This healthy and nutritious Greek Quinoa Salad features a medley of vibrant, crunchy vegetables tossed in a zesty homemade dressing. It's perfect for meal prep!
10 EASY HEALTHY RECIPES EBOOK
Jump to:
- ❤️ Why You'll Love This Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe
- 🛒 Ingredients for Gluten-Free Quinoa Salad
- 🔪 How to Make Greek Quinoa Salad
- To Assemble the Quinoa Salad
- ☑️ Storage Instructions
- 🍴 What to Serve with Greek Quinoa Salad
- 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
- What is the Healthiest Way to Eat Quinoa?
- Do You Eat Quinoa Salad Hot or Cold
- Do You Need to Soak Quinoa Before Cooking?
- How Much Quinoa Does One Cup Make?
- 🍽️ More Healthy Salad Recipes
❤️ Why You'll Love This Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Healthy and nutritious fluffy quinoa
- Colorful mix of fresh, crisp veggies
- Creamy feta cheese and classic briny kalamata olives
- Tossed in an easy homemade vinaigrette
- Perfect for meal prep
- Gluten Free, Vegetarian and family friendly
This Greek quinoa salad is a super flavorful and vibrant dish that combines fluffy quinoa with all the beloved ingredients of a traditional Greek salad. Whether it's for a light lunch or a hearty side dish, you'll get a delicious taste of the Mediterranean in every bite.
Packed with protein, fiber, and an array of colorful nutritious vegetables and herbs, this light and refreshing salad is not only delicious but also incredibly healthy. It's great for meal prep too! The homemade dressing soaks into the salad making it even better the next day.
Quinoa is a very versatile and wholesome ingredient that can be used in many delicious recipes. For other tasty options, check out this Roasted Salmon Summer Quinoa Salad and this other amazing Quinoa Salad filled with chickpeas, pine nuts and pomegranate seeds.
🛒 Ingredients for Gluten-Free Quinoa Salad
- Quinoa
- Water
- Tomatoes
- English cucumber
- Bell pepper
- Feta cheese
- Kalamata olives
- Red onion
- Fresh mint
- Fresh parsley
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- White wine vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Honey
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Salt
*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
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🔪 How to Make Greek Quinoa Salad
How to Make Fluffy Quinoa
Add the water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
Take the quinoa and rinse it under cold water for a few minutes. You’re rinsing off the saponin, which takes the bitterness out of the quinoa.
Then pour it into boiling water and add the salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and is cooked through. You’ll know it’s done when the germ has separated from the seed.
Remove it from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes, covered, while you prepare the dressing and other ingredients.
To Make the Greek Salad Dressing
Add all of the dressing ingredients in to a bullet blender or small mixing bowl.
Blend or whisk until well combined, then set aside. Get the rest of your salad ingredients ready to add to the quinoa.
To Assemble the Quinoa Salad
Remove the lid from the saucepan and fluff it up using a fork.
Transfer the quinoa to a large serving bowl.
Add the cucumber, grape tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, feta cheese, kalamata olives and chopped mint over the top of the quinoa.
Pour the dressing over the top, toss and serve.
☑️ Storage Instructions
If you've just made the salad, allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. This prevents condensation inside the container, which can make the salad soggy.
Depending on the ripeness of the veggies, quinoa salad should keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days.
🍴 What to Serve with Greek Quinoa Salad
- Chicken: You can't go wrong with chicken dishes such as, Paprika Chicken Thighs, Lemon Chicken or this Grilled Bruschetta Chicken.
- Fish: Air Fryer Pesto Salmon, Mediterranean Mahi Mahi, Air Fryer Shrimp, Walnut Crusted Salmon are all great seafood choices.
- Beef: For a hearty meal, you can serve this salad with beef dishes like Air Fryer Steak Bites, Mississippi Pot Roast, or even with a simple sandwich or these easy Sloppy Joes.
- Other: The flavors in this dish goes well with Quiche Lorraine, a serving of these Oven Roasted Veggies or with an appetizer of this Roasted Garlic Hummus.
🔄 Substitutions and Additions
Add extra protein: Feel free to make this salad a hearty meal by adding shredded chicken, cooked shrimp.
Veggies: You can add in a handful of spinach, arugula, or mixed greens. Roasted red peppers, grilled and cubed eggplant, and artichoke hearts are other great veggie options.
Nuts and seeds: Toasted pine nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts will add extra crunch.
Herbs and spices: Feel free to add other fresh herbs like fresh dill or basil. For extra heat, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Cheese: Replace feta with goat cheese, blue cheese, or a vegan cheese of your choice. Grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano are two other really tasty options.
Dried fruits: Golden raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dried apricots are great for adding a bit of chewy sweetness.
Dressing options: Experiment with different types of dressing such as Creamy Balsamic Dressing or Homemade Italian.
What is the Healthiest Way to Eat Quinoa?
There are so many ways to transform quinoa into healthy dishes. When thinking about how to prepare it in healthy ways, remember to add healthy fats and proteins.
Do You Eat Quinoa Salad Hot or Cold
Some people prefer to eat it right after preparing it. But allowing it to sit in the fridge for a while helps enhance the flavors. It's delicious served cold or at room temperature.
Do You Need to Soak Quinoa Before Cooking?
While you do not have to soak it, rinsing quinoa removes a bitter substance called saponin that coats the grains.
How Much Quinoa Does One Cup Make?
For 1 cup of uncooked quinoa, you'll want to use 2 cups of liquid. This will yield 3 cups of cooked quinoa.
🍽️ More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction
- Grilled Shrimp Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
- Keto " Big Mac" Cheeseburger Salad
- Asian Grilled Chicken Salad
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Keto Taco Salad
- Classic Cobb with Ranch Dressing
Greek Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 ½ cups uncooked quinoa
- 2 ¾ cups water
- 1 ½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 ½ cups English cucumber, chopped
- 1 cup bell pepper, yellow/orange, diced
- ⅔ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup kalamata olives, halved
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the Dressing
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup white, or red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey, or agave, if Vegan
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- pinch of salt
Instructions
To Make the Quinoa
- Add the water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Take the quinoa and rinse it under cold water for a few minutes. You’re rinsing off the saponin, which takes the bitterness out of the quinoa. Then pour it into boiling water and add the salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the water has been absorbed and is cooked through. You’ll know it’s done when the germ has separated from the seed.
- Remove it from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes, covered, while you prepare the dressing and other ingredients.
To Make the Dressing
- Add all of the dressing ingredients in to a bullet blender or small mixing bowl.
- Either blend or whisk until well combined, then set aside. Get the rest of your salad ingredients ready to add to the quinoa.
To Assemble the Quinoa Salad
- Remove the lid from the saucepan and fluff it up using a fork.
- Transfer the quinoa to a large serving bowl.
- Add the cucumber, grape tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, feta cheese, kalamata olives and chopped mint over the top of the quinoa.
- Pour the dressing over the top, toss and serve.
*Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.
*Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.
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