Writing click-bait titles is not something I plan on getting into, BUT: Friends, just this once, can you forgive me? I really am blown away by this salad. I first tasted it last Friday afternoon at an end-of-school-year party, and I have made it every other day since.
Are you ready for the recipe? Visit your local Trader Joe’s, and pick up: 1 tub of bruschetta sauce, 1 tub of crumbled feta, and 1 box of cooked lentils. Combine as you wish. Toss. Taste. Adjust to taste with more feta or bruschetta sauce or both.
The post should end here with a, “Bye! Have a nice summer!” but believe it or not, you may run into some roadblocks: The first problem you may encounter is not being able to find the cooked lentils. My Trader Joe’s has been out of the lentils for weeks, but I found a nice alternative at the Niskayuna Co-op: Melissa’s Produce steamed lentils. You, of course, could cook the lentils yourself, which is not difficult and which is more cost effective, but hey, should we try and live a little this summer? It’s hard, I know.
The second problem you may encounter is not being able to find the bruschetta sauce, though this is unlikely—most Trader Joe’s get daily deliveries, bruschetta sauce included.
The third problem you may encounter is that you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby. This problem is a little trickier to solve as it will require creativity on your part or a follow-up blog post on mine when the tomatoes finally arrive. Stay tuned.
Friends, as you know, I am the first to tell you to cook beans from scratch, to make bread, to make stock, to whisk up a vinaigrette, to make harissa, and shkug and anything else that just plain tastes better made at home. Cooking never feels like a chore for me, and I typically shy from “recipes” like this because often they taste somewhat artificial or too sweet or too salty, etc.
But this lentil salad is really, really good. One bite of it at the party had me pulling guests aside asking: Did you make the lentil salad? No? Do you know who did? When I learned it was Gail, whose husband manages the Albany Trader Joe’s, it all made sense.
A from-scratch bruschetta sauce and home-cooked lentils would not make this salad impossibly complicated, but the point here is that isn’t it nice to know, when you’re in a pinch (or not), you can pick up three products, throw them together, and call your dinner side dish or potluck contribution or lunch-for-the-week done?
Friends, have you made this salad? I made it on Instagram stories yesterday and was shocked to learn people have been making this one for years! Do you know it? Do you love it? Do you know any other Trader Joe’s hacks?
Here’s a play-by-play … drumroll please … let’s make the simplest recipe to date in Alexandra’s Kitchen history. Gather your ingredients: feta, cooked lentils, bruschetta sauce.
Open the containers …
and dump into a bowl (or measure: 1.5 cups cooked lentils, 1.5 cups bruschetta sauce, .5 cups feta).
Ta-da!!
Mind-Blowing, Three-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Lentil Salad
- Yield: 3.5 cups
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My friend Gail, whose husband manages the Albany Trader Joe’s, brought this salad to a party last week, and it blew me away: most important, it was incredibly delicious; nearly important, it required very little effort: picking up three, ready-made products and combining them.
If you cannot find Trader Joe’s cooked lentils, look for the Melissa’s Produce cooked lentils in your local grocery store.
This salad keeps very well in the fridge, and I like eating it cold straight from the fridge, but if you are serving it to company, you may want to bring it to room temperature before serving because the olive oil in the bruschetta sauce congeals a bit in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils, see notes
- 1 1/2 cups Trader Joe’s bruschetta sauce
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss. Taste. Adjust to taste with more feta or bruschetta sauce. Serve immediately or stash in the fridge.
Kim says
June 22, 2018 at 7:42 amAnother variation on a *ridiculously* simple 30-second TJ’s salad:
Trader Joe’s precooked lentils
+ Trader Joe’s Almond Butter Turmeric dressing (in the refrigerated produce area)
+ raisins
+ slivered almonds
=literally 30 seconds later, a super tasty meal.
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 3:59 amYay!! Thanks for sharing. We’e going camping tomorrow, and I’m making a Trader Joe’s run today to stock up—will add these ingredients to the list! Thanks xx
Jordan says
June 22, 2018 at 9:40 amI have been making this for years as well and have it in my fridge right now! It’s a great, healthy, easy summer meal/side!! I sampled it at a TJ’s probably 6-7 years ago and have loved it ever since! This latest batch, though, I cooked the lentils myself b/c my TJ’s has also been out of the steamed lentils for weeks! Bummer.
