This Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe is hearty, healthy, and packed with fresh flavor! Serve it as a side dish, or enjoy it as a meal on its own.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Mediterranean quinoa salad recipe:
Quinoa, of course! 1 cup dry quinoa yields 3 cups cooked. Find my go-to method for how to cook quinoa here.
Roasted cherry tomatoes – They add rich savory flavor and yummy chewy texture to this salad. You’ll need to roast them for a couple of hours on low heat until they shrivel around the edges, so be sure to plan ahead.
Persian cucumbers – For crunch!
Red onion – For sharp depth of flavor.
Feta cheese – I love its creamy texture and tangy flavor in this quinoa salad recipe but feel free to skip it if you’re vegan.
Savory Kalamata Olives – I’m an olive convert! For years, I avoided olives, but their briny, salty flavor takes this salad to a whole new level.
Toasted pine nuts and roasted chickpeas – They add protein, nutty flavor, and lots of crunches.
Arugula and mixed herbs – They make this salad nice and fresh! I like to use a variety of leafy herbs here, such as mint, parsley, oregano, thyme, and/or basil.
Italian dressing – Bright, tangy, and flecked with (more) herbs, it ties the whole salad together!
Italian Dressing Recipe Ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients to make this easy homemade Italian dressing:
Lemon juice and white wine vinegar – They make the dressing zesty and bright.
Dijon mustard – For extra tang.
Garlic – It adds sharp, savory depth of flavor.
Honey – Don’t skip it! Instead of making the dressing sweet, it mellows the bold lemon juice, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. If you’re vegan, use maple syrup in its place.
Fresh parsley, dried oregano, and thyme – For fresh Italian flavor! This combination of fresh and dried herbs gives this dressing more nuance and depth than you’d find in any bottled dressing.
Savory HANN Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – It adds richness and marries the flavors of the other ingredients.
And sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – To make all the flavors pop!
Quinoa Salad Variations
This healthy quinoa salad recipe is delicious as written, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with it! Have fun customizing it based on what you’re craving or what you have on hand. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Make it vegan. Skip the cheese! Add a few extra olives or roasted tomatoes to amp up the savory flavor, and serve the salad with sliced avocado, a big scoop of hummus, or dollops of vegan pesto.
Switch the grain. Instead of quinoa, use farro or Israeli couscous. It won’t be a quinoa salad anymore, but it’ll still taste delicious.
Swap the dressing. Replace the Italian dressing with Greek salad dressing or lemon vinaigrette.
Mix up the veggies. Substitute chopped spinach or massaged kale for the arugula, or skip the greens entirely. Instead, stir in a cup of roasted broccoli or 1/2 cup of roasted red bell peppers.
Try a different cheese. Don’t like feta? Crumbled goat cheese would be great here too.
Let us know what variations you try!
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