Quinoa Greek Salad

This Quinoa Greek Salad has all of the flavours and textures of a traditional Greek salad, but with the addition of quinoa to make it more filling and for a protein boost. A delicious summer side dish, perfect for a BBQ or picnic and great for meal prep too.

Quinoa adds lots of extra texture to a Greek salad, not to mention the addition of that nutty flavour that it has. It turns it in to a really hearty salad, that is still perfect for a warm summer day. We make a batch of it once a week, and then serve it alongside meals for an easy side

A traditional Greek salad is, cucumber, tomato, red onion, peppers, olives and of course feta, but we wanted to change it up a little bit by bulking it out with some quinoa. It makes it a much more filling meal and also adds an extra protein boost. You could use a grain like rice if you want, but we found that quinoa worked really well.

Why should you try it?

What you will need

Step by step

One: Add the quinoa to a pan with twice as much water and simmer for 15 minutes (or until it has absorbed the water. Take off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Two: Mix all of the dressing ingredients together.

Three: Add the rest of the ingredients to the cooked quinoa and mix in the dressing.

What Is Quinoa?

If you haven't tried quinoa before, then you are missing out. Although most people think quinoa is a grain, it is actually a seed and it has a slightly nutty taste to it. You prepare it in a similar way to rice, and it can be used in pretty much the same way and makes a nice change.

Quinoa is a good source of protein, fibre, iron, copper, thiamin, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, folate and vitamin B6. Quinoa is one of the only plant foods that supplies complete proteins, offering all essential amino acids in a healthy balance. There is a reason why it is called a super food.

How to do you cook quinoa?

Firstly you want to make sure that you have rinsed the quinoa. Then, use twice as much water as quinoa that is needed for the recipe. Cook it uncovered until the quinoa has absorbed all the water (this will vary depending on how much quinoa has been used, but about 15 minutes for this recipe), and then remove it from the heat, cover the pan and let it sit and steam for 5 minutes. This will give you perfect quinoa every time.

Salad dressing

A dressing really makes or breaks a salad. We have kept this one simple with some really good quality olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice and zest and dried oregano. But you can use your favourite herby salad dressing if you fancy a change.

What to serve it with

It's a really filling dish just as it it, but if you want to bulk it out a little, then you could serve it with some grilled chicken or salad. Prawns work well too.

This is a really simple and delicious side to have at a BBQ, so anything that you would eat at a BBQ could be served alongside this. Here are some suggestions of what goes really well with this quinoa Greek salad:

• Honey and Lime Chicken
• Perfect Roast Chicken
• Creamy Dill Salmon
• Parmesan Chicken Bites
• Paprika Chicken Skewers
• Lemon, Garlic and Herb Prawns
• Easy Roast Potatoes
• Lemon and Rosemary Salmon
• Easy Homemade Flatbread

Frequently asked questions

Extra tips

• If you want to pack this out a bit, you can add some chunky roasted vegetables.
• It is a filling meal by itself, but you can serve it with grilled chicken or salmon.
• Add a kick of spice to it with a sprinkle of dried red chilli flakes before serving.
• If you aren't a fan of quinoa, you could swap it for rice or orzo.

More Greek recipes

If you’ve tried this Quinoa Greek Salad or any other recipe on the blog then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
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Recipe

Quinoa Greek Salad

This Quinoa Greek Salad is a great vegetarian lunch or a perfect healthy side dish. Containing all your favourite Greek flavours, its light and delicious!

Vegetarian

5 from 13 votes

Author: Dannii

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Course: Lunch

Cuisine: British, Greek

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Allergens:

Dairy

Gluten

Sulphites

Servings: 2 people

Calories: 301kcal

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Ingredients

UK Metric Measures - US Customary Measures

• ▢ 100 g Quinoa
• ▢ 60 g feta cheese - crumbled
• ▢ 0.5 lemon - (juice and zest only)
• ▢ 10 pitted olives - halved
• ▢ 1 garlic clove - crushed
• ▢ 10 cherry tomatoes - halved
• ▢ 0.5 red onion - diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoon fresh parsley - chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoon fresh mint - chopped
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoon olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• ▢ 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Instructions

• Add the quinoa to a pan with twice as much water and simmer for 15 minutes (or until it has absorbed the water. Take off the heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Mix all of the dressing ingredients together.
• Add the rest of the ingredients to the cooked quinoa and mix in the dressing.

Notes

• If you want to pack this out a bit, you can add some chunky roasted vegetables.
• It is a filling meal by itself, but you can serve it with grilled chicken or salmon.
• Add a kick of spice to it with a sprinkle of dried red chilli flakes before serving.
• If you aren't a fan of quinoa, you could swap it for rice or orzo.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 301kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 583mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1010IU | Vitamin C: 41.7mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 3.5mg

DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.