This Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe is hearty, wholesome, and filled with contemporary taste! Serve it as a facet dish, or get pleasure from it as a meal by itself.
With Labor Day proper across the nook, I assumed that it’d be the right time to share this Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe. In case you have a cookout or picnic arising this weekend, this quinoa salad can be a scrumptious addition to the menu. It may simply go as a facet dish, but it surely’s so hearty and flavorful that it may very well be the principle occasion, too. And in the event you occur to have leftovers, you’re in luck! This quinoa salad retains nicely in the event you make it forward of time, so it’s an important recipe to meal prep for wholesome lunches all through the week.
Through the years, I’ve shared a lot of quinoa salad recipes on the weblog, however I’m particularly smitten with this one. A number of late summer time veggies and herbs pack it with contemporary taste, and a easy Italian dressing makes it good and vivid. I hope you like it too!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe Elements
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe:
- Quinoa, after all! 1 cup dry quinoa yields Three cups cooked. Discover my go-to technique for find out how to cook dinner quinoa right here.
- Roasted cherry tomatoes – They add wealthy savory taste and yummy chewy texture to this salad. You’ll have to roast them for a few hours on low warmth, till they shrivel across the edges, so be sure you plan forward.
- Persian cucumbers – For crunch!
- Pink onion – For sharp depth of taste.
- Feta cheese – I really like its creamy texture and tangy taste on this quinoa salad recipe, however be happy to skip it in the event you’re vegan.
- Kalamata olives – I’m an olive convert! For years, I averted olives, however their briny, salty taste takes this salad to an entire new stage.
- Toasted pine nuts and roasted chickpeas – They add protein, nutty taste, and plenty of crunch.
- Arugula and blended herbs – They make this salad good and contemporary! I like to make use of quite a lot of leafy herbs right here, equivalent to mint, parsley, oregano, thyme, and/or basil.
- Italian dressing – Vivid, tangy, and flecked with (extra) herbs, it ties the entire salad collectively!
Discover the whole recipe with measurements beneath.
Quinoa Salad Variations
This wholesome quinoa salad recipe is scrumptious as-written, however that doesn’t imply you possibly can’t play with it! Have enjoyable customizing it based mostly on what you’re craving or what you’ve available. Listed here are a number of concepts to get you began:
- Make it vegan. Skip the cheese! Add a number of further olives or roasted tomatoes to amp up the savory taste, and serve the salad with sliced avocado, a giant scoop of hummus, or dollops of vegan pesto.
- Swap the grain. As an alternative of quinoa, use farro or Israeli couscous. It received’t be a quinoa salad anymore, but it surely’ll nonetheless style scrumptious.
- Swap the dressing. Exchange the Italian dressing with Greek salad dressing or lemon French dressing.
- Combine up the veggies. Substitute chopped spinach or massaged kale for the arugula, or skip the greens solely. As an alternative, stir in a cup of roasted broccoli or half of cup roasted purple bell peppers.
- Strive a distinct cheese. Don’t like feta? Crumbled goat cheese can be nice right here too.
Let me know what variations you attempt!
Finest Quinoa Salad Recipe Suggestions
- Prepare dinner the quinoa forward of time. The quinoa ought to be cool or at room temperature whenever you toss this salad collectively. If it’s too heat, it’ll wilt the arugula and contemporary herbs. As an alternative of cooking it whenever you’re able to assemble the salad, cook dinner it no less than an hour and as much as 2 days upfront. And whilst you’re at it, roast the tomatoes! They’ll have to bake for two.5-Three hours to get actually tart and chewy.
- Pack it for lunch. This Mediterranean quinoa salad is a implausible make-ahead lunch! It retains nicely within the fridge for as much as Three days, so make a giant batch for lunches all week. For one of the best taste, retailer a number of the contemporary herbs individually and scatter them on proper earlier than you eat. I additionally suggest seasoning to style with salt, pepper, and/or an additional squeeze of lemon juice after this salad has spent a number of days within the fridge. Try this publish for extra of my greatest meal prep ideas and this one for extra wholesome lunch concepts!
- Or get pleasure from it for dinner. Serve this quinoa salad recipe as a facet dish with basic cookout fare like veggie burgers, black bean burgers, portobello mushroom burgers, or BBQ jackfruit sandwiches. It’s additionally a stunning vegetarian principal dish. Spherical out the meal with grilled veggie skewers, grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, or sautéed yellow squash.
Extra Favourite Hearty Salads
If you happen to love this simple, wholesome quinoa salad recipe, attempt considered one of these hearty salads subsequent:
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time: 2 hrs
Serves 6
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe is SO wholesome and scrumptious! Filled with roasted tomatoes, cucumbers, and contemporary herbs, it is an ideal meal prep lunch or dinner facet dish. For quick meeting, roast the tomatoes upfront.
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 recipe Roasted Tomatoes
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 cup blended basil & mint
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ cup diced purple onion
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 recipe Italian Dressing, plus 2 extra garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly floor black pepper
- Pinches of purple pepper flakes
- 1 cup roasted chickpeas
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In a big bowl, mix the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, arugula, cucumbers, herbs, feta, olives, onion, and pine nuts.
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Toss to mix, then drizzle with the dressing and toss once more. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and some pinches of purple pepper flakes, and toss once more. High with the roasted chickpeas and serve.
Make this recipe vegan by omitting the cheese.
