Lentils are one of those ingredients that are often sitting in the pantry, and they shouldn’t be overlooked: they’re healthy and packed with protein. Beyond the famous French lentils with sausages, today I’m sharing a lentil salad recipe with fresh raw vegetables and smoked salmon, which pairs beautifully with lentils.

Black lentils (also called Beluga lentils, because the tiny black grains look like caviar) were a real discovery for me, and now I always keep some in my pantry. Nutritionally, they’re high in protein and packed with vitamins. They hold their shape when cooked and don’t need soaking, which makes them the perfect ingredient for a vegetarian starter or lunch that’s still filling!

Once the weather starts to cool down, I usually swap my lentil salad for a more wintry version, the classic French lentils with sausages.