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    Home » Salads and Dressings » Garden Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Garden Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Published: Jul 17, 2019 · Modified: Jul 5, 2020 by Elaine · This post may contain Amazon affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This blog generates income via ads · 2 Comments

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    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with text overlay
    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with text overlay
    Summer Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with text overlay
    Pinterest pin for Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
    Pinterest Pin for Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with text overlay

    This garden fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta and Lemon-Herb Dressing makes a protein-rich summertime meal-in-a-bowl! Combine quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives and fresh basil for a healthy lunch or a side dish for dinner.

    Overhead view of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad in a round white shallow bowl

    This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with fresh garden tomatoes and feta will take you to the sun-drenched beaches of the Greek Islands. It has all the flavours of the Mediterranean in one healthy quinoa salad.

    Summer produce is abundant now. Gardens and farm markets are overflowing with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, fresh herbs and so much more. And what better way to beat the heat than with a nutritious salad made with garden veggies?

    I make this vegetarian Mediterranean quinoa salad every summer to take advantage of our usual bumper crop of tomatoes, cucumbers and basil.  I add Greek touches with salty Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Topped off with a lemon-herb vinaigrette, this salad makes a tasty summertime meal-in-a-bowl.

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad on a board with a sprig of cherry tomatoes

    This Garden Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta is an ideal salad to take on a picnic, a camping trip, or to a potluck. With no lettuce to wilt, and no mayonnaise to worry about spoiling, it's a salad that will stay fresh, packed up for your next adventure.

    It's a salad I've been making for years, with variations depending on what I have on hand. Think of it as a back-pocket salad--one that you can use to round out almost any meal. Need a lunch idea? This salad packs easily (try it in a Mason jar) and it totally satisfies.

    Ingredients for Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Ready to gather ingredients? Here's what you'll need to make this Greek-inspired quinoa salad.

    Ingredients

    • quinoa: Rinse it thoroughly first in a fine-mesh colander. This step removes the naturally occurring saponins on the outside of the grains which can be bitter.
    • cherry tomatoes: or other tomatoes, chopped
    • cucumber: seeded and chopped
    • red onion: or green onion, if you prefer
    • Kalamata olives:  pitted and sliced
    • feta cheese:  crumbled
    • fresh basil leaves: chiffonade cut

    For the dressing, you'll need

    • olive oil, a lemon, white wine or champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, dried thyme and oregano, a garlic clove, salt.
    overhead view of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad in a round white shallow bowl

    Quinoa is a healthy seed with a complete protein rarely found in plant foods. It's gluten-free and it's an excellent source of iron and fiber, making it a great choice for vegetarian diets.

    I make this Red Quinoa Tabouli with Pomegranate  and this Nourishing Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Pears in the fall and winter, but today I'm sharing this summer-fresh quinoa salad with you.

    Step by Step Instructions

    rinsing quinoa in a sieve
    1. First, rinse the quinoa.
    2. While the standard proportions for cooking quinoa are 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, I always have more success when I use a little less water. 1 cup of quinoa will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa. In this recipe, you'll only need 2 cups, so use ⅔ cup of dry quinoa and 1 ⅓ cups of water.
    3. Combine it with water and salt in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer gently until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, keep it covered and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread out on a baking sheet or tray to cool completely.
    4. Chop the veggies.
    5. Combine the Lemon-Herb dressing ingredients in a blender.
    6. Toss all ingredients together in a bowl.
    7. Chill until serving time.
    Close up view of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese.
    Can I make this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad ahead of time?

    While this recipe is best eaten on the day it's made, it will stay fresh for 2 - 3 days when kept covered in the fridge. Basil bruises easily, so add it just before serving.

    Possible Variations

    Make it your own!

    Add chopped cooked chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken).

    Keep it vegetarian by adding canned and rinsed chickpeas.

    Add spinach or arugula leaves.

    Top with cubed or sliced avocado.

    Keep it paleo by leaving out the feta cheese.

    Serving suggestions

    This Mediterranean quinoa salad is delicious with either of the following dishes.

    Greek Lemon Chicken Kabobs

    Honey-Dijon Glazed Salmon in Foil

    More quinoa salad ideas

    Try this Healthy Quinoa Bowl with Spinach, Feta and Strawberries 

    in the fall, you'll love Nourishing Quinoa Salad with Cranberries and Pears or Red Quinoa Tabouli with Pomegranate

    overhead view of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad in a round white shallow bowl

    Garden Fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    This garden fresh Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta and Lemon Dressing makes a protein-rich summertime meal-in-a-bowl! Combine quinoa, tomatoes, cucumbers, Kalamata olives and fresh basil and serve for dinner or lunch.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salads
    Cuisine: Greek, Mediterranean, North American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 12 minutes
    Total Time: 27 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 326kcal
    Author: Elaine
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    Ingredients

    Salad Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup dry quinoa, rinsed
    • 1 ⅓ cups water
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
    • ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
    • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
    • ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
    • 4 - 6 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade cut, for garnish

    Lemon Herb Vinaigrette Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, finely grated
    • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, or champagne vinegar
    • ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
    • ½ teaspoon ground thyme
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 1 clove garlic , finely minced, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon honey
    • 1 pinch sea salt

    Instructions

    • First, cook the quinoa. While the standard proportions for cooking quinoa are 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, I ALWAYS have more success when I use a little less water. 1 cup of quinoa will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa. In this recipe, you'll only need 2 cups, so use ⅔ cup of dry quinoa and 1 ⅓ cups of water. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh colander, then combine with water and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer gently until all the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, keep it covered and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then spread out on a baking sheet or tray to cool completely.
    • Combine the Lemon-Herb Vinaigrette ingredients in a blender.
    • Chop or slice the tomatoes, cucumber, olives and red onion .
    • In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta cheese and red onion.
    • Toss with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette and garnish with fresh basil.

    Notes

    Possible additions: 
    • Add chopped cooked chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken).
    • Keep it vegetarian by adding chickpeas.
    • Add spinach or arugula leaves.
    • Top with cubed or sliced avocado.
    • Keep it paleo by leaving out the feta cheese.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 1093mg | Potassium: 345mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 365IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 2.2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @enessman or tag #flavourandsavour!
    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with text overlay

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on any of the affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, I’ll receive a small commission. The commission is paid by the third party, not by you. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. It’s an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Donna

      May 10, 2021 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great basic quinoa salad. I've made it many times and change it up. Sometimes I add chicken to it, or black beans, or chickpeas. Always turns out good.Thanks.

      Reply
      • Elaine

        May 10, 2021 at 8:08 pm

        Thanks Donna! Happy to hear you like it as much as we do!

        Reply

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