French Lentil Salad With Broccolini and Eggs (Print version)

A hearty bowl featuring tender French lentils, crisp broccolini, and jammy eggs with Dijon vinaigrette.

# What you'll need:

→ Lentils and Vegetables

01 - 1 cup French green lentils (lentilles du Puy), rinsed
02 - 1 bay leaf
03 - 8 oz broccolini, trimmed and halved
04 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

→ Eggs

06 - 4 large eggs

→ Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ To Finish

13 - 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta, optional
14 - Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Combine lentils, bay leaf, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until lentils are just tender. Drain and discard bay leaf, then set aside.
02 - While lentils cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add broccolini and blanch for 2-3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
03 - Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Gently lower eggs into the boiling water and simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 2 minutes, then peel carefully under cool running water.
04 - In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
05 - Add warm lentils, broccolini, red onion, and parsley to the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine and evenly coat all ingredients.
06 - Divide salad among serving plates. Halve the soft-cooked eggs and place on top of each portion. Sprinkle with goat cheese or feta if using, and finish with additional cracked pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lentils hold their shape beautifully without turning to mush, giving you that satisfying texture French cooks obsess over.
  • One soft-cooked egg transforms it from side dish to proper main course in seconds.
  • It tastes even better the next day when flavors have gotten cozy with each other.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ice bath for the eggs; it stops the cooking instantly and prevents that gray-green ring that means you overshot the timing.
  • The lentils must still be warm when they meet the vinaigrette, otherwise they stay stubborn and won't absorb the flavors the way French cooks intend.
03 -
  • Keep a close eye on lentil cooking time because the difference between tender and broken is about three minutes, and French lentils cook faster than you'd expect.
  • The soft-cooked egg is what makes this salad transcendent, so don't skip it or substitute cold hard-boiled eggs; that warm, runny yolk is doing essential work.
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