This mango & cashew lentil salad is packed with healthy veggies and tossed in a creamy coconut-lime dressing!
This has been a bit of a crazy week at work. Meetings, a conference, impending deadlines…and I was a total wreck when it came to lunch.
I bought lunch every day, which makes me cringe, because when I add up all the money for a week’s worth of lunches…well, that money would be much better spent elsewhere.
Is it strange, then, today’s mango cashew lentil salad recipe would make the most perfect, nutritious, delicious, and cheap work lunch? Apparently I should have made a quadrulple batch of this stuff last week-end!
This mango cashew lentil salad brings a dose of the tropics…I was going to call it Caribbean, but the beansprouts and cashews make me think it might be leaning a little more towards Asian.
Anyway, Asian…Caribbean, whatever you call it, this lunch bowl brings a little dose of the tropics to your lunch. And I don’t know about you, but I am having a minor case of the ‘January Blues’, where I realize just how much winter we have ahead of us.
I live in Calgary, which is right by the Rocky Mountains. Translation: spring comes a LOT later to us than the rest of Canada. We won’t be seeing any tulips until well into April.
Sniff, sniff.
So rather than looking forward to any warm weather or tulips, I am embracing this mango cashew lentil salad 😉
The lentils go amazingly well with the mango and creamy coconut & lime dressing, and the addition of cashews and a whole lotta veggies brings a nice, fresh crunch to the dish.
This is such an easy salad to prep! Just open a can of lentils, cut up some veggies, shake up the dressing, and there you go!
If you want to use this as a work lunch, be sure to keep the dressing separate until just prior to serving. This is best made the day ahead at max, since the bean sprouts can tend to get a little slimy. If you want to prep it even further ahead, leave out the bean sprouts.
There you go! An easy, delicious, tropical, warm and happy dose of sunshine to all of our busy, wintery lives 🙂 Mango Cashew Lentil Salad for the win!
For more easy work lunch inspiration, check out:
- these (make ahead!) Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls,
- these two (awesome) round-ups: 29 Healthy Work Lunch Ideas and 19 Healthy Make-Ahead Lunch Bowls
- and these easy vegetarian Cauliflower Cashew Lunch Bowls
- 1 can lentils, rinsed thoroughly {540mL or 19oz}
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1 large mango, cut into matchsticks
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime zest
- 4 tsp brown sugar
- juice of half a lime
- 2 tbsp toasted coconut
- Combine all lentil bowl ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth.
- Drizzle salad with dressing just prior to serving.
Products used in this recipe:
This sounds so good right now to get me out of my winter slump! Loving all the tropical yummy flavors in here!
Leah | So, How’s It Taste? recently posted…Cherry Limeade Cocktail
Thanks, Leah…that January slump…it’s a bummer! I am SO ready for spring!
I love eating healthy meals like this for lunch — so much better than a boring old sandwich! This looks fresh and delicious, and I love the sound of that coconut-lime dressing! 🙂
marcie recently posted…Red Velvet Cheesecake Cookie Bars
Definitely a little more exciting than a sandwich! Thanks, Marcie 🙂
I have those weeks when I’m SO off my lunch game. Not good! I love the sound of these bowls, and that dressing sounds so so good. Definitely would beat the winter blues! 🙂
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life recently posted…Baked Black and White Cookie Donuts
Thanks, Alyssa! I seem to be off my game again this week…why are there not 30 hours in a day :S
Looks awesome!! I love all the different colors and textures going on, and the dressing sounds fab!!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel recently posted…Coconut Flour Carrot Cake Donuts
Thanks Jess! I needed some bright happy food in my life!
This bowl looks fantastic, Denise! Such a great idea to feature lentils as the main ingredient. And that dressing sounds like the perfect touch!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Baked Red Velvet Donuts & A Valentine’s Day Giveaway!
Thanks, Gayle! Lentils + coconut/lime is a strangely delicious combo 🙂
I’m the worst at bringing lunches with me! And even more so with a baby… These bowls look so perfect though and definitely winter-busting! We live in a valley and we’re never sure if we will actually manage to get back home when we leave, even if it’s just for grocery shopping. There’s just so. much. snow. This is definitely one lunch to comfort us through this horribly long winter!
Nora @ Savory Nothings recently posted…Fresh Pasta, Oxtail, Onions and Star Anise.
I am so bad when I have to get myself and Kai out the door. We’re lucky if we’re both dressed properly let alone all that other stuff! And I feel you on the long winters…last winter was brutal and it felt like we were trapped inside. At one point we didn’t leave the house for 3 days in a row (it was SO COLD). But: SPRING IS COMING! Yay!
I love all the colors in these lentil lunch bowls! Like eating a healthy rainbow. And I can’t wait to make that coconut lime dressing!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely recently posted…Winter Kale Salad with Apples and Pecans
Thanks, Natalie! I need some bright vibrant food in my life right now…I’m getting tired of this cold winter!
Okay I am making this! 🙂 I have a bag of dried lentils. If I just cooked those like normal, just in water, do you think the flavor would be right or would you do anything different? Sorry! I hate when people ask me recipe questions and I am doing it to you! 😉 You can just say, “um make it as directed Annie and I won’t be offended!” hahahaha!
Annie @Maebells recently posted…Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
For whatever reason the canned lentils didn’t say what type…just lentils. I would definitely not use red lentils because they get really mushy and wouldn’t have a very good texture. If you have brown lentils that ‘hold their shape’ after cooking, they should work well in this recipe! Sorry for the long-winded response, I am new to the lentil game 😉 Hope you like it Annie!
This bowl looks amazing Denise! I love all the ingredients and colors! It is such a horrible thing when you don’t have a good lunch to pack for the day, but that is nice that you can pick it up if you need! I want to make a huge batch of this and eat it for lunch everyday this week 🙂
Izzy recently posted…Homemade Peppermint Patty Cups
Thanks, Izzy! Ha ha at first I was wondering ‘who is Izzy’…duh!
This is exactly the kind of meal I need to get me out of the winter blues too! I love how bright and beautiful this salad is and the coconut lime dressing sounds amazing! It looks incredibly and totally having me dream of tropical weather 🙂
Thanks so much, Kelly! I wish I had some sort of tropical holiday to look forward to, but I guess I will have to settle for some exciting food 😉
I would happily eat this for lunch everyday this week! I love how colourful it is – absolutely gorgeous 🙂
Ceara @ Ceara’s Kitchen recently posted…Creamy Kale Pasta
This looks amazing! One question, if I were going to use home-cooked dried lentils, hoe many cups would I use? Thanks!
Hi Heather! So I’ve never actually used dried lentils (other than the red ones), so I’m not 100% sure. You’re going to want about 2 cups of cooked lentils, and I have read that 1 cup of dried lentils makes 2.5 cups of cooked lentils. So you may want to try 3/4 cup of dried brown lentils (make sure not to use the red ones!). Good luck and I hope you like the salad!
Coconut milk – canned or the refrigerated stuff? We use canned for cooking/carton for drinking but not sure about this since it’s not actually cooked…canned might be too greasy?
Hey Cassi! I’ve never actually heard of refigerated coconut milk! The only kind I can get my hands on is canned, and that’s what I used 🙂 Hope you like it!