Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

5 from 2 votes

This Mediterranean quinoa salad is perfect as a light lunch or a show stopping side! Made fresh herbs, juicy veggies and a tangy lemon garlic dressing, it's loaded with flavor and easy to make.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Cooling time30

Total Time30

Course: Side

Cuisine: American, Mediterranean

Servings:

Calories: 254kcal

Author: Alissa Saenz

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 ¾ cups water
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste (I used ¾ teaspoon)
2 cups diced cucumber (about 1 medium cucumber)
1 cup diced tomato (about 1 medium tomato)
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
½ cup chopped scallions (about 3 scallions)
¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley, lightly packed
¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint, lightly packed
Black pepper, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse the quinoa well under cold running water (you can skip this if the package tells you it's already rinsed).
Stir the quinoa and water together in a small saucepan, then place it over high heat.
Bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and cover. Allow the quinoa to simmer, covered, until all of the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat and allow to sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
Transfer the cooked quinoa to a medium bowl and allow it to cool completely.
To make the dressing, stir the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and ½ teaspoon of salt together in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup.
Add the cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, olives, scallions, parsley, and mint to the bowl with the quinoa.
Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the bowl, then stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed and coated with the dressing.
Season the salad with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately or chill for later.

Nutrition