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You can throw anything you like into a Quinoa Salad but here’s my go-to base recipe that packs a punch of flavour and is quick, easy, nutritious and delicious. Easily customisable, it’s perfect for midweek lunches or a main meal side dish.
I often have a batch of Quinoa Salad in my fridge during the warmer months and I often throw anything in it that I have in or that needs using up.
This recipe is my go-to base recipe though, and the one I make on repeat because I love the flavours and ingredients that go together perfectly.
They’re not too elaborate but definitely have Mediterranean/Greek-style vibes, which is exactly what I love in spring and summer.
I usually pair this with some pre-cooked Air Fryer Chicken, halloumi or other cooked meats for lunches, and I often have this as a barbecue side with Lamb Koftas or Chicken Souvlaki too.
Why you’ll love this easy Quinoa Salad recipe
⭐️ Healthy and protein-packed
⭐️ Perfect for make ahead lunches, picnics or side dish
⭐️ Summery, light and delicious
Sarah’s Notes
This recipe is a great example of how sometimes simple is best, but there are also a few ways to elevate a Quinoa Salad to make sure it’s really top notch.
Good ingredients
As with lots of simple recipes, it’s important to use the best ingredients you can. The better quality the olives, tomatoes and feta especially in this, the more delicious this salad will be.
Batch cook it
If you want this to last longer, (for lunches all week, for example) simply cook the quinoa and store it separately in the fridge, then add your fillings freshly. Keep a jug of your dressing to one side in the fridge and add this as you serve too.
Use stock
This is the single best trick for cooking tasty quinoa and I urge you to make it this way! You can use whichever stock you prefer (such as chicken), but I tend to stick with a good quality vegetable stock. I like Marigold brand and I can really tell the difference.
Quinoa Salad Ingredients
- Quinoa – Buy the larger bags of plain uncooked quinoa, rather than the pre-flavoured packets.
- Vegetable stock – Use good quality stock.
- Vegetables – Cherry tomatoes, cucumber and pitted olives.
- Feta cheese – Again, good quality if possible.
- Mint – A little fresh mint makes a huge difference to the flavour.
- For the dressing – Lemon zest and juice, olive oil, honey, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
How to make Quinoa Salad
1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a sieve until the water runs clear then cook in the stock under just tender, as per the full recipe below.
2. If the quinoa hasn’t absorbed all of the stock when cooked, drain any surplus off.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl, seasoning to taste. Add the cooked quinoa in and toss together. Cool.
4. Toss through the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta, then scatter over the mint.
Storing
In the fridge This is fine to be kept in the fridge and eaten again another day. It will be delicious served cold, or you can reheat it. It should keep fine for up to 3 days.
In the freezer I wouldn’t recommend freezing the quinoa and vegetables as it will go soggy when defrosted.
More tasty salad recipes…
Side Dishes
Greek Salad
Side Dishes
Easy Beetroot Salad
Side Dishes
Classic Potato Salad
Side Dishes
Waldorf Salad
FAQs
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a grain-like ingredient, but it isn’t actually a grain – it’s a seed. It’s naturally gluten free and vegan, and is packed with protein, fibre and vitamins.
We often eat it as an alternative to cous cous, rice or pasta as it’s a hearty, bulky addition to a dish that has a nutty bite when cooked, but largely takes on the flavour of the accompanying ingredients.
Honestly? Anything you like! This is the recipe I follow so I don’t over-buy ingredients to add in, or I’d be going on forever. But I do tend to chuck in whatever else I have in the fridge, especially salad ingredients, veggies, cheese or cooked meat. Sometimes eggs, fruit or nuts too.
You could also make it more filling with additional fibre, protein and other nutrients with nuts, chickpeas or other beans.
Yes! It takes about 20 minutes to boil up and it can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for up to a week, meaning you can experiment with lots of different salads or add it to saucy dishes for lunches or dinners.
Yes. In fact, if you don’t add the dressing, it will keep fine in a lidded container in the fridge for a few days.
You can even batch cook the quinoa and store it in the fridge to enjoy with your lunches, packed lunches or dinners with lots of different ingredients during the week.
You can use this as a side dish for so many dishes! It works well to make full meals of proteins such as Tandoori Chicken, Halloumi Burgers, Courgette Fritters or Simple Salmon, for example.
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Simple Quinoa Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) Quinoa
- 500 ml (2 cups) Vegetable stock
- 50 g (2 oz) Cherry tomatoes, Halved
- 1/2 Cucumber, Cut into thin semi-circles
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Pitted olives, Halved
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Feta
- 15 g (0.5 oz) Mint
For the dressing:
- 2 Lemons, Zest of 1, juice of both
- 6 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tbsp Honey
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the quinoa: Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a sieve until the water runs clear.
- Add the quinoa to a pan with the stock, bring to a simmer then cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes until just tender. (It should have absorbed all the stock but drain any extra off if needed.)
- Make the dressing: Meanwhile, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a large bowl, seasoning to taste.
- Combine: When the quinoa is cooked and drained add it to the dressing and toss together. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Toss through the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta then scatter over the mint.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
Tasted really good but my quinoa cooking skills are not up to scratch. It turned into mush unfortunately.
Just seen the date too, I’m an idiot! Gorgeous x
So funny, I popped over to comment after your delicious looking post came up in myHM facebook feed and didn’t even see you’d linked up to #tastytuesdays, thanks darling, so lovely to have you. We adore asparagus in this house and I’ll be making this quinoa dish, so summery, and healthy too. I’ve bid goodbye to sugar for the next 6 weeks so recipes like this will keep me full, happy and away from the naughty stuff of which I’ve had far too much of recently, thanks xx
Wow Sarah this looks truly amazing! Such a gorgeous salad recipe and packed full of so much good stuff, am so bookmarking and making. Beautiful pics too. And well done on getting to the finals, go girl. Lovely to meet you at Food Blogger Connect too!
This sounds lovely, I really like quinoa. Shame that asparagus makes me sneeze… 🙂
This quinoa salad looks fantastic!! I love all the green veggies in it 🙂 I’m a big fan of quinoa – I was a little wary at first (or rather, uncertain that I was cooking it properly), but I’m a huge fan now!
A lovely mix of summer flavour, looks gorgeous