Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe
A refreshing and vibrant Mediterranean Quinoa Salad featuring fluffy quinoa, colorful bell peppers, crisp cucumber, tangy capers, fresh parsley, and creamy feta cheese, all tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch or side dish, this salad combines wholesome ingredients for a nutritious and flavorful Mediterranean-inspired meal.
- 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
For the 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
For the 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. Add the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper to a small bowl and whisk together until the mixture is fully emulsified. Alternatively, combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake vigorously. Set the vinaigrette aside.
- Cook the quinoa. Place the rinsed quinoa and water into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat and let the quinoa steam, covered, for an additional 5 minutes to ensure fluffiness.
- Cool the quinoa. To prevent the salad from becoming soggy, spread the cooked quinoa out on a baking sheet to cool for approximately 15 minutes until it reaches room temperature.
- Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with diced bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, drained capers, chopped fresh parsley, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle the prepared lemon vinaigrette over the mixture and toss gently to combine. You may adjust the amount of dressing to your preference, though using it all enhances the flavor.
- Serve or chill. The Mediterranean Quinoa Salad can be served immediately for a fresh and vibrant dish or chilled in the refrigerator for some time to allow the flavors to meld beautifully before serving.
Notes
- The salad can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored refrigerated for up to 2 days.
- For a vegan version, omit the feta or substitute with a plant-based cheese.
- Chilling the salad prior to serving helps the flavors develop even more deeply.
- You can add olives or cherry tomatoes for additional Mediterranean flavor variations.
Keywords: Mediterranean quinoa salad, quinoa salad with feta, healthy quinoa salad, lemon vinaigrette salad, easy Mediterranean recipe
Find it online: https://busyrecipe.com/mediterranean-quinoa-salad-recipe/