This incredibly nourishing, hardy, and refreshing Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe is the perfect lunch or side to any dinner! Loaded with fresh and nutritious ingredients such as mint, olives, artichokes, and olives!
This quinoa salad is an absolute staple in my house in the spring and summer seasons. I typically make it using marinated artichokes, olives, sundried tomatoes, and mix in other fresh veggies I have on hand at that time. It's an absolute must-try and one to keep on rotation for an incredibly healthy and hardy dish!
Quinoa is a powerhouse of nutrients! It's packed with protein, fiber, and other minerals, making it much more nutritious than other grains.
The best part is how fast and easy it is to cook! Use my recipe below to get the perfect fluffy quinoa, and be sure to let it marinate in the dressing prior to serving.
Ok, now for a little back story...
I make most of my recipes inspired by my Lebanese Mediterranean upbringing. Being born and raised in Lebanon, I gravitate toward adding a little Mediterranean spin to most recipes I make. You can go far with fresh herbs, Extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and garlic but there are a lot of amazing dishes that I can't wait to share!
This is a healthy and easy quinoa salad that will be sure to impress the entire family. With being this versatile, it will surely become a staple in your home, as it has been in mine for many years.
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YOU WILL NEED
- Cutting board. I've had this style of cutting boards for years and love having multiple lightweight options, for meals where I'm using veggies and seafood.
- Knife
- Medium size saucepan
- Measuring cups & Measuring spoons
INGREDIENTS NOTES
For the salad
- quinoa dry
- water
- canned garbanzo beans
- tomato
- red onion
- marinated artichoke
- kalamata olives
- sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
- feta
- fresh mint leaves
- cucumber
For the dressing
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh lemon juice
- red wine vinegar
- garlic
- sugar, optional
- black pepper
- salt
Should I rinse quinoa before cooking?
Quinoa can have a slightly bitter flavor. Check the package on your specific quinoa for any cooking notes. Personally, I like to rinse quinoa. As I do the same with many other grains. I place my quinoa in a strainer and do a quick rinse under running water prior to cooking it.
Can you make this Quinoa salad in advance?
Yes! I typically make this recipe at lunch time to serve for dinner. This way, the quinoa has time to soak up the dressing.
How long can you store this Quinoa salad in the fridge?
Stores for about 4 days in the fridge if not dressed. If you are meal prepping this recipe, be sure to store the dressing on the side.
Serving Suggestions
A few ideas on how we serve this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe:
- This Mediterranean quinoa recipe makes a great lunch meal prep for the week. I'm all for doubling a batch of a healthy meal! This way, you can eat better with fewer dishes and have more time back in your day. Share this recipe on Facebook to get bragging rights for eating healthy, with little effort!
- This quinoa recipe makes the perfect side dish to bring to any potluck or BBQ.
- Pair with another side dish or two for an easy picnic date.
- This quinoa recipe is one to keep on hand for easy dinner ideas for family meal prepping.
- Serve in cute tall jars for brunch!
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The Best Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 1½ cups quinoa dry
- 1 cup water
- 14 oz. can garbanzo beans
- 1 large tomato or 2 small
- ¾ cup red onion chopped
- 1 cup marinated artichoke
- ⅓ cup kalamata olives sliced in half
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
- 1 cup feta crumbled
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves chopped
- 1 medium cucumber diced, optional
For the dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ teaspoon sugar optional to cut acidity
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Cook quinoa in a saucepan, with water over medium heat. Once the water reaches a boil, decrease the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for another 15 minutes, or until the quinoa completely absorbs the water. Remove from heat and let sit until cooled.
- In a large bowl, place the garbanzo beans, tomato, red onion, artichoke, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and cucumbers.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, sugar, black pepper, and salt. Mix together until combined.
- Add the quinoa to the bowl with the mixings, pour in the dressing and toss until combined. Set in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Prior to serving, sprinkle in the feta and mint leaves, and lightly fold to combine.
Notes
- Feel free to leave out any ingredients that you can't consume or are not a fan of.
- Rinse quinoa in cold water once cooked to make the recipe even faster.
- You can prep at lunch time and store in the fridge to have for dinner!
- Stores for about 2 days if dressing is mixed in.
- If you are meal prepping be sure to keep the dressing separate to prevent the quinoa salad from becoming soggy.
Lisa
I made this last weekend for my boyfriend to go with the chicken shawarma. We both loved it. Full of flavor. There's only 2 of us so it made tons of leftovers. He's usually scared to try new things, but he absolutely loved this salad. I will likely be making this at least weekly. Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe. I won't lie in making it again tomorrow!
THE PERFECT TIDE
Thank you for your kind words, Lisa! The Shawarma does pack flavor for sure!