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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

[heart_this] · Jan 9, 2014 · 23 Comments

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

A Mediterranean inspired quinoa salad with juicy tomatoes and cucumbers along with tangy red onions and salty kalamata olives and feta.

The Greek style salad, a salad with juicy tomatoes and cucumbers, tangy red onions, and salty kalamata olives and feta in a lemon and oregano vinaigrette, has to be one of my favourites and it is so easy to turn it into a light and yet satisfying meal with the addition of quinoa (or a whole grain) along with some chickpeas! I always enjoy using quinoa in salads like this since it is such a nice source of protein, especially when combined with a bean, and it really makes for a salad that eats like a meal. I particularly enjoy this quinoa and chickpea salad because of all of the wonderful Mediterranean flavours where the juicy tomatoes and cucumbers play brilliantly with the salty olives and feta. Another wonderful thing about this salad is how versatile it is, I always have fun changing up the ingredients and some more that work well are roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and even cool and creamy avocados!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes Servings: 6

A Mediterranean inspired quinoa salad with juicy tomatoes and cucumbers along with tangy red onions and salty kalamata olives and feta.

ingredients
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup tomato, sliced
  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives
  • 1/4 cup feta, crumbled
  • 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked beans, from 1/2 cup dry)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (~1 lemon) or red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 clove garlic, grated
  • salt and pepper to taste
directions
  1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, reduce the temperature to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes, and let sit covered for 5 minutes before letting it cool.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients.
  3. Mix the quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta and chickpeas and toss in the mixture of the lemon juice, oil, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper.
Note: I like my quinoa to be al-dente and not mushy so I use a little less than the commonly called for 2 cups for 1 cup of quinoa; I use 1 1/2 cups of water when I rinse the quinoa and 1 3/4 cups when the quinoa is pre-rinsed.
Tip: Cook the quinoa a day ahead to save time.
Option: Add other Mediterranean inspired ingredients like roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts or even avocados.
Nutrition Facts: Calories 261, Fat 11g (Saturated 2g, Trans 0), Cholesterol 6mg, Sodium 250mg, Carbs 33g (Fiber 2g, Sugars 5g), Protein 9g

Nutrition by: Nutritional facts powered by Edamam
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More summer salads!

Food, Gluten-free, Greek, Mediterranean, Quinoa, Recipe, Salad, Side Dish, Vegetarian

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    January 9, 2014 at 2:03 pm

    A beautiful salad! So colorful, healthy and delicious.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  2. Jillian Manesh says

    January 9, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    yum! all of my favorite flavors in one dish! xo jillian

    Reply
  3. Barbara Bakes says

    January 9, 2014 at 3:21 pm

    What a great way to change up Greek Salad.

    Reply
  4. Anonymous says

    January 9, 2014 at 4:31 pm

    Greek style pasta salad is a staple in my household throughout the Summer. Will give this version a try.

    Reply
  5. Katrina @ WVS says

    January 9, 2014 at 9:34 pm

    I could eat that whole bowl right now!!

    Reply
  6. Scott says

    January 9, 2014 at 10:32 pm

    I make something very similar to this. All this needs is some mint!

    Reply
  7. Tieghan says

    January 10, 2014 at 4:59 am

    I adore these flavors! I could this everyday!

    Reply
  8. Joanne says

    January 10, 2014 at 12:35 pm

    All the bright flavors in this are so perfect for getting back on the healthy track!!

    Reply
  9. Anonymous says

    January 11, 2014 at 9:43 am

    I think you forgot the Avocado ????

    Reply
  10. Anonymous says

    January 12, 2014 at 1:48 am

    I was short on quinoa so used a bit of wild rice. Chose to use edamame instead of cucumbers (and used the red wine vinegar instead of lemon.)
    Fantastic.

    Reply
  11. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says

    January 12, 2014 at 5:54 pm

    What a gorgeous, vibrant salad!

    Reply
  12. Nancy Long says

    January 13, 2014 at 3:11 am

    sounds great, but as much as I love hummus, not a fan of chickpeas so will maybe use white or maybe black beans instead

    Reply
  13. Jessica says

    February 22, 2014 at 12:28 am

    Thanks for the great recipe. Made it tonight and it was delicious!

    Reply
  14. littlelaura says

    March 10, 2014 at 11:14 pm

    Delicious! What is the serving size that corresponds with the nutritional values listed? Thanks for a wonderful recipe. I think it will be my new potluck staples!

    Reply
  15. kevin says

    March 17, 2014 at 11:20 pm

    littlelaura: I am glad that you enjoyed it! Each serving should be about 12 ounces.

    Reply
  16. Katherine says

    June 20, 2014 at 10:28 pm

    This was sooooo delicious. Oh my god.

    Reply
  17. Carrie says

    September 27, 2014 at 6:04 pm

    This is amazing – I've been looking for a good greek quinoa salad (mimicking what I get at Whole Foods from the salad bar) and this recipe is it! I love it.

    Reply
  18. Anonymous says

    March 20, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    This looks great! Think it would work if I chilled it to serve cold?

    Reply
  19. shelby sill says

    July 12, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    Yum Yum can't wait to make this!

    Reply
  20. Lacey says

    January 22, 2019 at 1:57 pm

    I made this salad to take for my lunches this week. It’s very simple and tasty and you can really experiment with your add-ins. I added mint this time, but I could totally see adding avocados one time. With salads like these, I don’t rely heavily on measuring (except the quinoa), and I usually eyeball the veggies. Delicious and healthy!

    Reply
  21. Jen says

    July 7, 2019 at 7:40 pm

    This is one of my favorite recipes that I have been using for years. Thank you!

    Reply
  22. Katie says

    July 31, 2019 at 6:01 pm

    I made this today for the first time and it was delicious!

    Reply
  23. Sarah says

    March 1, 2020 at 3:16 pm

    I make this all the time to serve with dinner but now I am starting to use it as an easy meal prep lunch! I love the quantity it makes and it is super flavorful while being healthy. I sometimes will marinate chicken and cube it up and cook it to serve alongside. Can be served additionally with hummus and tzatziki sauce 🙂

    Reply

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Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
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