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Home Meal Type Salad
5
/5
20 minutes

Tropical Lentil Bowls with Coconut Lime Dressing

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Vegan Vegan Vegetarian Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise Bustard27 Comments
Posted: 1/31/15 Updated: 8/28/20

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Bring bright, tropical flavors to your lunch table with these tropical lentil bowls. With fresh veggies, sweet mango, crunchy cashews, brown lentils and a creamy coconut lime dressing, it's healthy but satisfying and delicious.

Lentils are easy to overlook at lunchtime, but they are one of our favorite proteins! We love cooking a batch of red lentil dal or southwestern sweet potato lentil jar salads for easy meal prep lunches. These tropical lentil bowls are also great for lunch, and work for meal prep with a few modifications.

overhead view of tropical lentil bowl without dressing

Not only is it filling and satisfying, but full of different flavors and textures: soft and chewy brown lentils, sweet mango, crunchy cashews and a creamy coconut lime dressing.

I wouldn't normally think to put all these flavors together with lentils but boy do they ever work well together!

Why you'll ♡ tropical lentil bowls

  • they are vegan and gluten-free
  • the sweet mango, crunchy cashews and coconut lime dressing are fresh, vibrant and delicious
  • with a few tweaks, this recipe can work for meal prep

side angle view of bowl of tropical lentil salad with coconut lime dressing drizzled over top

The salad

This tropical lentil salad has a wonderful and slightly unusual blend of flavors that is Asian meets the Caribbean.

  • Lentils- use one can of cooked brown lentils as the base and protein of this salad. I do not recommend red lentils as they are too mushy for this recipe. Cooked green lentils could potentially work.
  • Vegetables- I've used bean sprouts, shredded carrots, and thinly sliced bell peppers, but feel free to mix it up! A bag of broccoli slaw would go great in place of these veggies and cuts down on prep work.
  • Mango- the sweet mango goes well with the coconut dressing and cashews, and brings a tropical vibe to the bowls.
  • Cashews- crunchy, salty, and great with the mango

Coconut lime dressing

This sweet, tangy, creamy coconut lime dressing absolutely makes the salad.

  • Coconut milk- go for full fat as it is so creamy and flavorful. If you use a regular sized can, you will have leftovers. Freeze it in ice cube trays for later!
  • Vinegar- to add a tangy flavor to the dressing, we use white wine vinegar. It is tangy but neutral and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients in this recipe.
  • Lime zest & juice- the lime zest brings bright, citrussy lime flavor, while the lime juice brings more of a subtle sourness to the dressing.
  • Brown sugar- balances the acidity of the lime and vinegar. Swap for honey or maple syrup if you'd like.
  • Toasted coconut- optional, but so yummy! Brings extra coconut flavor to the salad and a bit of a crunchy texture.

overhead view of two tropical lentil bowls without dressing; bowl of cashews nearby

Prep ahead and storage tips

With a few tricks, you can make this salad ahead for meal prep:

  • skip the bean sprouts- they get slimy quickly and loose their crunch
  • swap the mango- either keep the mango separate until just before serving, or consider swapping for dried mango. Dice into small pieces for mango flavor in every bite
  • reserve the cashews- until just before you serve so that they keep their crunch
  • consider jar salads- layer in mason jars in the following order: dressing, lentils, veggies. Shake into a bowl just before serving, add the cashews + mango, and enjoy!

Find my favorite jars and meal prep containers here.

side angle view of tropical lentil salad tossed up in coconut lime dressing with fork in bowl

More tasty lunch ideas

  • Chicken Fajita Lunch Bowls,
  • 60 Healthy Work Lunch Ideas
  • 19 Healthy Make-Ahead Lunch Bowls
  • Hearty Lentil Soup
  • Buddha Bowl Recipe

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

mango cashew lentil salad with coconut lime dressing in navy blue bowl

Mango Cashew Lentil Salad with Coconut Lime Dressing

5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Print Rate
Bring bright, tropical flavors to your lunch table with these tropical lentil bowls. With fresh veggies, sweet mango, crunchy cashews, brown lentils and a creamy coconut lime dressing, it's healthy but satisfying and delicious.
4

Ingredients

Lentil Bowls

  • 19 oz can of lentils (540 mL; rinsed thoroughly)
  • ¼ cup cilantro leaves (chopped)
  • 1 cup bean sprouts (rinsed)
  • 1 red bell pepper (cut into matchsticks)
  • 1 carrot (shredded)
  • 1 mango (cubed)
  • ½ cup cashews

Coconut-Lime Dressing:

  • ½ cup coconut milk (full-fat recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoons lime zest
  • 4 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons toasted coconut

Instructions 

  • Combine all lentil bowl ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth.
  • Drizzle salad with dressing just prior to serving.

