French Lentil Salad With Broccolini Eggs (Printable)

Tender lentils paired with broccolini and soft-cooked eggs in a tangy Dijon dressing.

# 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine rinsed 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 tender. Drain and discard bay leaf.
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 water and simmer for 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to an ice bath for 2 minutes, then peel carefully.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
05 - Add warm lentils, blanched broccolini, sliced red onion, and chopped parsley to the bowl with vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine and evenly coat all components.
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 black pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you'd think for something this elegant and filling.
  • The jammy eggs transform the whole salad into something that feels fancy but never fussy.
  • You can eat it warm right after making it, or pack it for lunch knowing it actually tastes better the next day.
02 -
  • The exact moment you pull the eggs from boiling water matters tremendously, so set a timer and don't rely on your intuition, because seven minutes gives you jammy yolks while eight minutes gives you something too firm.
  • Don't skip the ice bath for the eggs or they'll keep cooking and you'll end up with that gray ring around the yolk that means you've overshot it.
  • Blanching the broccolini in salted boiling water is not optional if you want it to taste vibrant and fresh instead of dull and steamed.
03 -
  • Warm lentils absorb vinaigrette better than cold ones, so dress them right after they finish cooking while they're still steaming and willing to soak up flavor.
  • If you're making this ahead, dress everything except the eggs and cheese until you're ready to serve, otherwise the lentils get soggy and the broccolini loses its brightness.
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