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 4:01 amI can’t believe I am only just learning about it!! It’s such a good one.
Carla says
June 24, 2018 at 12:19 pmJust got back from TJs….no precooked lentils in our store either. Cooking little French lentils now. Feta and sauce was in abundant supply. Can’t wait to eat!
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 4:01 amYay!! Hope you loved it 🙂 🙂 🙂
Carla says
July 3, 2018 at 6:29 amOMG….so good. I cooked one cup lentils in chicken stock….dumped the whole container of sauce and cheese in and mixed it up. Had 1/2 a lemon..so juiced that over the salad. I ate it for breakfast unti it was gone…it’s THAT good!
★★★★★
Ttrockwood says
June 24, 2018 at 1:14 pmIt’s kind of famous, posted on trader joe’s website under recipes. I can’t have dairy so i add in some olives or capers to replace the salty feta and it’s fantastic! I like a big scoop over some salad greens.
Another crazy easy favorite:
Frozen cooked quinoa (defrosted) +
Cowboy caviar salsa+
Black beans +
Cherry tomatoes = stupid easy delicious lunch
★★★★★
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 4:03 amCannot wait to try this one!! Planning on bringing only TJ’s salads camping this weekend 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing. Great to hear from you xx
Keena says
June 24, 2018 at 1:43 pmMade it today and it’s a big hit here! Heated it slightly to warm and served an over easy egg on it. Thanks!
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 4:03 amYUM!! Sounds delish.
Maureen says
June 25, 2018 at 7:40 amHere’s another 3-ingredient recipe from a Trader Joe’s sampling. I would never have thought to put these ingredients together, but the combination is unexpected, delicious, and of course utterly simple. In whatever proportions seem right, just combine —
Shaved raw fennel
Orange champagne vinegar (not sure the exact TJ name)
Trail mix
Janie Foltz says
June 27, 2018 at 7:10 amMaureen..are you referring to Trader Joe’s Trail Mix with Nuts and Seeds?
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 4:09 amSounds so good Maureen!! Heading to TJ’s today.
Deb says
June 27, 2018 at 3:53 pmYep that salad is a winner and I make it often.Throw some fresh chopped basil and drizzle the atJ’s balsamic glaze on it and it’s even better!
★★★★★
alexandra says
June 29, 2018 at 4:09 amNice!!
Misrii - Homemade Food says
June 29, 2018 at 2:47 amGreat recipe! You should link up to Good Food Fridays!
Misrii
★★★★★
Deb Young says
July 1, 2018 at 1:59 pmIf you’re willing to jump from three ingredients all the (a)way to four, use TJ’s Organic Corn Chip Dippers to scoop it up. Addictive.
Gail Witte says
July 4, 2018 at 7:14 amYumyumyum!!
★★★★★
horwatwifey says
July 10, 2018 at 10:28 amI love this. We still have a massive bag of lentils from Costco…I’m always searching for new ways to use them!
★★★★★
Whitney says
July 28, 2018 at 3:21 pmAny recommendations for the bruschetta sauce? We do not have a trader joes and I prefer to make things from scratch.
Natasha Minocha says
August 2, 2018 at 5:35 amI really love this post shared by you, I will appreciate if you can share some recipes in future.Thank You!.
★★★★★
Mia says
August 15, 2018 at 3:17 pmTJ has been out of the lentils all summer. Where do you buy the Melissa’s brand you mentioned?
alexandra says
August 16, 2018 at 7:50 amI buy them at my little local co-op: The Niskayuna Co-op. Melissa’s is a pretty big brand, however, so I would imagine your local super market would carry them. Call ahead to be sure. They are typically in the produce or refrigerated section. Also, my TJ’s has the lentils back in stock — give yours a call!
Barbara says
September 18, 2018 at 8:15 amIn a pinch, can you use rinsed, canned lentils.
alexandra says
September 18, 2018 at 8:16 amI’m sure! Have you used them in the past with success? If you like them, go for it! I’ve never used them, so I can’t say for sure, but I can’t see why they wouldn’t.
Brendan says
November 24, 2018 at 5:57 pmEveryone loves this easy favorite
★★★★★
Emily says
April 27, 2019 at 4:57 pmI need help! I have green lentils or red – guessing the lentils from TJ are green? The box doesn’t say?
alexandra says
April 28, 2019 at 6:13 pmThey’re green!