Fluffy, never mushy, quinoa is tossed with a medley of fresh vegetables, Kalamata olives, fresh herbs, and a tangy Greek vinaigrette. This Greek quinoa salad is meal prep-friendly and can be bulked up by adding chicken, shrimp, or salmon.
My Go-To, High-Protein, Vegetarian Salad for BBQs, Meal Prep, and Leftovers
When I’m looking for a high-protein salad packed with flavor that’s easy to make, I make this Greek-inspired quinoa salad. It’s a BBQ and potluck favorite and everyone asks for the recipe. It’s that good! With the colors of the rainbow in the form of cucumber, tomato, green bell pepper, and red onion, it’s a feast for the eyes and the cravings.
It’s a fast and easy salad that takes just 30 minutes to assemble, and it’s easy to customize using any blend of fresh or roasted vegetables you have on hand.
Depending on my meal plan for the week, I’ll either meal prep this salad to serve as a hearty side dish or I’ll top it with last night’s leftover chicken, salmon, pork, or shrimp to make it a main dish salad.
Enjoy! Heidi
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- The trick to cooking super fluffy quinoa is to boil it in more water than necessary, drain off the excess liquid once done, and then let it steam with the lid on to really fluff it up. Works every time!
- Before cooking, rinse the quinoa to remove its bitter flavor.
- If raw red onion is too pungent for you, rinse it under cold water and pat dry to mellow it out.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Greek dressing — The dressing I used for this quinoa salad is a riff off my go-to Greek salad dressing. In addition to olive oil and red wine vinegar, I added lemon juice to this batch for added freshness and zing, and I omitted the garlic so as not to overwhelm the dish.
- Veggies — Cucumber, tomato, green bell pepper, and red onion are the traditional choices for making Greek salad, so that’s what I used.
- Feta cheese — For the creamiest, best-tasting feta, I strongly suggest buying a block and cubing it yourself. The pre-crumbled stuff saves a smidge of prep work but doesn’t have the same rich texture.
- Kalamata olives — This variety of Greek olive is buttery smooth and lightly fruity in flavor. Remove the pits before adding them to the salad!
- Fresh herbs — A blend of fresh mint and flat leaf parsley liven up this quinoa Greek salad even more.
- Quinoa — Use any color you like!
How to Make Greek Quinoa Salad
- Make the dressing. I find it easiest to add the dressing ingredients to a jar so I can just screw on the lid and shake to combine.
- Assemble the salad. For easiest mixing, toss together the chopped veggies, olives, and feta first.
- Then, add the dressing, followed by the quinoa and herbs. Add ¾ of the dressing for the quinoa to absorb, toss, then add the remaining dressing.
- Add more salt and pepper, if needed. This is the step that can really make or break a quinoa salad! You’re seasoning a ton of raw vegetables and quinoa, so don’t be shy with the kosher salt and pepper.
Additional Mix-Ins to Try
Feel free to use this recipe as a springboard for your own quinoa salad creations! Try one of the following swaps:
- Add a can of drained chickpeas
- Add leftover Greek chicken, grilled pork chop, pan-seared shrimp, or grilled salmon
- Add avocado
- Add artichokes (drained, if from a jar or can)
- Add massaged kale or baby spinach
- Swap the fresh tomatoes for roasted tomatoes
Heidi’s Tip: Ran out of quinoa? Make a batch of my Mediterranean Orzo Salad instead.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Greek Quinoa Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Greek Dressing:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad:
- 4 Persian cucumbers, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- ½ pound feta cheese, roughly cubed
- ¼ medium red onion, slivered
- 1 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- ¼ cup chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
- ¼ cup chopped mint
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
Instructions
- In a jar with a fitted lid, add ½ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Shake well, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
- In a large bowl, add 4 Persian cucumbers (chopped), 1 pint tomatoes (valved), 1 green bell pepper (chopped), ½ pound cubed feta cheese, ¼ cup sliced red onion, and 1 cup piltted kalamata olives. Pour ¾ of the dressing over and toss to mix. Add ¼ cup chopped parsley, ¼ cup chopped mint, and 1 cup cooked quinoa. Add the rest of the dressing and toss again, then taste for seasoning. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
What to Serve With Greek Quinoa Salad
- Greek Baked Shrimp
- Chicken Gyros
- Pita chips and Hummus
- Tuna and White Bean Toasts
- Greek Chicken Kebabs
Storage Tips
Quinoa salad is hearty enough to last for up to 4 days in the fridge. The veggies will soften and the dressing might pool in the bottom of your storage container, so give the salad a good toss before serving.
More Greek-Inspired Salad Recipes
- Greek Watermelon Salad
- Avocado Greek Salad
- Greek Chicken Salad
- Horiatiki (Traditional Greek Village Salad)
- Greek Chicken Gyro Salad
- Greek Chickpea Salad
- Greek Cobb Salad
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Suzanne McNulla
So good!
Thank you Suzanne!!