Spring has finally arrived in New York. Sure, we had cold weather here and there—when I woke up on Friday, it was 27 degrees Fahrenheit—but for the most part, temperatures are getting milder. The flowers in the park began to bloom, and the sun stayed out until suppertime.

As the seasons change, there is a renewed interest in colorful plant salads. This French lentil dressing salad has been a favorite of mine since I made it a few weeks ago! I like to use some of my favorite spring crops—new potatoes, green beans, and baby greens—and they vary in texture.

I replaced the traditional Neparassos protein salad with pickled French lentils. I love how they work in recipes.

What is Niparazo?

Salad originated in Nice, France. It usually consists of cooked green beans, fish seeds or new potatoes, tomatoes or roasted peppers, and eggs. Sometimes, it includes anchovies or tuna.

The salad dressing I most often see is served as a combination salad, that is, arranged on a large platter. But it’s okay to put the ingredients together in a large portion or in a bowl. You can make this lentil sauce either way.

The choice of vegetable protein

Making a vegetable salad is easy because traditional recipes include many vegetables! The main challenge is replacing the primary protein sources: eggs and fish.

To do this, I use French lentils, also known as “Puy lentils” or Le Puy green lentils.

I love French lentils. They are smaller than regular green lentils. Moreover, they hold their shape better when cooking than green or brown lentils. They’re tender but not mushy.

I use French lentils to make a simple French lentil soup and braised lentils on toast. I also usually toss them into salads (including, appropriately, the noise bowl in the Power Plates).

Do I need to use French lentils in my recipe?

No, French lentils are not needed to make the lentil sauce work. This salad is also great with white lentils and Padina lentils, as well as plain green or brown lentils.

After cooking for about 20 minutes, be sure to taste some lentils. This will help you keep track of whether the lentils are becoming mushy. In my experience, French lentils usually cook for 25-30 minutes, but regular green lentils take 20-25 minutes. It all depends on the age of the lentils and the specific lentils you use.

French lentil dressing for salad

Potato

I used new potatoes in the salad, but you can also use fried or red potatoes. Regular Yukon gold potatoes will be good, too! Make sure you cut them into quarters before baking.

Speaking of which, I prefer baked potatoes to boiled potatoes for salad. They have more flavor, and I love their crunchy texture.

Green bean

You can use regular green beans or green beans—thinner, faster-cooking green beans—in recipes. If you don’t have fresh green beans, frozen beans will do.

Tomato

It’s definitely not tomato season, but I love the tomatoes in my Neparazos salad. I recently bought some greenhouse grape tomatoes that are sweet and vibrant, even in March. Grape, cherry, and plum tomatoes are great for salads.

If you don’t have tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers are a good substitute. Many traditional Niparaso salad recipes call for red peppers.

Olive

Olives add saltiness to the lentil salad. You don’t have to eat olives if you don’t like them. I always use black olives (Nyon or Kalamata) in recipes.

Cream lettuce

I love tender butter lettuce in spring salads, but legumes, arugula, baby spinach, and any other small green vegetables can be substitutes.

vinegar

The vinaigrette I use for my lentil dressing salad is a mixture of champagne vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. It’s easy! White wine vinegar can be substituted for champagne vinegar, as can freshly squeezed lemon juice or red wine vinegar. Work with what you have.

French lentil sauce salad

This salad is hearty enough to count as a meal: you can enjoy it on its own, but it’s certainly a good idea to pair it with some toast or sliced baguette.

You can also make the lentil sauce heartier by adding cooked whole grains to the recipe. I want to try using wheat, bulgur, or cooked quinoa.

Preparation and Storage

One of the great things about a lentil dressing salad is that it’s easy to make ahead of time. When I made this dish recently, I baked potatoes beforehand, cooked French lentils, and marinated them. I also stirred the vinaigrette in advance.

All these parts can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. When you’re ready to make a salad, chop fresh vegetables and add toppings.

This is a very sturdy salad; the leftovers will keep well even if all the ingredients are mixed. I kept it in the fridge for three days. They made it easy for me to work at home for lunch.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds small or new potatoes, half or quarter (about 1 1/2 inches)

3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

Crude salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme or vanilla Provence

3/4 cup French lentils (dry, picked and washed)

2 tablespoons chopped spring Onions

2 tablespoons drained capers

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

5 cups baby butter lettuce, baby greens, baby spinach, or arugula

12 ounces sliced green beans

10 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes (half)

1/3 cup pitted black olives

Make vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon of acceptable salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with a tablespoon and half olive oil. Mix them by hand so they are evenly immersed in the oil. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt, pepper, and thyme or Provencal herbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and easily pierced with a fork.
2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender but firm. Use a slotted spoon to remove the green beans from the water.
3. Add the lentils to the boiling water. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender but not gelatinized. Drain the lentils thoroughly through a fine sieve.
4. Transfer the lentils to a mixing bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, shallots, capers, parsley, vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper to taste.
5. Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients until smooth and emulsified.
6. Place a layer of buttered lettuce or tender greens, potatoes, cooked green beans, tomatoes, and seasoned lentils on a large platter or separate plate. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad. Enjoy.