Description
A bright and fresh salad full of Mediterranean flavors, featuring fluffy quinoa, crisp vegetables, and a zesty lemon-basil dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa under cold water. In a medium pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rinsed quinoa, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and let it cool.
- While the quinoa cools, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber and red bell pepper, and finely chop the red onion and parsley. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, olives, parsley, and feta cheese. Toss gently to mix.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Whisk until the dressing emulsifies.
- Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss gently. Let the salad sit for at least 10-20 minutes to meld flavors, or chill for up to an hour. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
For best texture, cool quinoa completely before mixing and add feta and olives just before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 350mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4.5g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 15mg