a question about the serving sizes. How on earth does one can of tuna and one cup of lentils translate to 4 servings?

Michele S1 year ago

This is quite nice but could there have been a mention earlier in the recipe than in the last line, maybe in the ingredients or at the point where you're draining the lentils, that you need to reserve 2TBSP of the lentil broth? Just a thought. Otherwise, quite tasty (even without the lentil broth)

deanna1 year ago

save the broth bc it comes in at the end.

double marinade1 month ago

Add feta and tomatoes

T’scucina2 months ago

Great recipe! Definitely use 2 cans of tuna with EVOO and added capers. Otherwise followed as written.

Rebecca2 months ago

Assume this might also work for things like canned salmon? Has anybody tried it?

Laurie Heath3 months ago

This was pretty good! I used Rancho Gordo Puglia lentils. I added a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon and used Penzey's minced toasted onion rather than a half onion. I also added a second large can of tuna. I thought it was a bit dry so added quite a bit more of the lentil broth.

Spacebabe3 months ago

I’ve made this numerous times and it’s now in my regular meal rotation. Healthy, adaptable, always tastes delicious and is easy and quick. Love it!

RY4 months ago

Added chopped celery and spring onions; some capers; feta.

RY4 months ago

Added celery and spring onions; capers; a little feta on the side. Lentils were done in 20 minutes!

jo6 months ago

I tried this while testing out high protein, healthy lunch options. It’s quite tasty and much more flavorful than I expected. I added an extra can of tuna for more protein and splashed in a bit more olive oil to account for that. As others have said, the lentils take 25 mins not 30.

SecondCareerChef6 months ago

Delicious! I’m going to try this with grilled tuna too.

Abbey7 months ago

Cooked the lentils in veggie broth in the instant pot for more flavor. I could see this recipe being very versatile and convenient to prepare ahead.

Tiffany10 months ago

This recipe should specify the proper amount of tuna in weight given tuna comes standard in many different sizes of cans - and bottles and foil packets for that matter 5 oz? 12 oz? 7.5 oz?

Aimee1 year ago

Made with leftover cooked salmon, great high-protein lunch fare. Next time I will add some celery for crunch, but it's perfect as is

beachbum1 year ago

This is absolutely delicious and makes an easy lunch or light summer dinner. I added tomatoes and olives served over some arugula with a side of crusty bread.

KabulKate1 year ago

I added a teaspoon of raw minced garlic to the dressing and added multicolored grated carrots to the salad. Delicious! Fresh! Vibrant colors!

Michele1 year ago

Great recipe. I used French Puy lentils, which cook in 20 minutes. I forgot to add the garlic and salt to the pot, but just put all of the chopped garlic and the salt into the warm lentils; and used the tuna's olive oil in the salad. For my taste the tablespoon of sherry vinegar was too sharp; next time I would use part Pommery red wine vinegar and part sherry vinegar. I plated it on romaine and radicchio leaves and garnished with Roma tomato quarters and avocado, to serve two as lunch.

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