Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Cucumber (Printable Version)

Vibrant quinoa salad with cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta, and zesty lemon-oregano dressing. Perfect for light meals.

# What You Need:

→ Grains

01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water

→ Fresh Vegetables

03 - 1 large cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - ½ red onion, finely diced
06 - ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
07 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)

→ Dairy

09 - ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Dressing

10 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - ½ tsp salt
15 - ¼ tsp black pepper

# How-To Steps:

01 - Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, mix the cooled quinoa with diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, parsley, and mint if using.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until well blended.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
05 - Incorporate crumbled feta cheese, toss lightly, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to enhance flavor melding.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes even better the next day when the dressing soaks into every grain.
  • You can prep it in under 40 minutes and eat it all week without getting bored.
  • The crunch from cucumber and the creaminess from feta make every bite feel balanced.
02 -
  • If you skip rinsing the quinoa it will taste soapy and ruin the whole dish.
  • Let the quinoa cool completely before adding the vegetables or the heat will wilt the cucumber and herbs.
  • Add the feta at the very end or it will melt and turn the salad mushy.
03 -
  • Toast the quinoa in the dry pan for a minute before adding water to bring out a nutty flavor.
  • If the salad tastes flat after chilling, hit it with another squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt before serving.
  • Use a fork to fluff the quinoa instead of stirring it, that's how you keep it fluffy and separate.

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