Description
A vibrant and refreshing Mediterranean Quinoa Salad featuring a colorful mix of bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, capers, fresh parsley, and crumbled feta cheese, all tossed in a zesty lemon vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch or a flavorful side dish, this salad is nutritious, easy to make, and ideal for warm-weather meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Quinoa Salad
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 2 bell peppers, small diced (any color works—I used red and yellow)
- 1 English cucumber, small diced
- ½ medium red onion, small diced
- ¼ cup capers, drained
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
- 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon honey
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, minced garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk together vigorously until fully emulsified. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a small jar and shake well to combine. Set the lemon vinaigrette aside.
- Cook the quinoa. Place the rinsed quinoa and water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep covered for an additional 5 minutes to steam the quinoa fully.
- Cool the quinoa. Spread the cooked quinoa out evenly on a baking sheet to cool completely, which takes about 15 minutes. This step prevents the salad from becoming soggy and helps with texture.
- Assemble the salad. Transfer the cooled quinoa to a large mixing bowl. Add the diced bell peppers, cucumber, red onion, drained capers, chopped fresh parsley, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle the lemon vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine. You can use all or part of the dressing depending on your preference.
- Serve or chill. Serve the Mediterranean Quinoa Salad immediately for a fresh, crisp taste or refrigerate it for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together more deeply before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to rinse quinoa thoroughly before cooking to remove its natural bitterness.
- Allowing the quinoa to cool completely before mixing prevents wilting of the fresh vegetables and keeps the salad fresh.
- You can substitute feta cheese with a vegan or dairy-free cheese alternative for a different dietary preference.
- The salad can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making it a great make-ahead dish for gatherings.
- Add chopped olives or cherry tomatoes for additional Mediterranean flavor variations.
Keywords: Mediterranean quinoa salad, quinoa salad recipe, healthy quinoa salad, lemon vinaigrette, vegetarian Mediterranean dish, easy summer salad