Description
This healthy quinoa salad combines fluffy quinoa with fresh cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, chickpeas, and herbs, all tossed in a bright lemon dressing. It’s make-ahead friendly, customizable, and perfect for lunches, potlucks, or light dinners.
Ingredients
For the Quinoa Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed (This is important! Rinsing removes the bitter coating)
- 2 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped cucumber (English cucumbers work great – fewer seeds)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (Or grape tomatoes, whatever looks good at the store)
- ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion (Soak in cold water for 10 minutes if you want it milder)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint (Optional but it really makes this special!)
- ½ cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (Optional, but highly recommended)
For the Lemon Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (Use the good stuff – you’ll taste it)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (About 1 large lemon)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Add the rinsed quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
You’ll know it’s ready when you see little spirals (that’s the germ separating from the seed – totally normal and perfect!).
Remove the pan from heat but keep it covered. Let it sit for 5 minutes undisturbed. This allows the quinoa to steam and become perfectly fluffy.
After 5 minutes, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Spread it out on a plate or baking sheet to cool completely before adding your vegetables. This step is key – warm quinoa will wilt your crisp veggies!
While the quinoa cools, chop your cucumber, halve those cherry tomatoes, dice the bell pepper, and slice the red onion nice and thin. If you’re using red onion and want it a bit milder, soak the slices in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes, then drain.
Chop your fresh herbs too – the parsley and mint should be roughly chopped, not too fine.
In a large bowl, add the cooled quinoa along with the cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, parsley, and mint. Give it a gentle toss with your hands or a big spoon just to distribute everything evenly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk it well until it’s emulsified and slightly thickened.
Pour the lemon dressing over your quinoa and vegetable mixture. Use a large spoon or clean hands to toss everything together gently but thoroughly. You want every bite to get some of that delicious dressing.
If you’re using feta cheese, fold it in gently so the crumbles stay intact. Give the salad a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed – maybe a pinch more salt, an extra squeeze of lemon, or a grind of black pepper.
Notes
- Use chicken or vegetable broth instead of water for cooking the quinoa – it adds so much more flavor.
- Keep vegetables uniform in size – Cut everything about the same size so you get a bit of everything in each forkful.
- Don’t overdress too soon – If making ahead, dress the salad an hour before serving for the best texture.
- Massage your kale – Want to add greens? Use baby kale, massage it with a little lemon juice first, and fold it in.
- Double the dressing – This dressing is so good you might want extra for drizzling or for other salads later in the week.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: Mediterranean