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Greek quinoa salad is the perfect summer salad! It’s fresh, delicious, healthy, easy to make, and a real crowd pleaser!
Do you love both Greek salad AND quinoa salad? Then this combination will blow your mind! It’s the ultimate combination of both and a variation of his beloved Chopped Greek Salad Recipe! An undeniably delicious Greek quinoa salad recipe.
Colorful quinoa tossed with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, olives, scallions, crumbled feta, parsley, and a zingy dressing.
The quinoa salad dressing is made with extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup, and oregano.
Can you imagine how fresh, crunchy, and delicious this salad tastes? A healthy summer salad with beautiful flavors.
Trust me when I tell you that people love it. You can serve it as a side dish with grilled food or as a light stand-alone summer meal. It’s also suitable to take it to the office for lunch or bring it along for a picnic or hiking tour.
Furthermore, this crowd-pleaser can easily be prepared one day in advance without getting mushy. Store it in your fridge, and it will taste as good as freshly prepared. Perfect for bringing along to any summer party!
Healthy Summer Quinoa Salad
Quinoa is super healthy, gluten-free, and an excellent source of protein. It is also rich in fiber and easily digestible. What I also really like about quinoa is that it is super easy and quick to prepare.
Tri-color quinoa blend is my favorite. It tastes a little nuttier than solely white quinoa. Plus, it adds some color to your salad.
But in the end, it doesn’t matter which quinoa color you choose. Just go with what you have at home.
If you run out of quinoa, feel free to substitute it with bulgur or couscous.
Quinoa fan? Try this quinoa salad with grilled peach and arugula!
Quinoa Salad With Feta – Vegan-Friendly Option
A Mediterranean Greek salad wouldn’t be authentic without feta. But to be honest, it’s up to you if you want to add some or not. This salad tastes insanely delicious even without feta.
Although, some crumbled feta on top does add some extra flavor and saltiness.
The good news for all vegans: You do NOT need to forgo feta cheese. Make your own according to this vegan tofu feta cheese recipe. It’s a super simple recipe, tastes delicious, is dairy-free, and 100% plant-based.
But make sure to allow the tofu to marinate for at least 24 hours. This means you have to prepare the vegan feta at least one day before making this vegan quinoa salad variation.
Unfortunately, I haven’t found a vegan feta cheese in the supermarket that tastes good. Therefore, I highly recommend making your own.
The Best Olives
An important ingredient of this Greek quinoa salad are the olives! They give this salad a unique flavor and add some extra saltiness.
But not all olives do taste the same, and there are certainly some huge differences in quality. I highly recommend using Kalamata olives or high-quality Greek green olives to make the best out of this salad.
I used a mixture of both. Please stay away from the cheap “black olives”. Those are low-quality green olives colored so that they look like black olives, which, in fact, aren’t.
I always recommend buying already pitted olives for salads – this saves you the tedious process of pitting.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
Delicious salad variations every Greek salad lover must try!
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Greek Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup (75 g) olives of choice pitted & halved
- ⅔ cup (100 g) crumbled feta cheese → see notes for vegan feta recipe
- ½ cucumber sliced
- ¼ bell pepper color of choice, diced
- 1 scallion finely chopped
- ½ cup Italian Parsley flat-leaf, finely chopped
Dressing
- ¼ cup (4 tbsp) olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, chop the vegetables and mix all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl.
- Combine everything in a large serving bowl and toss until well combined.
Notes
- Salad Variations: Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes or toasted sunflower seeds. Season with pressed garlic and dijon mustard if you like.
- Vegan Feta: Use this vegan tofu feta cheese to make it vegan.
- Quinoa: Use tri-color quinoa or quinoa of choice. Can be substituted with cooked bulgur or couscous.
- Leftovers & Make Ahead: This salad can be stored for up to two days in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container and let it sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.
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