Greek Salad With Quinoa

This Greek Salad with Quinoa is the perfect summer side dish. Fresh veggies and delicious herbs in a tangy dressing combine with nutritious quinoa and bright, salty feta to make an incredibly flavourful salad. If you’re looking for a side for your next BBQ or simply a quick lunch you can make ahead, this quinoa recipe is for you! Naturally gluten-free and simple to make dairy-free too, this salad suits a variety of dietary needs.

Why you’ll love this Quinoa salad recipe

In the heat of summer, what could be better than a refreshing salad? This Greek-style quinoa salad is incredibly nutritious. The quinoa and feta provide protein while the veggies bring many vitamins and fibre to the dish. On top of that, the herby dressing made with apple cidre vinegar and healthy oil provides even more vitamins.

So, if you want to keep your family eating healthy throughout the summer months, this quinoa salad recipe is for you!

And the best part? This Greek quinoa salad is incredibly quick and easy to make.

As a busy mom of four, I don’t want to be spending hours in the kitchen when I can be outside with my kids. That’s why I love recipes like this. I can whip it up in the morning no time at all and have it sit in the fridge until we get back from that day’s adventures.

Let me show you just how easy it is…

Ingredients Needed to Make Greek salad with quinoa

Quinoa:

• 230g quinoa (or 2 cups)
• 430 ml water (or 1 3/4 cups)
• 1 tsp salt

Salad:

• 1 cucumber, seeds removed and cubed
• 4 medium tomatoes, cubed
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 80g olives, pitted (optional) or 120g unpitted
• 180g feta cheese

Dressing:

• 180 ml oil (I like to do 90ml olive oil and 90 ml avocado oil for this recipe)
• 60 ml apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs, finely chopped (oregano works best for this recipe)
• 1/2 clove fresh garlic, crushed

How to Make Quinoa Salad, Greek style

First, cook the quinoa. I like to do this in my rice cooker as it makes the process incredibly easy. Rinse the quinoa in cold water, then add it to the rice cooker with the water. Add the salt and turn the rice cooker on. The quinoa cooks perfectly in around 20-25 mins. Make sure you turn the rice cooker off once the quinoa is cooked, as it will keep it warm.

If you prefer to make quinoa in a saucepan, follow the same instructions as for the rice cooker, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approx 15 mins.

Leave the quinoa to cool completely before assembling the salad.

When the quinoa is cool, prepare the vegetables by cubing the tomatoes and cucumber, slicing the shallots and draining the olives. I prefer to remove the seeds of my cucumber before cubing them. Large cubes work best in this salad, I aim for around 2.5 cm pieces.

For the dressing, place all of the ingredients in a jam jar and shake to combine. For more detailed instructions on how to make this apple cider vinaigrette, check out this post.

Place the quinoa, veggies and all of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and toss to combine. Top the salad with crumbled feta cheese.

Note: This recipe calls for a large amount of dressing in order to flavour the quinoa.

Serve this salad cold as a BBQ side dish or for a light lunch.

Let me know if you try this recipe and how it turned out! Don’t forget to take a photo and tag me on social media @candleinthekitchen, I love seeing your creations!

Greek Salad With Quinoa

This Greek Salad with Quinoa is the perfect summer side dish. Fresh veggies, delicious herbs in a tangy dressing are mixed with nutritious quinoa and topped with bright, salty feta to make a delicious, seasonal salad.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

  

Quinoa:

• 230 g quinoa or 2 cups
• 430 ml water or 1 3/4 cups
• 1 tsp salt

Salad:

• 1 cucumber seeds removed and cubed
• 4 medium tomatoes cubed
• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 80 g olives pitted (optional) or 120g unpitted
• 180 g feta cheese

Dressing:

• 180 ml oil I like to do 90ml olive oil and 90 ml avocado oil for this recipe
• 60 ml apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs finely chopped (oregano works best for this recipe)
• 1/2 clove fresh garlic crushed

Instructions

 

Cook the Quinoa

• I like to do this in my rice cooker as it makes the process incredibly easy. Rinse the quinoa in cold water, then add it to the rice cooker with the water. Add the salt and turn the rice cooker on. The quinoa will be perfectly cooked in around 20-25 mins. Make sure you turn the rice cooker off once the quinoa is cooked as it will keep it warm otherwise.
• If you prefer to make quinoa in a saucepan, follow the same instructions as for the rice cooker, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approx 15 mins.
• Leave the quinoa to cool completely before assembling the salad.

Prepare the Vegetables

• When the quinoa is cool, prepare the vegetables by cubing the tomatoes and cucumber, slicing the shallots and draining the olives. I prefer to remove the seeds of my cucumber before cubing them. Large cubes work best in this salad, I aim for around 2.5 cm pieces.

Prepare the Vinaigrette

• For the dressing, place all of the ingredients in a jam jar and shake to combine.
• Assemble the Salad
• Place the quinoa, veggies and all of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and toss to combine. Top the salad with crumbled feta cheese.

Notes

This recipe calls for a large amount of dressing, but it is needed to flavour the quinoa.

This salad is best served cold as a side for a BBQ or as a light lunch.

Keyword BBQ Side, Feta, Light Lunch, Summer Salad