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quinoa salad from a birdseye view with cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and kalamata olives on top. There is a small cup of fresh parsley and uncooked quinoa in the background

Quinoa Salad Recipe, Mediterranean Style with Lemon

Mallory
This Mediterranean quinoa salad is loaded with flavor and nutrition including plant-protein, fiber, heart healthy fats, and antioxidants. This might just be your new favorite lunch or side dish. 
Fluffy quinoa mixed with juicy cherry tomatoes, crispy cucumbers, sweet red onions and kalamata olives all topped with a zesty lemon and garlic olive oil dressing. 
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course lunch
Cuisine Mediterranean
Servings 6 servings
Calories 180 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For salad

  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa about 2 cups cooked
  • 10-12 cherry tomatoes, diced about ½ cup diced
  • ½ english cucumber, diced about ½ cup diced
  • ½ red onion, diced about ½ cup diced
  • 5 kalamata olives, diced
  • ½ cup fresh parsley about 2 tablespoon chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint about 1 tablespoon chopped

For dressing

  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice juice of one large lemon
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • To make fluffy quinoa, add rinsed quinoa and cold water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Then lower to a gentle simmer, cover and heat for 10-15 minutes or until water is absorbed. When quinoa is done cooking, remove it from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
  • While cooking quinoa, dice cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion and olives and chop fresh parsley and mint.
  • Make the dressing. Add the dressing ingredients to a small bowl and mix with a whisk or spoon. Pour over the top of the veggies and herbs.
  • Add cooked quinoa to the fresh veggie mixture. Mix well to combine. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days!

Notes

Expert Tips
    • When choosing what quinoa to use, go based on your own preference! If you're new to quinoa, it's helpful to note that white quinoa has the most mildly nutty flavor and the flavor is more intense the darker you go. So black quinoa is the strongest flavor and red quinoa is in the middle.
    • You will need to rinse your quinoa before cooking it unless the package specifies that no rinse is needed.
    • I like to dice the vegetables into small pieces for this recipe!
    • Use fresh lemon juice instead of lemon juice from the bottle. It will taste better and worth the small amount of extra effort.
    • Find All Spice in the spice section at the grocery store or order it on Amazon.
Meal Prep & Storage
To meal prep, make the quinoa ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make the salad.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days. The flavors will soak in and even more enhanced over time.
Nutrition
  • Source of plant-protein
  • Good source of dietary fiber 
  • Nutrients including manganese, folate, magnesium, and phosphorus
  • Source of antioxidants
  • Gluten-free, dairy-free, no added sugars, whole food ingredients
 
For more nourishing recipes and nutrition education, visit mallorythedietitian.com! 😊 I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5 cupCalories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 3gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 150mgPotassium: 300mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g
Keyword 30 minute, dairy free, gluten free, no added sugars, plant-based
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!