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    Hummusapien Β» Recipes Β» Salads Β» Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    ★★★★★ from 6 reviews

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Published Dec 1, 2014 Β· Modified Sep 6, 2022 Β· by Alexis Joseph Β· 52 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is the ultimate healthy lunch packed with veggies and the best dressing!

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Ohhhhh the beloved Mediterranean quinoa salad....quite possibly the only salad recipe you'll ever need.

    I love how mainstream quinoa is becoming. It was only a few short years ago when I was pronouncing the funky little psuedo-grain "kee-no-ah" and wondering how to incorporate it into dishes. Now we put it in half of Alchemy's salads and no one even asks us to define it!

    Even though I've forced quinoa against its will into blueberry peach crumbles, cheesy buffalo bites, strawberry oatmeal bars and pumpkin muffins oh my, let's face it...quinoa was made for salads. It's the bite of texture. It's the protein punch. It's the little balls of glory that take on whatever flavor you so choose.

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    If you're anything like me, you majorly over-ate on Turkey Day. That's what the holiday is for! This salad is a nice little detox because a) it's not an off-putting army-green smoothie and b) it makes raw vegetables taste like heaven. I'm honestly not one to snack on raw veggies that often. Even though they're more nutritious, I personally prefer them roasted. The beauty of this salad is that you're eating loads of raw tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, onions and parsley without even realizing it.

    This salad is basically the answer to all of the questions.

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Ready....set...DETOX!

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    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    ★★★★★ 5 from 6 reviews
    • Author: Alexis Joseph
    • Prep Time: 15 mins
    • Cook Time: 15 mins
    • Total Time: 30 mins
    • Yield: 5 1x
    • Category: Side Dish
    • Method: Stovetop
    • Cuisine: Mediterranean
    • Diet: Vegetarian
    Print Recipe
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    Description

    Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is the ultimate healthy lunch packed with veggies and the best dressing!


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the dressing:

    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
    • ½ tbsp pure maple syrup
    • ½ tbsp dried oregano
    • ¾ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

    For the salad:

    • 1 ½ cups quinoa (uncooked)
    • 2 ½ cups water
    • 1 medium cucumber, de-seeded and chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • ½ large red onion, chopped
    • 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
    • ¾ cup feta cheese
    • ¾ cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
    • 1 cup parsley, loosely packed and finely chopped

    Instructions

    1. Place quinoa and water in a medium pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 15 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked through. Fluff with a fork.
    2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
    3. Place cucumber, pepper, red onion, tomatoes, feta, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. Add cooked quinoa, stirring to combine.
    4. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Serve!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @hummusapien on Instagram. I love sharing what you make!

    About Alexis Joseph

    Oh HEY there! I'm Alexis Joseph, food writer, blogger, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), new mama, and co-founder of local restaurant group, Alchemy. I use my passion for cooking and wellness as fuel to help others ignite a more freeing and happy relationship with food. Learn more about Alexis!

    5 Secrets to Delish, Healthy Lunches

    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    1. Kristen says

      October 06, 2019 at 3:32 pm

      I prepped this for lunch this week! Wow it was so good!!! It was crunchy, crisp and so flavorful. Will definitely make again. It also held well throughout the week in the freezer. It tasted equally good on friday!

      Reply
      • Alexis Joseph says

        October 09, 2019 at 10:07 pm

        Isn't it so good leftover? Love it!

        Reply
    2. Sarah says

      May 06, 2017 at 4:48 pm

      Stumbled across this recipe. It's great! I only did 1 cup (uncooked) of quinoa, because I love all the other stuff in the salad.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    3. Sarah says

      May 06, 2017 at 4:48 pm

      Stumbled across this recipe. It's great! I only did 1 cup (uncooked) of quinoa, because I love all the other stuff in the salad.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    4. Vanessa Vera-Bernard says

      March 08, 2017 at 1:23 pm

      Thank you for the recipe Alexis.

      It's supper yummy and so easy to make!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Vanessa Vera-Bernard says

      March 08, 2017 at 1:23 pm

      Thank you for the recipe Alexis.

      It's supper yummy and so easy to make!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Shannon says

      May 18, 2015 at 2:21 am

      This sounds delish! Not all these veggies would work, but I bet it would be yummy with roasted veggies too!

      Reply
    7. Shannon says

      May 18, 2015 at 2:21 am

      This sounds delish! Not all these veggies would work, but I bet it would be yummy with roasted veggies too!

      Reply
    8. Cyndi says

      March 08, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      This was awesome, worth the time

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        March 23, 2015 at 9:38 pm

        So glad you liked it, Cyndi!

        Reply
    9. Cyndi says

      March 08, 2015 at 7:00 pm

      This was awesome, worth the time

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        March 23, 2015 at 9:38 pm

        So glad you liked it, Cyndi!

        Reply
    10. Kellsey K says

      February 23, 2015 at 2:17 pm

      Alexis - Just made a batch of this last night for lunch this week. Soooo delicious!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 23, 2015 at 8:47 pm

        Yay! Isn't the bomb?! Perfect for lunches because it gets better as it sits!

        Reply
    11. Kellsey K says

      February 23, 2015 at 2:17 pm

      Alexis - Just made a batch of this last night for lunch this week. Soooo delicious!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 23, 2015 at 8:47 pm

        Yay! Isn't the bomb?! Perfect for lunches because it gets better as it sits!

