Unfavourable climatic and soil conditions, as well as climate change, force us to grow crops that are inherently resistant to abiotic stresses, thus ensuring the maintenance of food security. Legumes are the second most important food source after cereals. Legumes are preferred not only for their nutritional (mainly high protein content) and health (bioactive compounds) value but also for their economic (cheap meat replacement, especially in poorer regions) and ecological (nitrogen fixation) advantages. This study is intended to analyse the significance of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.), with special regard to its drought and salt tolerance. Grass pea is a plant with a short growth cycle, which has excellent adaptability to adverse environmental factors. Thanks to its drought, cold, and moderate salt tolerance, grass pea can be grown in diverse climatic and soil conditions, even in places where other cultivated plants cannot. The production and breeding of drought- and salt-tolerant grass pea varieties should be considered in many places to adapt to abiotic environmental stress factors and maintain production capacity.