Tips:

Tips for prepping ahead:
With a few tricks, you can make this salad ahead for meal prep
  • skip the bean sprouts– they get slimy quickly and loose their crunch
  • swap the mango– either keep the mango separate until just before serving, or consider swapping for dried mango. Dice into small pieces for mango flavor in every bite
  • reserve the cashews– until just before you serve so that they keep their crunch
  • consider jar salads– layer in mason jars in the following order: dressing, lentils, veggies. Shake into a bowl just before serving, add the cashews + mango, and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1lentil bowl, Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 17g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 25mg, Potassium: 912mg, Fiber: 14g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 4107IU, Vitamin C: 64mg, Calcium: 53mg, Iron: 7mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Salad

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

Did You Make This?Don't forget to leave a review below, and tag us on Instagram using @SweetPeasAndSaffron or #sweetpeasandsaffron
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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

Read more...

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Recipe Rating




  1. Cheryl says

    Posted on 6/21/21 at Posted on 6/21/21

    5 stars
    Oh my gosh, this is SO GOOD!! I could see quinoa also being delightful in this recipe!

    Reply
    • Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says

      Posted on 6/22/21 at Posted on 6/22/21

      Hi Cheryl, so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review! Great idea to add quinoa - maybe next time you make it 🙂 Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Cassi says

    Posted on 9/12/15 at Posted on 9/12/15

    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?

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 9/12/15 at Posted on 9/12/15

      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!

      Reply
  3. Heather says

    Posted on 3/1/15 at Posted on 3/1/15

    This looks amazing! One question, if I were going to use home-cooked dried lentils, hoe many cups would I use? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 3/1/15 at Posted on 3/1/15

      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!

      Reply
  4. Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says

    Posted on 2/3/15 at Posted on 2/3/15

    I would happily eat this for lunch everyday this week! I love how colourful it is - absolutely gorgeous 🙂

    Reply
  5. Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says

    Posted on 2/3/15 at Posted on 2/3/15

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/3/15 at Posted on 2/3/15

      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 😉

      Reply
  6. Izzy says

    Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

    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 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/3/15 at Posted on 2/3/15

      Thanks, Izzy! Ha ha at first I was wondering 'who is Izzy'...duh!

      Reply
  7. Annie @Maebells says

    Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      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!

      Reply
  8. Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says

    Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

    5 stars
    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!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      Thanks, Natalie! I need some bright vibrant food in my life right now...I'm getting tired of this cold winter!

      Reply
  9. Nora @ Savory Nothings says

    Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

    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!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      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!

      Reply
  10. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

    This bowl looks fantastic, Denise! Such a great idea to feature lentils as the main ingredient. And that dressing sounds like the perfect touch!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      Thanks, Gayle! Lentils + coconut/lime is a strangely delicious combo 🙂

      Reply
  11. Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says

    Posted on 2/1/15 at Posted on 2/1/15

    Looks awesome!! I love all the different colors and textures going on, and the dressing sounds fab!!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      Thanks Jess! I needed some bright happy food in my life!

      Reply
  12. Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says

    Posted on 2/1/15 at Posted on 2/1/15

    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! 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      Thanks, Alyssa! I seem to be off my game again this week...why are there not 30 hours in a day :S

      Reply
  13. marcie says

    Posted on 2/1/15 at Posted on 2/1/15

    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! 🙂

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      Definitely a little more exciting than a sandwich! Thanks, Marcie 🙂

      Reply
  14. Leah | So, How's It Taste? says

    Posted on 1/31/15 at Posted on 1/31/15

    This sounds so good right now to get me out of my winter slump! Loving all the tropical yummy flavors in here!

    Reply
    • Denise says

      Posted on 2/2/15 at Posted on 2/2/15

      Thanks, Leah...that January slump...it's a bummer! I am SO ready for spring!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

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