        Reply
    12. Donna says

      February 17, 2015 at 3:32 pm

      What can you recommend to substitute for maple syrup? (Can you leave it out if you wanted?) Thanks.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 17, 2015 at 10:34 pm

        Agave or honey would be good subs. I suppose you could leave it out, but I've never tried it!

        Reply
    13. Donna says

      February 17, 2015 at 3:32 pm

      What can you recommend to substitute for maple syrup? (Can you leave it out if you wanted?) Thanks.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        February 17, 2015 at 10:34 pm

        Agave or honey would be good subs. I suppose you could leave it out, but I've never tried it!

        Reply
    14. Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says

      December 05, 2014 at 2:20 pm

      I LOVE how mainstream quinoa has become! It's on so many dishes these days and I couldn't be happier. This salad looks so colorful and fresh! Yum!

      Reply
    15. Alex Caspero MA,RD (@delishknowledge) says

      December 05, 2014 at 2:20 pm

      I LOVE how mainstream quinoa has become! It's on so many dishes these days and I couldn't be happier. This salad looks so colorful and fresh! Yum!

      Reply
    16. She Rocks Fitness says

      December 02, 2014 at 10:46 pm

      100% agree that it is so awesome to see quinoa more mainstream. I'm using it in my slow cooker and LOVE it. My Mom on the other hand likes to call it "Quizznos". She's not a fan. I'll convert that Italian someday...or not. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    17. She Rocks Fitness says

      December 02, 2014 at 10:46 pm

      100% agree that it is so awesome to see quinoa more mainstream. I'm using it in my slow cooker and LOVE it. My Mom on the other hand likes to call it "Quizznos". She's not a fan. I'll convert that Italian someday...or not. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    18. Jocelyn @ Peace Love Nutrition says

      December 02, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      Cute blog layout!

      Reply
    19. Jocelyn @ Peace Love Nutrition says

      December 02, 2014 at 8:00 pm

      Cute blog layout!

      Reply
    20. Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says

      December 02, 2014 at 2:21 pm

      This is my kind of salad! I can see why it's so popular!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:48 pm

        You'd love it! It's such a simple yet delish flavor combo.

        Reply
    21. Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says

      December 02, 2014 at 2:21 pm

      This is my kind of salad! I can see why it's so popular!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:48 pm

        You'd love it! It's such a simple yet delish flavor combo.

        Reply
    22. Ann says

      December 02, 2014 at 2:41 am

      I eat raw veggies aaall day everyday. I'm often too lazy or short in time to put them in the oven or a pan so I just ear then as they are. And I like it that way! Crunchy, juice, sweet, yum. I can imagine the great taste of this salad already! Roasted veggies are sooo good too though!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:50 pm

        That's awesome that you eat so many raw veggies!!

        Reply
    23. Ann says

      December 02, 2014 at 2:41 am

      I eat raw veggies aaall day everyday. I'm often too lazy or short in time to put them in the oven or a pan so I just ear then as they are. And I like it that way! Crunchy, juice, sweet, yum. I can imagine the great taste of this salad already! Roasted veggies are sooo good too though!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:50 pm

        That's awesome that you eat so many raw veggies!!

        Reply
    24. Dietitian Jess says

      December 01, 2014 at 12:09 pm

      I love throwing quinoa with veggies (cooked or raw) to make a grain based salad, always delicious. This one sounds great for a healthy dish to take for a holiday get-together!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:51 pm

        It would be perfect for a holiday get together, especially since it's so colorful!

        Reply
    25. Dietitian Jess says

      December 01, 2014 at 12:09 pm

      I love throwing quinoa with veggies (cooked or raw) to make a grain based salad, always delicious. This one sounds great for a healthy dish to take for a holiday get-together!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:51 pm

        It would be perfect for a holiday get together, especially since it's so colorful!

        Reply
    26. Robin lucas says

      December 01, 2014 at 11:35 am

      Yummy, I have all the ingredients to make a batch today!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Perfect!!

        Reply
    27. Robin lucas says

      December 01, 2014 at 11:35 am

      Yummy, I have all the ingredients to make a batch today!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Perfect!!

        Reply
    28. Shashi @ runninsrilankan says

      December 01, 2014 at 11:03 am

      I <3 quinoa in a big way - it is so easy on my gut! I love the sound of your maple-vinegar dressing with this veggie filled quinoa dish!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Thanks lady! It's my favorite side dish to date!

        Reply
    29. Shashi @ runninsrilankan says

      December 01, 2014 at 11:03 am

      I <3 quinoa in a big way - it is so easy on my gut! I love the sound of your maple-vinegar dressing with this veggie filled quinoa dish!

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Thanks lady! It's my favorite side dish to date!

        Reply
    30. Rin says

      December 01, 2014 at 10:47 am

      This sounds delicious. I'm making this with the intention of eating it for lunch... but let's just be real: it'll be breakfast.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Hahaha that happens to me ALL the time!

        Reply
        • Rin says

          December 15, 2014 at 12:44 am

          It WAS delicious. For both meals πŸ™‚ Easy to throw together and healthy, with a taste like that- thank you for the recipe!

          ★★★★★

          Reply
    31. Rin says

      December 01, 2014 at 10:47 am

      This sounds delicious. I'm making this with the intention of eating it for lunch... but let's just be real: it'll be breakfast.

      Reply
      • Alexis says

        December 02, 2014 at 5:52 pm

        Hahaha that happens to me ALL the time!

        Reply
        • Rin says

          December 15, 2014 at 12:44 am

          It WAS delicious. For both meals πŸ™‚ Easy to throw together and healthy, with a taste like that- thank you for the recipe!

          ★★★★★

          Reply

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