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Lunch recipe

Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes with Lemon and Cucumber

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A filling vegan lunch box with lentils, quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, mint, and lemon dressing.

Start planningStart cookingIngredients
60 min + extra time440 kcal4 base servingsLunchLunchboxPlant BasedMake AheadFilling Lunch
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Recipe and nutrition estimates

Recipe times, servings, calories and nutrition notes are estimates for planning. They are not medical or dietary advice. Check food is cooked safely and adjust recipes for your household's needs.

Focus ingredients: green lentils, quinoa, cucumber, cherry tomatoes

Dietary fit: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free

Serving tip: Eat within24hours of preparation or an earlier ingredient use-by limit. Transport in an insulated bag with an ice pack and keep chilled. For larger households prepare separate complete batches; extra preparation and chilling take longer.

Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes plated and ready to serve.

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Ingredients

What you need

  • 470g green lentils
  • 250g quinoa
  • 1 cucumber
  • 300g cherry tomatoes
  • 1 red onion
  • 40g parsley
  • 20g mint
  • 2 lemon
  • 45ml olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 750ml water

You'll also need

3l lidded saucepan, fine sieve, 4l mixing bowl, two shallow cooling containers, 750ml lidded lunchbox per serving, knife and chopping board, scales and measuring jug, grater

Method

Step by step

Up to 8 clear steps
  1. Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes cooking step 1: Rinse the quinoa.
    Step 1

    Rinse quinoa

    For more than 4 servings, divide all displayed ingredients into separate batches of no more than 4 servings and use each batch’s share. Rinse all quinoa in a fine sieve. Put it in a 3l saucepan with all 750ml water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes until the grains open and are tender. Follow a longer actual packet time if needed.

    20 min
  2. Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes cooking step 2: Cook the quinoa.
    Step 2

    Cook, rest and cool

    Drain any excess water, stand for 10 minutes, then fluff. Spread in shallow containers and refrigerate promptly within 1–2 hours. Allow extra time to chill fully before adding the cold vegetables.

    10 min
  3. Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes cooking step 3: Chop the vegetables.
    Step 3

    Prepare salad

    Drain and rinse the canned lentils to obtain the listed drained weight. Dice the cucumber, halve the tomatoes and finely chop the red onion. Chop all parsley and mint, removing tough stalks. Keep these ingredients chilled while the quinoa cools.

  4. Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes cooking step 4: Make the lemon dressing.
    Step 4

    Mix dressing

    Finely grate 2g lemon zest and measure 60ml juice from the lemons; save unused fruit. Whisk all measured zest and juice with all 45ml olive oil and all cumin.

  5. Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes cooking step 5: Toss everything together.
    Step 5

    Combine

    In a 4l bowl, combine the chilled quinoa with all lentils, prepared vegetables, parsley, mint and dressing. Toss thoroughly so the dressing coats the grains and pulses.

  6. Herby Lentil Tabbouleh Boxes cooking step 6: Pack the boxes.
    Step 6

    Serve or chill

    Divide between 750ml lunchboxes, one per serving in this batch. Cover and refrigerate at 0–5°C; keep chilled until eating.

    The salad keeps best if fully cooled before the boxes are closed.