Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This is the best quinoa salad ever! It’s crunchy, refreshing and full of flavor!

Mediterranean quinoa salad is made with cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and lots of delicious herbs. The addition of dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds and feta cheese elevates this quinoa salad to a whole new level!

If you love mediterranean flavors as much as I do, this quinoa salad recipe might become your new favorite!

How to Cook Quinoa

1. Rinse the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold water to remove any bitter coating called saponin
2. Measure the ingredients: Use the ratio of 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water or broth
3. Reduce heat and simmer: Once the liquid reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed
4. Let it rest: After simmering, remove the saucepan from heat and let it sit covered, for 10 minutes. This allows any remaining moisture to be absorbed and fluffs up the quinoa
5. Fluff with a fork: After resting time, remove the lid and fluff the quinoa gently with a fork. This will separate the grains and prevent clumping

Quinoa Salad Recipe

Here is an overview of all the ingredients and steps to make mediterranean style quinoa salad. Refer to the recipe card below for details

Ingredients

• Quinoa: Any kind of quinoa works. Refer to the package instructions for cooking time
• Tomato: Whole or de-seeded ripe tomatoes
• Bell pepper: Any kind of bell peppers or paprika
• Onion: Purple onion works best. Other onions work too
• Cucumber: English or Persian cucumbers
• Herbs: Handful of mint and dill leaves
• Dried fruit: Dried cranberries or raisins adds sweetness to the salad
• Extra virgin olive oil: Good quality extra virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best. Orange juice also works
• Feta cheese: Salty crumbled feta cheese adds a nice creamy touch
• Seeds: Watermelon seeds or pumpkin seeds
• Water: Water or broth can be used to cook the quinoa
• Salt: As needed

How to Make the Best Quinoa Salad

1. Cook the quinoa: Read the package instructions to check if the quinoa needs to be washed. To 1/2 cup quinoa add 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce flame to low, cover and cook for 10-15 mins. Switch off the flame and let it rest for 10 mins. Once rested, it should be perfectly cooked and fluffy
2. Clean the vegetables: Add 1 tsp baking soda per litre (34 oz) of water, soak all the vegetables and herbs for half hour. Rinse with cold running water after soaking
3. Dry the herbs: Dry the herbs with a salad spinner or paper towels. This will prevent the salad from going soggy
4. Cut the vegetables: Dice the tomato, bell pepper, onion and cucumber into evenly sized pieces. Finely chop mint, dill and cranberries/raisins
5. Dressing: Combine everything in a bowl. Add extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, crumbled feta cheese, pumpkin seeds and mix well. Taste and adjust salt or add more feta cheese
6. Garnish: Serve and garnish each plate with some more feta cheese and pumpkin seeds

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Substitutes

No pumpkin seeds?

Pistachio, almonds, walnuts and pine nuts also work

Don’t like raw onions?

Soaking the diced onion in water for 15 minutes will soften it’s taste and make it more palatable

No dried cranberries or raisins?

Diced apples, pomegranate, pear also work

No feta cheese?

Crumbled goat cheese or cottage cheese works too

No mint or dill?

Parsley and cilantro works too