Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (Printable)

Fluffy quinoa with ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, feta, and zesty lemon-oregano dressing in a vibrant salad.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

→ Add-ins

07 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
08 - 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (optional)

→ Dressing

11 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
15 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
16 - 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

# How To Make It:

01 - Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa with cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, finely chopped red onion, diced red bell pepper, sliced olives, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and optional chopped mint.
03 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dried oregano, minced garlic, sea salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl until well combined and emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and gently toss until ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt or pepper as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes, so you can have lunch ready before hunger really sets in.
  • The flavors actually get better as it sits, making it perfect for meal prep or dinner party prep ahead of time.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, but substantial enough that no one misses meat.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the quinoa; it removes a naturally occurring coating that tastes bitter and unpleasant.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely before dressing it, otherwise the heat will wilt the delicate vegetables and make everything mushy.
  • The salad actually tastes better the next day as the dressing penetrates everything and flavors deepen, so don't hesitate to make it ahead.
03 -
  • Squeeze your lemon juice fresh each time; it makes an audible difference in brightness and prevents the dressing from tasting flat.
  • If you taste it and something feels off, it's usually that you need either more salt to bring out flavors or more lemon juice to wake everything up.

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