Why I love this Mediterranean quinoa salad
Where do I even begin with this quinoa salad recipe? I love everything about it. The tomato-cucumber-olive combo is one of my favorites. My most popular chickpea salad with the inspiration for this recipe, and I’ve even added capers to amp up the flavor even more.
But, what I love most about this salad is that it’s perfect for a healthy meatless lunch. It’s super fresh and light, but it still has a decent amount of protein thanks to the quinoa and chickpeas making it super to fill you up and keep you satisfied.
More mediterranean inspired recipes: olive tapenade / Greek meatballs / chicken puttanesca / Italian chopped salad
Here’s what you’ll need to make this quinoa salad recipe
How to make Mediterranean quinoa salad
Prep your ingredients. If you haven’t already cooked your quinoa, get that started right away. While that’s cooking, chop you vegetables and drain/rinse your chickpeas.
Make the dressing. I like to use a small mason jar to mix the dressing ingredients together, but you could even do it in the bottom of your large salad bowl to save you some dishes.
Mix the salad together. Combine the cooled quinoa, with the rest of your ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing (if it’s not already in the bowl), and stir to coat everything evenly.
FAQ’s and tips for making this vegan quinoa salad
Yes! It is so good for you! This Mediterranean quinoa salad is packed full of fiber, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids and so much more! It’s perfect for anyone wanting to eat a tasty and healthy meal.
If not cooked or prepared properly quinoa can be bitter and hard to stomach. To avoid this simply rinse your quinoa well before cooking. Other options include toasting it or cook it in a broth for better flavor. Most boxed quinoa comes pre-rinsed, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to wash it again.
I think this salad tastes best cold, especially on a hot summer’s day. Eating it warm may cause the arugula to wilt or textures/flavors to change. As a general rule, salads are usually served cold even if one or two ingredients are warmed.
Yes, please! Washing and rinsing the canned chickpeas not only helps to reduce the sodium content by almost half but it also helps to reduce some of the gas-producing side effects and makes them easier to digest!
More salad recipes like this one
- Leftover Turkey Salad
- Summer Farro Salad
- Roasted Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Easy Broccoli Salad
- Warm Brussel Sprout Salad
Recipes this quinoa salad would go great with
- Guinness Braised Beef
- Baked Stuffed Pork Chops
- Pan Fried Lamb Chops
- Sausage and Kale Soup
- Honey mustard chicken thighs
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 4 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, 1 1/2 cups uncooked
- 1 15- ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and chopped
- 1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup sliced Kalamata olives
- 3 cups arugula
Dressing:
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and stir to evenly coat.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I have to make this salad for dinner tonight, looks so nourishing, healthy and delicious. Good thing i have all the ingredients on hand!
Tastes great
We love this recipe! I make it for potluck or just a side dish. Light and refreshing.