My Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is the ideal side dish or light, meat-free meal. To a base of protein-rich quinoa, we add traditional Mediterranean flavours. Marinated artichokes, cucumber, roasted red pepper, red onion and Kalamata olives are tossed through the tender quinoa. Mint leaves and parsley add colour and flavour and feta a salty tang. The salad is dressed with a simple vinaigrette of extra virgin olive oil and tangy, freshly squeezed lemon juice. So good!
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- This colourful salad is made from ingredients which are readily available.
- The salad is suitable for many people with specific dietary requirements as it is naturally gluten-free and nut-free. To make it vegan, replace the feta with appropriate cheese.
- There is a perfect balance of flavours and textures.
- It is light yet the protein-rich quinoa makes it a satisfying dish.
- The salad will keep for three days, so is ideal meal prep for lunches or a simple side dish.
Recipe Inspiration: the colours and flavours of the Mediterranean are my absolute favourite, and what I grew up on. I also love a quinoa salad, such as my Quinoa Tabouli, and it is one of my favourite things to make for lunch.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
- Quinoa: is a complete protein, making it ideal for vegetarians and vegans. It is a versatile ingredient, and I have used it in my Quinoa Vegetable Soup and Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice: combined with extra virgin olive oil forms a vibrant, tangy vinaigrette.
- Extra virgin olive oil: from the first pressing of the olives, this is olive oil at its least processed and full of flavour.
- Marinated artichokes: they are a great addition to the salad, elevating the other flavours and adding a touch of elegance.
- Lebanese cucumber: these small cucumbers are sweet and juicy and have a crunchy texture. They are ideal for salads as they have very few seeds and a smooth skin that does not need to be removed. Look for cucumbers that are firm, with shiny, unblemished skin.
- Roasted red peppers: we have used strips of our homemade Roasted Red Peppers. For convenience you could use a commercial variety, but the flavour will be slightly more acidic.
- Kalamata olives: these large, dark purple-black olives are meaty and add a complex, salty element to the salad.
- Parsley: for the best flavour we use flat leaf/Italian parsley.
- Mint leaves: finely sliced mint leaves add vibrant colour and bright, fresh flavour.
- Red onion: this onion is ideal for salads. It is sweeter than white onions and milder in flavour than brown/yellow onions.
- Feta cheese: my preference is Greek feta, made from a combination of sheep and goat milk, but you can use another feta that you enjoy eating.
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: these are essential seasoning ingredients. They enhance all the other flavours. Always check that the seasoning is to your taste before serving.
Variations:
Kalamata olives: Sicilian Castelvetrano olives are large and meaty, a good alternative.
Roasted red pepper: we have used our homemade Roasted Red Peppers. If you wish, you could use a commercial variety, but the flavour will not be the same, it will be more acidic.
Tomatoes: fresh tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes are also delicious additions.
How To Make Mediterranean Quinoa Salad:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 - Cook the quinoa and dress:
Cook the quinoa (see full instructions in recipe card) and add to a large bowl. While the quinoa is still warm, toss with the lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.
Set aside to cool slightly.
2 - Add the remaining ingredients:
To the quinoa, add the artichokes, cucumber, red pepper, olives, red onion and herbs. Toss gently to combine. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Top the salad with the cubed feta and serve immediately at room temperature.
Hint: if you have some salad leftover, to freshen the appearance when next serving, I suggest that you add some finely sliced herbs.
Tips for Success, Storage and FAQs:
Yes, you can. To maintain the freshness of the ingredients I suggest it not be longer than two days ahead, and you add the feta and fresh herbs just before serving.
You can serve it chilled or at room temperature. My preference is room temperature as I feel that the flavours are dulled when the salad is chilled.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. If they have been at room temperature for up to two hours, they should be discarded.
Yes, I suggest that you add some fresh herbs just before serving.
Top Tip:
We add the simple olive oil and lemon juice dressing to the warm quinoa. It is best absorbed while the quinoa is still warm, to really allow the flavours to develop.
Serving Suggestions:
This vibrantly flavoured Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is extremely versatile and can be enjoyed in many ways, such as:
- It is a satisfying meat-free meal. It is excellent with our Spelt Focaccia on the side.
- Serve it as a side dish. It is ideal served with our Marinated Lamb Loin Chops or Butterflied Roast Chicken.
- It travels well so take to a potluck or picnics.
- At a barbecue, include it on a salad bar with Potato Salad with Peas and Mint or Broccoli, Bacon and Cashew Salad.
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad has a perfect combination of vibrant flavours and contrasting textures. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. Please let me know if you try it.
Alex xx
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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Quinoa:
- 1 cup (175 g) white quinoa - uncooked See Note 1
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
- 2 tablespoon (40 ml) lemon juice - freshly squeezed See Note 3
For the Salad:
- ⅔ cup marinated artichokes - roughly chopped
- 1 medium Lebanese cucumber - cut into small cubes
- ½ cup (80 g) Kalamata olives - pitted and halved
- 1 cup roasted capsicum/red bell peppers - sliced, about 2 large See Note 4
- 1 medium red onion - finely chopped
- ¾ cup (150 g) feta cheese - cut into small cubes
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves - finely sliced See Note 5
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves - finely sliced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - add to taste See Note 6
Instructions
- Place the quinoa into a fine-mesh sieve and rinse vigorously under cold, running water, swishing the quinoa with your fingers.Drain the quinoa well - I sit the sieve on several layers of paper towel; it helps absorb excess moisture.
- Pour 2 cups of water into a medium-size saucepan and add the drained quinoa. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes, or until the seeds are tender.Different varieties of quinoa cook at different times. Check the quinoa after about 8 minutes to see if it is cooked to your liking. One indicator is that the cooked grains will have little curly "tails".
- Remove the pan from the heat, place a clean tea towel or 3 layers of paper towel over the saucepan, place the lid back on and stand 5 minutes. The tea towel/paper towel will absorb excess moisture.Add the quinoa to a large bowl. While the quinoa is still hot, add the olive oil and lemon juice and mix to combine. This will help the quinoa to absorb the flavours.Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the quinoa to cool a little.
- Add artichokes, cucumber, olives, roasted peppers, onion, feta and herbs to the quinoa. Toss gently to combine. Season to suit your taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Serve while still warm or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.
Notes
- Quinoa: we cook the quinoa by the absorption method, which means that the quinoa will absorb the amount of water used. The weight listed is the weight of the quinoa before it is cooked. It is important to thoroughly rinse the quinoa to remove the outside coating of the grain, which can cause a slightly bitter taste, and make sure the quinoa is well-drained after rinsing.
- Olive oil: for the best flavour, we have used extra-virgin olive oil. Use the best olive oil that you have.
- Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
- Capsicums/peppers: we use our Homemade Roasted Capsicums for this recipe. You can use store bought if you prefer.
- Herbs: roll the herbs up tightly, and using a sharp knife, finely slice across them. You may have to do this in batches. A sharp knife will cut cleanly and not bruise the leaves.
- Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking - we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour.
- Make ahead: to maintain the freshness of the ingredients I suggest it should not be longer than two days ahead, and you add the feta and fresh herbs just before serving.
- Storage: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I recommend that you add the feta and fresh herbs just before serving.
- Freshening leftovers: to brighten the leftovers, I suggest adding some fresh herbs just before serving.
- Freezing: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Wendy says
Just loved this quinoa recipe - thanks on the tip of cooking the quinoa. The absorption method with the tea towel was brilliant. I added other Vegs I had in my cupboard and fridge. Great!!
Alexandra Cook says
Thank you, Wendy 🙂
I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe and found the quinoa cooking tip useful!
Alex xo