Description
A bright and tangy quinoa salad packed with fresh vegetables, feta, and olives, perfect for picnics and meal prep.
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa (any color; rinse well)
- 2 cups water (or low-sodium vegetable/chicken broth)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup olives, sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa under cold running water in a fine-mesh sieve to remove the bitter coating.
- In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water (or broth) to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 12–15 minutes until the water is absorbed and the grains are translucent.
- Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and spread on a plate to cool.
- While quinoa cools, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber, crumble the feta, and slice the olives.
- In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Add the cooled quinoa and chopped vegetables to the bowl. Toss gently to combine.
- Season to taste with more salt, pepper, or lemon. Garnish with chopped parsley if using.
- Serve immediately or chill for 20–30 minutes for a cooler salad.
Notes
This salad is easily customizable with different vegetables or dressings. Great for meal prep and serves well at potlucks.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean