Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Lemon (Printable)
Bright quinoa and crisp vegetables tossed in a zesty lemon dressing with olives and fresh herbs.
# What You'll Need:
→ Quinoa
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Vegetables & Herbs
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
06 - 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
08 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
09 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Cheese
11 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
→ Lemon Dressing
12 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
13 - 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
15 - 1 clove garlic, minced
16 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
17 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
18 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How-to Steps:
01 - Combine quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, keep covered, and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, mix together the cooled quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley, and mint.
03 - Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until well combined.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to evenly coat the ingredients.
05 - If desired, gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Pointers:
01 -
- It's the kind of salad that tastes better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep without any fuss.
- The lemon dressing is bright enough to wake up your whole meal, but the quinoa keeps everything grounded and filling.
- You can have dinner on the table in under 40 minutes, leaving you time to actually enjoy your food instead of being stuck at the stove.
02 -
- Don't dress the salad until you're ready to eat it if you want the vegetables to stay crisp, but know that it actually tastes noticeably better after an hour in the fridge while the flavors get to know each other.
- The quinoa absolutely has to cool completely before you dress it, or the heat will wilt everything and make the whole thing turn into mush.
- Lemon juice is acidic and will soften the red onion, so if you like it snappy and sharp, add it just before serving instead of during assembly.
03 -
- Toast the quinoa in a dry pan for a minute before cooking it if you want to bring out its natural nutty flavor—it's subtle but worth the extra step.
- Zest your lemon before you cut it in half to juice it, because once it's halved, zesting becomes impossible and sad.