Mediterranean Quinoa Salad (Print)

Fluffy quinoa combined with juicy tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and fresh herbs in a zesty dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup uncooked quinoa
02 - 2 cups water

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
04 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
05 - 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
06 - 1/4 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives

→ Cheese

07 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

→ Fresh Herbs

08 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (optional)

→ Dressing

10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
14 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold running water.
02 - In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
03 - In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, feta, parsley, and mint.
04 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until combined.
05 - Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
06 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, yet tastes like you spent hours planning it.
  • Quinoa gives you real staying power without making you feel stuffed afterward.
  • Cold from the fridge or at room temperature, it's endlessly flexible and never gets boring.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing—that bitter coating will haunt you if you do.
  • The salad gets better as it sits because the dressing soaks in; make it an hour ahead if you can.
  • Feta's saltiness shifts depending on the brand, so taste before you add extra salt.
03 -
  • Cool your quinoa completely before dressing it, or the heat will turn the herbs into something dark and sad.
  • Buy feta from the olive bar if you can—it tastes like food, not preservatives.

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