Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe
This vibrant Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a fresh, healthy dish perfect for any meal. Featuring cooked quinoa mixed with colorful bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, capers, fresh parsley, and creamy feta cheese, it’s tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette that brings all the flavors together beautifully. Light yet satisfying, this salad is excellent served immediately or chilled to enhance the flavors, making it a great option for meal prep or gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 bell peppers, small diced (any color works—I used red and yellow)
- 1 English cucumber, small diced
- ½ medium red onion, small diced
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper until fully emulsified. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Cook the quinoa. In a medium saucepan, combine rinsed quinoa and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water. Remove from heat and keep covered to steam for an additional 5 minutes.
- Cool the quinoa. Spread cooked quinoa evenly on a baking sheet to cool for about 15 minutes, ensuring it is completely chilled before assembling the salad to prevent wilting of fresh ingredients.
- Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with diced bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, drained capers, chopped parsley, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle the prepared lemon vinaigrette over the mixture, tossing gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Adjust dressing quantity as desired.
- Serve or chill. Serve the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad immediately for a fresh taste or refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors meld together for enhanced depth. Enjoy chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Make sure to rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove its natural bitter coating (saponin).
- Allow quinoa to cool completely before mixing with fresh vegetables and dressing to maintain crisp textures.
- Feel free to substitute feta with a dairy-free cheese if preferred.
- The salad keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making it a great meal prep option.
- Adjust the amount of lemon vinaigrette to your taste preferences for more or less tang.
Keywords: Mediterranean quinoa salad, healthy quinoa salad, lemon vinaigrette salad, vegetarian quinoa recipe, easy summer salad, fresh quinoa salad
Find it online: https://mjrecipe.com/mediterranean-quinoa-salad-recipe/