Stop wondering what's for lunch! This easy 15-minute chopped broccoli and lentil salad is the ultimate healthy meal prep solution. High-protein, crunchy, with a bright no-mayo dressing- this salad is perfect for a quick desk lunch that stays fresh all week.
I've been on a kick lately with this salad. You know when you find a recipe you just can't get enouigh of, this is my latest. It's prefect for packing in my lunch, super crunchy, and packed with fibre and plant-based protein. I've made it several weeks in a row. It makes me look forward to my work day lunches.
Made ahead, this salad is good for several days thanks to the sturdy ingredients and easy maple cider vinaigrette. I like to pack this for lunch with some extra protein on top - add three oz of grilled chicken and you have a lunch with over 40 grams of protein and 10 grams of fibre! It will keep you full and satisfied all afternoon. Promise.
More good meal prep salads
- Cannellini Bean Salad with Roasted Red Peppers
- Make ahead Kale Salad (a great base for all kinds of yummy additions)
- Green Pea and Lentil Salad
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Why this recipe works
Fresh raw veggies add crunch and texture to otherwise bland lentils. Canned lentils make this a very quick prep meal. You can cook your own if you prefer, and in cooking your own you may have more options to use Beluga or Puey lentils, but plain brown canned lentils work just find and save a tonne of time.
The dressing is a simple blend of lemon, vinegar, maple syrup, dijon and olive oil. Often I used a herb and dill spice mix that has garlic, herbs and salt for a little more flavour.
Sturdy veggies stay crunchy for days even while dressed. The dressing actually starts to marinate the veggies a little adding more flavour without sacrificing texture after a few hours. This salad gets better as it sits.
Ingredients for this quick meal prep salad
Raw broccoli - just chop the florets and stems into smaller than bit sized pieces. You want each bite of salad to have a little bit of everything.
Red cabbage - my favourite kind of cabbage. A bit sweet and the pop of colour reminds me to eat a rainbow. You can use white or savoy cabbage if you want.
Pumpkin seeds - a good source of magnesium and zinc and add some more crunch
Lentils - I used canned green or brown lentils to keep this easy and quick. You could cook your own lentils if you have time. I used one 19oz can, which gives about 2 cups of cooked lentils. You will need to cook ⅔ cup to 1 full cup of dried lentils to yield 2 cups cooked.
Green onions. Jalapeno. Parsley. - for flavour and freshness. I find the jalapeño mellows significantly as this salad sits. But jalapeño is optional if you don't like heat. Just leave it out.
Dressing. A very simple blend of lemon, cider vinegar, maple syrup and olive oil. A little dijon holds it all together. This is a light dressing. Mix it once and toss on the salad immediately.
Instructions
This is a simple salad to throw together, which is why is it so genius for meal prep.
Chop all the veggies, drain a can of lentils and toss together with the dressing.
To make the dressing combine vinegar, lemon juice, maple, Dijon and olive oil in a small container. Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Pour over salad and toss.
Meal Prep Tip: for lunch, and because I am fully on board with protein first meal plans, I like to prep some protein on the weekends as well. So I will bake up some of this tofu or air-fry some chicken breast and make this lentil salad while it cooks.
Options and how to serve
This salad is vegan as writen. 100% plant-based and gluten-free. Here is a couple of ways I use it for meal prep:
As a stand alone meal salad. Divide the receipe as written into two or three servings. If divided into two servings, this recipes will provide about 550 cals, a whopping 32 grams of protein and 26 grams of fibre. Guarrenteed to keep you full.
As a base salad with added protein. In this case I divided this receipe into 4 servings and top each serving with a protein source. My favourites:
- 3 oz cooked skinless, boneless chicken breast adds 150 cals and 25 grams protein
- 6 oz firm tofu, I use this recipe, add 140 cals and 14 grams protein
- A 150 gram can (not drained weight) of canned salmon, will add 120 cals and 24 grams of protein
Storage. When I meal prep I like to assemble individual lunches. So I will portion out my servings into packable lunch containers once it is prepped. That way there is no guessing the next in the morning when I'm heading out the door. Just grab and go.
I use these 4 cup glass meal prep containers most often.
This salad will keep 4-5 days, refrigerated, once tossed with the dressing.
More salad recipes
Looking for more fresh salad recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
Make Ahead Broccoli and Lentil Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped broccoli pieces should be smaller than bite sized
- 1 cup chopped red cabbage
- 2 cup lentils green or brown, cooked or canned. About 1-18 oz can
- 2 tablespoons pepitas roasted and salted
- 1 jalapeno finely diced
- ½ cup green onions finely sliced, about 4 large
- ½ cup parsley finely chopped
Maple & Cider Vinnegrette
- ¼ cup lemon juice about the juice from ½ a lemon
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt or a teaspoon of a herb blend which contains salt like Dill and Herb, or to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together salad ingredints.4 cups chopped broccoli, 1 cup chopped red cabbage, 2 cup lentils, 2 tablespoons pepitas, 1 jalapeno, ½ cup green onions, ½ cup parsley
- Whisk the dressing in small a container until well blended. Pour over salad and toss well to coat all vegetables. Pack salad into individual serving containers and chill for atleats 3 hours before serving.¼ cup lemon juice, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt
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