Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

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

Course Light Meal, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 440kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

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