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Quinoa Salad
A light, fresh, and healthy Quinoa Salad made with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, tangy feta cheese, and tossed with a red wine vinaigrette. This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a vibrant side dish or healthy meal.
I am a stay-at-home mama and it can be hard to to find healthy lunch items in a hurry. Making fresh salads ahead of time and storing them in the refrigerator is my go-to time saver.
My ultra healthy daughter, who I have talked about extensively, actually came up with this recipe and makes it all of the time for her school lunches. She even got all of her high school friends hooked on quinoa!
How to cook Quinoa?
Start by rinsing quinoa in water to remove as much of the starchiness as possible. Place rinsed quinoa into a medium-sized pot. If you are cooking 1 cup of quinoa, you need 2 cups of water. If you are cooking 2 cups of quinoa, you need 4 cups of water. Always salt the water as it infuses flavor into the quinoa as it cooks. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Let cook for 15-20 minutes. Check to see if it is light and easily fluffs with a fork.
How to make a Quinoa Salad?
First, cook the quinoa according to package instructions. Once the quinoa is cooked, toss it with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Italian parsley, extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, and feta cheese. It’s crazy simple and makes quinoa, which is a nutritional powerhouse, taste good.
How long does it last in the refrigerator?
I love to make this quinoa salad ahead of time and eat it all week long. I keep it in the refrigerator for about 5-7 days. It will keep longer, if you add the feta cheese when you are ready to eat it.
Once the quinoa is cooked, a dressing made with EVOO, red wine vinegar, and spices is poured over it. The quinoa literally soaks in every bit of the dressing and flavors it so well.
You can serve this Greek Quinoa Salad alongside some homemade roasted garlic and pine nut hummus, fresh burrata, and pita bread.
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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 2 cups Water
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil can use less -- 1/3 cup if so desired
- 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 Cucumber peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 cups Grape Tomatoes halved
- 1/3 cup Red Onion thinly sliced
- 3/4 - 1 cup Feta Cheese crumbled
- Kalamata Olives optional
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package instructions.
- In small bowl, toss extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, parsley, garlic salt, and pepper.
- Toss dressing with quinoa.
- Top with cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, and feta cheese.
- Salt to taste.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my absolutely favorite salad. I always order it when we go out for Mediterranean food, but have never tried making it at home. I am so excited to try this recipe. And it looks easy. Thank you MH