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Quinoa Mediterranean Salad Recipe
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Quinoa Vegetable Salad

Nutrient-packed quinoa vegetable salad, a Mediterranean-inspired dish, is so fresh and flavourful. The dressing has a nice flavour and is wonderful together with the salad ingredients! Delicious, good, clean eating - perfect for summer.
This Mediterranean quinoa salad can be served as a main dish or as a side dish alongside grilled chicken or fish. It's perfect for meal prep and makes a delicious and nutritious option for lunch or dinner.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 2
Calories: 489kcal
Author: Shil

Ingredients

To cook quinoa:

  • ½ cup quinoa
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • ¼ tsp salt

For the salad:

  • ¼ English cucumber chopped
  • 1 medium tomato chopped
  • 1 bell pepper small
  • ¼ cup olives pitted and chopped
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • ¼ cup cheese crumbled
  • ⅓ cup coriander chopped

For the salad dressing:

  • 2 ⅔ tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • ½ tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp maple syrup
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • ⅛ tsp ground cumin

Instructions

  • Rinse the quinoa in a strainer under cold water for about a minute. This helps remove any bitter flavour from the quinoa.
  • Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat and add the rinsed quinoa. Toast the quinoa for a couple of minutes to get a delightful nutty favour. The quinoa starts to make a sizzling sound as the water dries out.
  • Add 1 cup water and ¼ tsp salt to the pan. Cover and cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes over low-medium heat. Stir occasionally. Once all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, remove from heat. Lightly fluff it up with a fork. Allow to cool.
  • Chop up all the veggies into small pieces
  • Add the quinoa veggies, chickpeas and crumbled cheese to a large mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
  • Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and toss until everything is well coated.
  • Serve the Mediterranean quinoa salad immediately, or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
  • Serve Healthy Quinoa Salad with Chicken Shawarma or Veggie Burger.