Vibrant Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Colorful Mediterranean Quinoa Salad bursting with fresh crunchy veggies, tangy feta, briny olives, and my favorite red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. This is my jam for potlucks because it sits well in the fridge but also stellar for lunch or dinner alongside grilled chicken, tofu or salmon.

Any OG Hummusapien readers recognize this post from a decade ago when I first hit publish or when we used to sell it at our Columbus, caféAlchemy? It feels like yesterday I was making this for customers at 6am!

This funky psuedo-grain has come a long way in popularity and dare I say quinoa is now mainstream? Beloved for it's complete protein content, it's a wonderful salad base for herbivores (like my zucchini quinoa salad with chickpeas and feta!).

Add a pile of colorful, crunchy veg, a tangy dressing, creamy feta and a handful of herbs and BOOM. A wondrous, meal-worthy salad is born.

The low down on ingredients

• Quinoa: I developed this recipe with quinoa thanks to its nutty flavor and protein. You want to give it a good rinse in a fine mesh sieve to get rid of the bitter tasting saponins that naturally occur. P.S. my zucchini quinoa salad with chickpeas and feta is another must make!
• Veggies: You know color is no stranger in my healthy grain salad recipes. We eat with our eyes, right?! Peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers for beauty, freshness and flavor.
• Red onion: The sharp bite of red onion goes swimmingly with the mildness of the other ingredients.
• Feta and olives: My secret weapons for a flavor punch--don't skip them!
• Parsley: It was clear in recipe testing that fresh herby notes add SO much.
• Dressing: EVOO, red wine vin, oregano, garlic and honey create the most amazing dress to bring everything together.

Let's make it!

Cook quinoa, chop veggies, and combine in a bowl. Wouldya look at those colors?

Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.

Add dressing, toss, and serve.

Don't forget to let me know in the comments if you get your quinoa on!

Vibrant Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Side Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Colorful Mediterranean Quinoa Salad bursting with fresh crunchy veggies, tangy feta, briney olives, and my favorite red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. This is my jam for potlucks because it sits well in the fridge but also stellar for lunch or dinner alongside grilled chicken. 

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups quinoa (uncooked)
• 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
• 1 batch 5 minute Mediterranean salad dressing

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Instructions

1. Place quinoa and 2 ½ cups 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. Transfer to a large mixing bowl to cool.
2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
3. To the bowl with the cooling quinoa, add cucumber, pepper, red onion, tomatoes, feta, olives, and parsley. Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine. Serve room temp or chill in the fridge!

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