This Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe is hearty, healthy, and packed with fresh flavor! Serve it as a side dish, or enjoy it as a meal on its own.
This Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe is fresh and flavorful. It’s a delicious addition to the menu of any potluck, cookout, or picnic. It can easily pass as a side dish, but it’s so hearty and satisfying that it can be the main event, too.
And if you happen to have leftovers, you’re in luck! This quinoa salad keeps well if you make it ahead of time, so it’s a great recipe to meal prep for healthy lunches throughout the week.
Over the years, I’ve shared lots of quinoa salad recipes on the blog, but I’m especially smitten with this one. Roasted tomatoes, olives, and feta pack it with savory, briny flavor, and a simple olive oil and lemon dressing makes it nice and bright. I hope you love it too!
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe:
- Quinoa, of course! Quinoa cooks like a grain, but it’s actually a grain-like seed that hails from South America. It’s naturally gluten-free and packed with fiber and plant-based protein. Find my method for cooking it in the callout below.
- Roasted tomatoes – Roasted cherry or grape tomatoes add rich, savory flavor and chewy texture to this salad. They take some time to make, so be sure to plan ahead.
- Persian cucumbers – For crunch.
- Red onion – For sharp depth of flavor.
- Feta cheese – I love its creamy texture and tangy flavor in this quinoa salad recipe, but feel free to skip it if you’re vegan.
- Kalamata olives – I’m an olive convert! For years, I avoided olives, but their briny, salty flavor takes this salad to a whole new level.
- Toasted pine nuts and roasted chickpeas – They add protein, nutty flavor, and lots of crunch. Tip: Use store-bought roasted chickpeas to save yourself a prep step.
- Arugula and mixed herbs – They make this salad nice and fresh! I like to use a variety of leafy herbs here, such as mint, parsley, oregano, thyme, and/or basil.
- Italian dressing – Bright, tangy, and flecked with (more) herbs, it ties the whole salad together!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Cook Quinoa
Cooking quinoa is a lot like cooking rice:
- Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer to remove its bitter natural coating.
- Place in a medium saucepan with a tightly fitting lid. Add 1 3/4 cups water for every 1 cup of quinoa.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit, covered, for 10 minutes to continue to steam.
Then, fluff with a fork! 1 cup dry quinoa yields 3 cups cooked. For more quinoa-cooking tips, check out my guide to how to cook quinoa.
For this recipe, I recommend cooking the quinoa ahead. It should be cool or at room temperature when you toss the salad together. If it’s still warm, it’ll wilt the arugula and fresh herbs. Cook it at least an hour and up to 2 days before you assemble the salad.
How to Make Quinoa Salad
The first steps in this quinoa salad recipe are cooking the quinoa and roasting the tomatoes. You can prep both up to 3 days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the salad.
Next, make the dressing. A simple blend of extra-virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, and herbs, it’s quick to whisk together in a bowl or jar.
Then, toss the salad together. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, veggies, herbs, feta, olives, pine nuts, and half the dressing. Toss to coat before adding the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and tossing again.
Season to taste, adding more dressing as desired. Top with the roasted chickpeas and serve!
Recipe Variations
This healthy quinoa salad recipe is delicious as written, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with it! Have fun customizing it based on what you’re craving or what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Make it vegan. Skip the cheese! Add a few extra olives or roasted tomatoes to amp up the savory flavor.
- Switch the grain. Instead of quinoa, use farro or Israeli couscous. Note that the salad will no longer be gluten-free.
- Swap the dressing. Replace the Italian dressing with Greek salad dressing or lemon vinaigrette.
- Mix up the veggies. Substitute chopped spinach or massaged kale for the arugula, or skip the greens entirely. Instead, stir in a cup of roasted broccoli, 1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers, or a diced avocado.
- Take a shortcut. Replace the roasted tomatoes with fresh cherry tomatoes, halved, or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.
Let me know what variations you try!
What to Serve with Quinoa Salad
Serve this quinoa salad recipe as a side dish with a summer dinner. It pairs well with classic cookout fare like veggie burgers, black bean burgers, portobello mushroom burgers, or BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.
It’s also a lovely vegetarian main dish. Round out the meal with grilled vegetables or sautéed yellow squash.
If you have leftovers, this Mediterranean quinoa salad packs up perfectly for lunch. For the best flavor, store some of the fresh herbs separately and scatter them on right before you eat. I also recommend seasoning to taste with salt, pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and/or an extra squeeze of lemon juice after this salad has spent a few days in the fridge.
More Favorite Hearty Salads
If you love this easy, healthy quinoa salad recipe, try one of these hearty salads next:
Quinoa Salad
Serves 6
This Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe is healthy and delicious! Packed with roasted tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs, it’s a perfect meal prep lunch or dinner side dish. For speedy assembly, roast the tomatoes in advance.
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 recipe Roasted Tomatoes
- 2 cups arugula
- 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 cup mixed fresh basil and mint leaves
- ¾ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¾ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ½ cup diced red onion
- â…“ cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 recipe Italian Dressing, plus 2 additional garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- 1 cup roasted chickpeas
Prevent your screen from going dark
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In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, roasted tomatoes, arugula, cucumbers, basil and mint, feta, olives, onion, and pine nuts.
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Toss to combine, then drizzle with half the dressing and toss again. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and a few pinches of red pepper flakes and toss again. Season to taste, tossing with more dressing as desired. Top with the roasted chickpeas and serve.
Make this recipe vegan by omitting the cheese.
