Quinoa Greek Salad Recipe with Tomatoes, Cucumber & Feta
Isn't there some saying about the lazy days of summer? I must be doing something wrong because my summertime groove isn't grooving yet. Each day, an overwhelming urge to nap hits at about 4pm. This is typically on the heels of supervising playdates, driving the kids to various activities, setting up sprinklers and supersoaker wars and...oh yeah...working. It seems I'm not quite in the swing of whole "lazy day" thing and I need another week or so until I get my summertime groove back.
Keeping up with this new pace of life means that easy lunch and dinner recipes are even more necessary than ever. This quinoa salad, with the flavors of a traditional Greek salad, comes together quickly and can be served as a side dish or a full meal. If you want to serve it as the main course, add some chickpeas or cannellini beans for a hit of protein.
If you want to make mealtime prep even faster, use some of that quinoa that you have stored away in your freezer. What? No ziploc bags of quinoa in your freezer? Believe me, this is a time-saver that you don't want to miss.
You remember this photo that I slaved over for my post on How to: Freeze Quinoa, right? Yeah, one of my crazier moments.
This recipe requires about 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Gently stir in halved grape tomatoes, cubed cucumbers, feta cheese and Kalamata olives, then toss with a simple dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano.
That's it. Done.
Now you have some extra time to enjoy those "lazy" summer days.
The recipe:
In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature.
Transfer the quinoa to a medium-sized bowl and add the tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta cheese. Stir gently to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine. Serve.
Other summer salad recipes:
Strawberry, Pistachio, Feta Cheese & Basil Salad
Grilled Eggplant & Zucchini Salad with Feta, Chickpeas & Mint
Quinoa Greek Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber & Feta Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
- 1 cup quartered cucumber rounds
- ¼ cup quartered kalamata olives
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook until all of the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Transfer the cooked quinoa to a large baking sheet and spread it out evenly. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the quinoa to a medium-sized bowl and add the tomatoes, cucumber, olives and feta cheese. Stir gently to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Jeannette
This is very good, thank you. I’m eating it in February! I plan on making it many times. I think it would taste good next to grilled chicken breasts. This will be made and taken to our church picnic in August, as well as various potlucks.
Dara
That's so great to hear, Jeanette!
Jean Miksch
Great summer recipe. I added fresh lime juice, as I like the acid addition and it freshens up the taste.
Lola(Services Optometriques)
Pinned! looks so yummy and delish 🙂
Emily Lainas
Fantastic idea and execution of the recipe, the result was yummy! Thanks
Tammy
I've been looking for a non-mayonnaise-y salad side dish for an upcoming dinner party and this looked great. I literally JUST made it and it's delicious! Can't wait to see how it tastes after a few hours in the fridge for the flavors to blend -- I think it will be even better. This looks like a regular addition to my salad options. Thanks!
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Tammy, I'm so glad to hear that! I hope it was a hit at your dinner party.
Tammy
Dara -- it was a HUGE hit -- even after I realized that I mistakenly used couscous instead of quinoa! Believe me, that works, too. We love it and have already made it twice.
Dara (Cookin' Canuck)
Tammy, I'm so glad it turned out! And now I'll have to try it with couscous, too. 🙂
Sarah
Making it now for our Father's Day cookout tomorrow... it already looks delicious, and I can't wait to eat it! 🙂
Shawn @ I Wash You Dry
We are still waiting for summer to begin up here in Canada! But oh, how I love the flavors of Greek, and I am certainly in love with Quinoa! What a great recipe!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking
This is gorgeous, Dara! I love Greek meals and I'd love to make this!
Nutmeg Nanny
My favorite type of salad! I love all things greek 🙂
Carrie's Experimental Kitchen
I love the simplicity of this salad and it looks gorgeous.
addie | culicurious
i love any version of Greek salad and this one looks amazing! Love quinoa! 🙂
Megan {Country Cleaver}
This totally puts me in the mood for a picnic Dara! Gorgeous.
Sommer @ ASpicyPerspective
Love quinoa! This looks delicious!
sippitysup
I bet you still cringe when you quinoa and tweezers in the same room. GREG
nessa
I looove quinoa! This is a must-make!