Description

Everyone will be surprised at how good this dish is. It's prepared with already cooked lentils, canned and cherry tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños and seasonings.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 c. cooked, cooled small green, brown, or black lentils
• 28 oz. can whole tomatoes
• 1/2 large white onion or 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1 - 2 fresh jalapeños, to taste, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves, divided
• 1 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. black pepper
• freshly squeezed juice from 1 lime, plus more to taste
• 1 large firm, ripe avocado, diced
• 2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
• hot sauce, to taste
• tortilla chips, for serving

Steps

1. Place a strainer set over a bowl to catch tomato juices; pour the canned tomatoes into the strainer. If the tomatoes are whole and intact, press on them a little to release more juices.
2. Place the onion, jalapeños, and garlic in a blender or food processor; pulse in short bursts until smaller. Add about two-thirds of the cilantro, drained tomatoes, salt, and juice of 1 lime; pulse until tomatoes are well-chopped, but not totally smooth.
3. When making salsa for scooping up with chips, add some of the reserved tomato juices, 1 T. at a time, if the mixture is very thick, but for dressing the lentil salad, it shouldn't be very thin.