Quinoa Mediterranean salad recipe

Quinoa Mediterranean Salad

By / Salads
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10 min prep time, 20 min cooking time, serves 6 people

This healthy Quinoa Mediterranean salad can be served as simple lunch or dinner. Its high protein content, sweet and nutty flavor, and delicate texture have made quinoa a popular substitute for starchier pastas and rice. You can find most of the ingredients contained in this salad in your fridge or pantry. The combination of quinoa and chickpeas packs this dish with plenty of protein, while the fresh parsley, crunchy cucumbers, and lemon-garlic vinaigrette dressing give this dish a variety of flavors. It makes for a great main dish for vegetarians, or as a side dish served with meat or fish.

When cooking quinoa, 1 cup of dry quinoa yields 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Similar to rice, there must be a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water or broth to properly cook it.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 can (16 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 3 tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large English cucumber, diced
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. Rub and swish the quinoa around with your hand while rinsing.
  2. Add the drained quinoa to a sauce pan filled with water or broth and bring it to a boil. Stir every few minutes to prevent the quinoa from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Lower the heat to low setting and cover, cooking for 13 minutes. You should see a clear outer coating to the quinoa when it is fully cooked. Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork and let it cool.
  4. In a large bowl, add the quinoa, chickpeas, diced onions, tomatoes, and parsley.
  5. In a small bowl, mix the minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make your your dressing.
  6. Pour the dressing over the vegetable ingredients and quinoa in the large bowl. Mix well.
  7. Add crumbled feta cheese, mix, and serve . You can serve Quinoa Mediterranean salad as a main dish in a vegetarian diet, or as a side dish.