Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (Printable version)
Vibrant quinoa with cucumber, tomatoes, feta, herbs and zesty lemon dressing for a fresh, easy meal.
# List of ingredients:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Cheese
07 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Herbs
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, sliced olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and mint.
03 - In a small bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until well emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in 30 minutes flat, yet tastes like you spent all morning in the kitchen.
- The quinoa stays fluffy and doesn't get mushy, which sounds easy but isn't—until you know the trick.
- It's one of those dishes that actually tastes better the next day when the dressing settles in.
02 -
- Let the quinoa cool completely before dressing it, or the heat will turn the herbs gray and muddy—I learned this the hard way and it changed everything.
- Make this salad at least an hour before serving if you can; the dressing needs time to settle into the quinoa and make every grain taste intentional instead of just oily.
- If you're serving it the next day, the lemon juice will taste less bright—so keep a bit of extra lemon on the side to squeeze over just before eating.
03 -
- Cook your quinoa the morning of if you're making this for a gathering—cooled quinoa is easier to work with and the whole process feels less rushed.
- Keep your dressing separate until the last minute if you're transporting this somewhere; the vegetables release water and the salad gets soggy if it sits dressed too long.