Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe
A 30-minute Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe that you can make for lunch or as a side dish for any of your meat dishes. Made with tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, and parsley this easy Greek salad is guaranteed to impress.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 378kcal
Ingredients
For The Lemon Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 small clove of garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
For The Salad:
- 3 cups cooked quinoa from 1 cup uncooked quinoa - white, red, tricolor quinoa would all work
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 2 Persian cucumbers peeled and cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives roughly chopped
- 1 can 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained
- ½ red onion about ½ cups, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled (optional)
- 1 cup Italian Parsley or 2 cups fresh arugula, washed and rinsed
Instructions
- Make the vinaigrette. In a small mason jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds to emulsify.
- Dress the quinoa. Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl and drizzle half of the lemon dressing on top. Stir to combine.
- Add the prepared vegetables. Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, chickpeas, and red onion. Toss together with the remaining dressing.
- Finish with Feta and greens: Add in the crumbled feta cheese and Italian parsley (or arugula). Give it a gentle toss (so as not to wilt the greens), taste for seasoning and add in if necessary.
- Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- How To Store: This quinoa salad will keep best for up to 2 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Black Olives: Use pitted black olives instead of Kalamata. If you’re really adventurous, try oil-cured black olives (found at the Olive Bar). These are dense, rich, meaty black olives with a pungent and briny bite.
- Herbs: Substitute half or all of the Italian parsley with any Mediterranean soft herb, such as mint or basil.
- Alternative Leafy Greens: If you can’t find arugula or simply don’t like it, use an equal amount of baby spinach or baby kale. If you use regular kale, slice into thin strips and massage the sliced leaves with a tablespoon of lemon vinaigrette for 1-2 minutes before adding to the salad. This helps tenderize the sturdy leaves.
- Roasted Red Peppers: Drain and chop a small jar of roasted red bell peppers and add to the salad mix along with the remaining vegetables.
- Goat Cheese: Replace the feta with an equal amount of crumbled goat cheese (either plain or garlic & herb). Tip - the goat cheese goes particularly well with the above mentioned roasted peppers.
- Following a vegan diet? Simply omit the Feta cheese for a vegan Greek Quinoa Salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1239mg | Potassium: 661mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1671IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 5mg