Cold Lentil Salad With Smoked Sausage

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5 from 4 votes

Cold Lentil Salad With Smoked Sausage

A delicious and refreshing cold lentil salad with smoked sausage that can be served cold or hot.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, barbecue side dish

Servings: cups

Author: Mary Cressler

Cost: $15

Ingredients

For the Smoked Sausage

1 pound bulk sausage (We prefer Italian flavored)

For the Lentil Salad

2 cups lentils (We recommend green lentils)
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
8 thyme sprigs
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
⅔ cups carrots, diced
⅔ cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
⅔ cup diced celery or onions (one or the other, see notes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
½ lemon, juiced
½ teaspoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon kosher salt (Adjust to your taste preference)

Instructions

Smoke Sausage: Preheat smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit using a fruit wood. Place sausage spread out on a large foil-lined cookie sheet in small clumps. Smoke for 60-90 minutes. Check the larger chunks for temperature, and pull when they reach 165 degrees F. Remove, and break up into smaller pieces if necessary. Set aside.
Make Dressing: Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until it's emulsified.
Cook Lentils: In a large stock pot, bring the lentils, chicken stock, bay leaves, and thyme to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook approximately 30 minutes, or until the lentils are slightly al dente. Drain the liquid and place the lentils in a large bowl to cool.
Make Salad: In the same large bowl, add the bell peppers, carrots, tomatoes, celery or onions, smoked sausage, and salt. Toss together. Mix in the dressing. Taste and adjust salt to your preferences. Serve now (warm), or let cool and serve later.

Notes

Lentils: We encourage green or brown lentils for the better texture and this lentil salad assumes you are using those. If using red lentils, or other varieties, follow the cooking directions so you don't overcook them.

Sausage: If you don't have a smoker, pan-sear the sausage. In a large skillet with a small amount of olive oil over medium heat, sear the sausage for up to 10 minutes or until cooked through. Use a spatula to break up larger pieces. Drain fat and use sausage in the salad. Rough chop with a knife if the pieces are still too big.

Optional Ingredients: Depending on your preference you can add onions or celery to the salad. They both provide crunch and acidity. I find it's a bit too much to add both of them, so I like to stick to one. Some also may not prefer the flavor of raw onions, so in those cases, it may be best to stick to the celery.

Making Ahead: If prepping, make the lentils the day prior and let them cool overnight. Then combine the veggies and the dressing. It will last up to two days in the refrigerator.

Picnic Ideas: If bringing it to a picnic or as part of a party, place dressed salad in mason jars. Wrap them with twine with a spoon.

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