It's that time of year when every weekend has something on the calendar. A cookout at your neighbor's place. A potluck at your sister's. A last-minute patio dinner that somehow turned into twelve people. And every single time, someone asks the same question: what should I bring?
This Greek Quinoa Salad is your answer. Every time.
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We stumbled onto this recipe on a whim one summer and it hasn't left our rotation since. This Greek Quinoa Salad is the kind of dish that looks impressive, travels like a dream, and tastes even better the next day, which means you can make it the night before and walk in looking completely put together.
Nobody needs to know how easy it is.
The flavors are bright and bold similar to those found in our reader favorite, Layered Greek Dip: briny Kalamata olives, creamy feta, crisp cucumber, and an easy red wine vinegar dressing shaken right in a jar. And that lemon squeeze at the end? It brightens every bite and is the little touch that makes a big difference.
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Why this recipe works
- The dressing is simple ingredients shaken in a jar. Olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper, that's it. No blender, no whisking, no fuss. Shake it, pour it, done. It's the kind of dressing that makes people think you really know what you're doing.
- The flavors get better the longer it sits. This is a genuine make-ahead winner. Two hours in the fridge is the minimum and overnight is even better. The quinoa soaks up the dressing and the flavors meld together perfectly.
- The lemon at the end is non-negotiable. We mean it. Squeeze a whole lemon over the salad and add the cilantro right before serving. It wakes everything up and adds that bright, fresh pop that makes this taste like summer in a bowl.
Ingredients
This salad has a short ingredient list but there are a few tips worth knowing before you start.
Ingredient Notes:
- Quinoa: Cook it, fluff it with a fork, and let it cool for at least five minutes before you add anything. Warm quinoa will wilt your vegetables and that's not what we're going for here.
- Kalamata olives: These are what give the salad its distinctly Greek flavor. Don't substitute with regular black olives. Kalamatas have a briny, rich depth that regular olives just don't have.
- Cucumber: Slice it thin so it stays light and doesn't dominate the bowl.
- Fresh cilantro: Scatter it on right at the end, after the lemon. It's the finishing touch that makes the whole bowl look as good as it tastes
- Red Pepper: Seedless mini peppers are so sweet and take all of the work out of chopping a pepper.
- Feta: We love to buy the Israeli Feta block in brine from Trader Joes's. Its the perfect cheese for this dish and doesn't have the anti-caking additives that pre-crumbled feta cheese has.
Instructions
This easy Greek Quinoa Salad comes together in a few simple steps.
Step 1
Place the quinoa, red pepper, cucumber, olives, tomatoes, red onion and feta cheese in a bowl.
Step 2
Add the red vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper to a small jar and shake to combine.
Step 3
Pour the dressing over the top and stir to combine.
Top Tip
Use seedless mini peppers for this recipe! The flavor cannot be matched and there aren't any seeds to clean out of the middle. Easy peasy!
FAQs
Yes, you can and we actually recommend it. The flavors get noticeably better the longer everything sits together. Make it the night before, keep it covered in the fridge, and hold the lemon juice and cilantro until right before serving. It keeps well for up to three days.
Absolutely. Fresh parsley is a great swap and keeps the flavor bright.
This works with anything off the grill, chicken, salmon, lamb chops. It's also hearty enough to be the main event for a lighter lunch. Add a warm pita and you're set.
Make it your own
- Add protein. Grilled chicken or chickpeas make this a full meal instead of a side.
- Swap the cilantro. Not a cilantro fan? Fresh parsley works great and keeps the Greek flavor going.
- Make it ahead. This salad keeps in the fridge for up to three days without the lemon and cilantro. Add those right before serving.
- Bring it to a cookout. It travels perfectly. Make it the night before, keep it cold, and finish with the lemon squeeze on-site. You will get asked for the recipe.
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Recipe
Greek Quinoa Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ small red onion diced
- ½ cup red pepper chopped
- ½ cup cucumber sliced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup kalamata olives
- 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled
- ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- Juice of one lemon
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Instructions
- Bring quinoa and water to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed in quinoa. Fluff with a fork and cool for 5 minutes.1 cup water, ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- In a small jar, add the oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper and shake to combine.⅓ cup red wine vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Place the quinoa in a large bowl. Add onion, tomatoes, pepper, olives, cucumber, and feta cheese. Pour the dressing over the top and stir gently to combine.½ small red onion, ½ cup red pepper, ½ cup cucumber, 1 cup grape tomatoes , 1 cup kalamata olives, 4 ounces feta cheese
- Chill for 2 hours to let flavors combine. Squeeze lemon juice over salad right before serving to brighten flavors. Garnish with cilantro, stir and serve.½ cup fresh cilantro, Juice of one lemon
Notes
- Quinoa tip: Let it cool before adding your vegetables, warm quinoa will wilt everything.
- Make ahead: Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Hold the lemon and cilantro until right before serving.
- Olives: Kalamata olives are worth seeking out here. They're what makes this taste authentically Greek.
- Serving tip: This salad is even better the next day once the flavors have had more time to develop.
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Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Marianne says
This sounds just like the couscous salad (Taboulé) I often make in summer! But I think quinoa has more fiber and so I´ll definitely give it a try! 🙂
For anyone lacking time (as I often do) couscous is a great alternative for a quick meal, as it only needs to be soaked and you can quit the cooking time ... 😉
Lisa says
Thanks for the tip! Quick salads are the best!
Elizabeth D. says
Thank you for this recipe. I've been buying almost this exact salad from a stall in our local farmer's market and I've been dying to make it myself because it's so tasty and healthy. This randomly came up in my Facebook feed today so I can't wait to try to make it myself.
Lisa says
I'm so glad you found us! Let us know how it turns out 🙂
Elizabeth D. says
Sorry to take so long to reply. It turned out great. I just popped back to check the recipe as I haven't made it over the winter but am ready for something lighter like this again and came back to check the recipe before I make it. The version I made was just as good as what I bought so I'm thrilled to be able to make my own.
Denise says
This is the first time I've made quinoa and this recipe was fabulous. I've already bought the ingredients to make it again!
Lisa says
I'm so glad it was a hit! Love healthy salads 🙂
terrance says
When cooking quinoa I use low sodium chicken stock and dry basil to cook the quinoa in. It adds great flavor to the quinoa.
BethI says
I found a great grain combo at Trader Joes, actually two that my husband doesn't complain too much about eating! The first is a brown rice medley with long grain brown rice, black barley and daikon radish seeds. It's great just served as a side instead of white rice. The second, which I really love, is called Harvest Grains Blend. It has a combo of Israeli style couscous, orzo, baby garbanzo beans and red quinoa. It is delish served hot (cooked in chicken broth) with a good addition of fresh parmesan, or cold as a "pasta" salad. I think it would be great with your greek ingredients.