Maya Chen
A vibrant, protein-packed salad bursting with Mediterranean flavors—perfect for a light lunch or easy meal prep!
Recipe Snapshot
- 🍽️ Serves: 4
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 💰 Cost Estimate: $2.10 per serving
Clever Tip:
Cook the quinoa ahead of time and chill it—the firmer texture makes salads even better and saves time on busy days!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright, fresh, and packed with nutrition
- Perfect meal prep—stays crisp for days
- Super versatile—serve for lunch, dinner, or picnics
- Vegetarian, high protein, and gluten-free
- Customizable: add chicken, shrimp, or more veggies
Ingredient Notes
- Quinoa: Use white, red, or tricolor—rinse for best texture
- Chickpeas: Adds protein, fiber, and makes it hearty
- Cucumber & Tomatoes: Cool, crisp, and sweet
- Kalamata olives & feta: Mediterranean tang and salt
- Fresh parsley & mint: Key to bright herb flavor
- Lemon-Herb Dressing: Olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano tie it all together
- Optional: grilled chicken, shredded tuna, or roasted shrimp for more protein
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- ▢ 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- ▢ 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- ▢ 1 (15oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ▢ 1 large cucumber, diced
- ▢ 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ▢ 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- ▢ 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- ▢ 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ▢ 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ▢ 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- For the lemon-herb dressing:
- ▢ 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ▢ 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ▢ 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ▢ 1 clove garlic, minced
- ▢ 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Rinse thoroughly. Simmer quinoa and water/broth in a saucepan for 15 minutes, covered, until water is absorbed. Fluff and cool completely.
- Prep veggies: Dice cucumber, halve tomatoes, chop onion, halve olives, chop herbs.
- Make dressing: Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Combine: In a big bowl, mix quinoa, chickpeas, veggies, olives, feta, herbs.
- Dress & toss: Pour dressing over salad, toss gently to coat.
- Chill: For best flavor, refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy cold or room temp.
Helpful Tips
- Cook quinoa ahead and chill for best texture
- Add extra lemon or vinegar for more tang
- Drain chickpeas and olives well to avoid watery salad
Expert Tips for the Best Results
- Use a mix of parsley and mint for authentic flavor
- Let salad sit to meld flavors; even better the second day
- Add grilled chicken or shrimp for a protein boost
Meal Prep & Freezing Tips
- Prep Ahead: Cook quinoa, chop veggies, and make dressing up to 2 days before.
- Storage: Salad keeps in fridge 3–4 days in airtight container. Stir before serving.
- Freezing: Not recommended—fresh veggies lose texture, but dressing can be made and frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is quinoa salad gluten-free? Yes—quinoa is naturally gluten-free.
- Can I skip feta? Absolutely; try vegan feta or more veggies.
- Can I make it ahead? Yes—great as meal prep for the week.
- Flavor swaps? Add sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, or roasted peppers.
Conclusion
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is vibrant, nutritious, and wonderfully versatile—make it once, enjoy for days, and savor real Mediterranean freshness!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cup Quinoa uncooked
- 2 cups Water or vegetable broth
- 1 15-oz can Chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 1 large Cucumber diced
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes halved
- 1/2 red onion finely diced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata Olives pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled Feta Cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh Parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh Mint chopped
For the Lemon-Herb Dressing
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
- Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water (or broth). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool completely.
- Prepare the Vegetables: While quinoa cools, dice the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely dice the red onion, and halve the Kalamata olives. Chop the fresh parsley and mint.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, rinsed chickpeas, diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, halved Kalamata olives, crumbled feta, chopped parsley, and chopped mint.
- Dress the Salad: Pour the lemon-herb dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Chill and Serve: For best flavor, cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Clever Tip
Cook the quinoa ahead of time and chill it. Cold quinoa has a firmer texture that works perfectly in salads and saves valuable prep time on busy days!Meal Prep & Variation Tips
- Advance Prep: Cook the quinoa and chop all vegetables a day or two ahead. Store them separately in airtight containers. Assemble the salad with the dressing just before serving or portioning for lunches.
- Add Protein: For an even heartier meal, add grilled chicken, canned tuna, or roasted shrimp.
- Spice It Up: A pinch of red pepper flakes in the dressing can add a subtle kick.
- Storage: Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
