This easy Greek Quinoa Salad is perfect for those times when you want a healthier side dish and don't want to fuss. You will love the all the fresh ingredients with crunchy cucumbers, tangy Kalamata olives, juicy tomatoes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), red onion, green peppers, feta cheese and tossed with a lemon vinaigrette dressing.
~Greek Quinoa Salad~
Fresh and healthy is the name of the game with this easy side dish salad It's light, flavorful and would go great alongside some grilled chicken or fish. Also with it being picnic season, it would be perfect to take along and not get soggy.
The salad is loaded with Mediterranean flavors and comes together with a tangy lemon vinaigrette. Prep the ingredients ahead of time and serve for lunch or dinner.
Greek Quinoa Salad is a colorful salad that is super fresh, protein-packed and gluten-free.
Greek salads have such great flavor and I'm also looking for a twist on making them. I've created everything from Greek Salad Stackers, Greek Pita Nachos, to Lentil Greek Salad. You might want to try them all!
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa is actually a seed and not a grain. It also is gluten free and a complete source of protein. I have used it as a substitute for rice or pasta in soup recipes since it doesn't get "fat" when it sits in broth..
How do you cook Quinoa for a salad?
Quinoa can be cooked in water or broth. For this recipe I kept it vegetarian so used water but you could also use a vegetable broth.
The key is to rinse the quinoa well by placing it in a mesh strainer and running under cold water.
The ratio to cooking is 1 part quinoa to 2 parts liquid.
Once it is brought to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for about 5 minutes.
As I mentioned, this salad would be perfect for a picnic. You might want to even make them in small canning jars and just hand one to each person - just add dressing, shake and eat!
The salad can be served with the quinoa warm or cold. I like to prep all my ingredients ahead of time and assemble right before eating so ours is cold.
How long will quinoa salad last?
If the salad is made ahead of time with the dressing, it will last two days in the refrigerator.
If you would like to made the quinoa ahead of time, that can last one week if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
NOTE: This recipe was originally posted on April 1, 2018 and has been republished August 2019 with additional content to enhance reader experience.
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Greek Quinoa Salad
This easy Greek Quinoa Salad is perfect for those times when you want a healthier side dish and don't want to fuss. You will love the all the fresh ingredients with crunchy cucumbers, tangy kalamata olives, juicy tomatoes, garbanzo beans, red onion, feta cheese and tossed with a lemon vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (according to package)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup garbanzo beans (rinsed well)
- 1 cup cucumber, diced
- ½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, minced
- 1 cup green peppers, diced
- ½ cup feta cheese
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ clove minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Divide quinoa on 4 salad plates
- Top with one-quarter of the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, garbanzo beans, green pepper, kalamata olives and feta cheese
- To make dressing combine the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, zest, vinegar and honey in a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste
- Drizzle on salad and serve immediately
Notes
Feel free to add as much as you like of the ingredients. I just suggest above to get you started!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 565Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 29gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 325mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 8gSugar: 16gProtein: 12g
Nutritional information provided is computer-generated and only an estimate. You may want to do your own research with the ingredients listed if you have concerns about health or specific diets.
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Bec at It's Yummi says
I'm always looking for new ways to add quinoa to my diet. This salad is gorgeous AND healthy! Thanks for the recipe, Deb!
Deb Attinella says
I love quinoa... it is so versatile. Hope you enjoy this Becca!
Tara Teaspoon says
Oh my! Looks sooo pretty and fresh! A must-try! Thank you!
Deb Attinella says
Thanks Tara.... hope you enjoy it!
Gina Kleinworth says
That is simply gorgeous!
Deb Attinella says
Thanks Gina! Appreciate the comment.
Kat Jeter says
This salad is beautiful and that dressing sounds delicious. I'm making this for lunch tomorrow!
Deb Attinella says
Thanks Kat! Hope you enjoy it!