Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Cucumber (Printable)
Fluffy quinoa with cucumber, tomatoes, feta, and lemon-herb dressing for a light, fresh dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
06 - 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
→ Cheese
07 - 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Herbs
08 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Prepare:
01 - Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa with diced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, finely chopped red onion, sliced Kalamata olives, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley, and chopped mint.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can have lunch ready before you've finished your second cup of coffee.
- The leftovers taste even better the next day once the flavors have gotten to know each other.
- It's naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, making it the kind of dish that works for almost anyone at your table.
02 -
- If you make this salad ahead of time, dress it just before serving or the vegetables will release their water and dilute the dressing.
- Don't skip the cooling step for the quinoa—warm grains will wilt the herbs and make the whole thing mushy instead of fresh.
03 -
- Make the dressing in a jar and shake it vigorously—the friction creates a more cohesive emulsion that coats everything better.
- Taste the salad before you serve it, even if you think you've seasoned it perfectly; sometimes it needs just one more pinch of salt or squeeze of lemon to come alive.