Mediterranean Quinoa Salad With Briny Olives and Crumbly Feta
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
10 min
Cook
20 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Cooked quinoa has a firm, cold texture that doesn't become soggy when mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Mediterranean quinoa salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, olives, red onion, and feta cheese can be prepared in advance as a cold lunch or side dish.
Use pieces of Persian cucumber, half an English cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red and green bell peppers, Kalamata olives, red onion, and cubed feta cheese. To prepare the vinaigrette, add olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano to the same bowl with the other salad ingredients. Do not prepare the vinaigrette in a separate bowl. Use feta cheese packed in oil with herbs, as specified in the recipe.
Cool the quinoa before serving in a bowl. There should be enough vegetable pieces to see and a bit of crunch, no mushiness. Drizzle on the dressing and test for shine. Add more oil or vinegar as needed. Other problems to avoid include insufficient seasoning, since the quinoa likely wasn't seasoned during preparation and needs a lot of salt and pepper to taste good.
Serve as a main course in the summer with bread and olive oil or balsamic vinegar for dipping. Portion leftovers and package them for lunch at work. Add lemon juice to leftover portions to improve their taste.
Why we keep this one around
- Uncooked quinoa provides bulk to this Greek-inspired dish as a salad ingredient mixed with chopped vegetables and feta cheese.
- Uncooked quinoa helps the vegetables and feta carry the salad dressing when the salad is served cold.
- Mini Persian cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and two bell peppers add diced color and flavor to the salad and help control serving sizes by adding different colors.
- Kalamata olives and red onion and feta are briny, sharp, and savory ingredients. Olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and oregano are good additions to a salad dressing.
- The recipe uses chilled cooked quinoa rather than hot grains to help cucumbers and peppers hold their crunch when salad dressing is added.
- A small amount of feta cheese is used to support the vegetables more than as a garnish. Feta cheese in oil with herbs is suggested.
- All ingredients are combined in one bowl so the lemon dressing thoroughly coats quinoa and vegetables without the need for cooking or added sauces at the table.
Ingredients
- •1 cup uncooked quinoa
- •3 Persian (mini) cucumbers (sliced; or 1/2 English cucumber)
- •handful little tomatoes (generous, halved)
- •1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- •½ green bell pepper (chopped)
- •handful Kalamata olives (pitted)
- •2 tbsp red onion (chopped)
- •3 ½ oz feta (cubed; packed in oil and herbs)
- •1 tbsp olive oil
- •1 tbsp lemon juice
- •1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- •½ tsp dried oregano (or more to taste)
- •salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- 1
Cook the quinoa according to the package directions.
- 2
Set the cooked quinoa aside to cool.
- 3
Prep the remaining salad ingredients and add them to a large salad bowl.
- 4
Add the cooled quinoa to the salad bowl.
- 5
Add the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and dried oregano directly to the bowl.
- 6
Toss the salad to coat the ingredients with the dressing.
- 7
Season generously with salt and pepper.
- 8
Taste and adjust as needed, adding more oil or vinegar if desired.
- 9
Chill the salad if desired, or serve right away.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
295
Calories
11g
Protein
13g
Fat
34g
Carbs
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