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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe

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4.4 from 2 reviews

This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a refreshing and nutritious dish perfect for a light lunch or a vibrant side. Featuring fluffy quinoa combined with fresh cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, kalamata olives, and tangy feta cheese, all tossed in a flavorful homemade dressing made from hummus, garlic, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and olive juice. Ready in just 30 minutes, this salad is both easy to prepare and packed with Mediterranean flavors.

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Quinoa

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 cups water

Salad

  • 15 oz. can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
  • 10 oz. cherry tomatoes (sliced)
  • 1 medium red onion (finely sliced)
  • 1 cup chopped English cucumber (halved)
  • 3/4 cup pitted kalamata olives (halved)
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
  • 4 oz. feta cheese crumbles

Dressing

  • 6 tablespoons hummus
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon kalamata olive juice

Instructions

  1. Cook Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa under cold water to remove any bitterness. Place the quinoa and water into a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 15 minutes to steam. Then transfer to the refrigerator to chill completely.
  2. Prepare Dressing: In a jar with a lid, combine hummus, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and kalamata olive juice. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until all ingredients are well blended. Add a small amount of water if needed to thin the dressing to your desired consistency.
  3. Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, add the chilled quinoa. Then add garbanzo beans, sliced cherry tomatoes, finely sliced red onion, chopped cucumber, halved kalamata olives, chopped fresh mint, and feta cheese crumbles. Pour the prepared dressing over the salad and toss thoroughly to combine all the flavors evenly.
  4. Serve: Serve the Mediterranean quinoa salad chilled either immediately or after additional refrigeration for enhanced flavor melding. It makes a delightful light meal or a side dish for any Mediterranean-inspired spread.

Notes

  • Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove its natural coating called saponin, which can be bitter.
  • Feel free to substitute feta with a vegan cheese option to make the salad vegan-friendly.
  • Adjust dressing consistency with water or olive oil to your taste preference.
  • Can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Add avocado or roasted red peppers for extra flavor and texture variations.
  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://avascooking.com/mediterranean-quinoa-salad-recipe/