Mediterranean quinoa salad is an easy, nourishing dish to prepare for the week packed with fiber, fats and plant-based protein. Serve it with some crumbled feta cheese for a simple weekday lunch.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Nourishing grain salads are my favorite meal prep for busy weeks. They’re an easy way to pack in extra fiber, and can be served with different proteins throughout the week.
This mediterranean inspired quinoa salad is made with fresh veggies like peppers, cucumbers and onions, and tossed in a simple red wine vinaigrette for a light yet hearty salad.
The red wine vinaigrette is one of my favorite simple dressings to make for any salad. It adds the best flavor to this quinoa salad the longer it sits, making it the perfect make ahead recipe for quick workday lunches.
What you’ll need to make quinoa salad:
This recipes comes together in just 30 minutes. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Quinoa- you can cook it in vegetable broth for added flavor, but water works well too
- Cucumbers, bell pepper and red onion, for a boost of fiber and added crunch
- Canned chickpeas- these add some texture to the salad along with plant-based protein and fiber
- Kalamata olives- for extra fat and flavor
- Crumbled feta cheese, or your favorite crumbled cheese to top with
Serve the salad cold or at room temperature. I love it with a grilled piece of salmon!
This nourishing quinoa salad always hits the spot. It’s the perfect meal prep to keep in your fridge for an easy lunch during the week. I can’t wait for you guys to try it!
Other make-ahead recipes you’ll love:
Pearl Couscous with Roasted Vegetables & Chickpeas
Walnut Lentil Veggie Burgers
Fall Quinoa Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz), drained
- 1 bell pepper
- 2 -3 Persian cucumbers
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives
- Feta or goat cheese, to top
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt & pepper
Directions
- Add the quinoa into a small pot with 2 cups of vegetable broth or water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until all of the liquid is absorbed. Let it rest for 10 minutes then fluff the quinoa with a fork and season lightly with salt.
- While that cooks, finely chop the pepper, cucumbers, onion and olives
- Once the quinoa is ready, add it to a large salad bowl and top with the chopped veggies and chickpeas.
- Prepare the dressing by whisking together all of the ingredients until evenly incorporated, then toss with the salad. Adjust salt & pepper if needed
- Serve as is or with crumbled cheese. Leftovers will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days
My family loved this!
So happy to hear that!