This healthy and delicious Easy Greek Quinoa Salad recipe is layered with cooked quinoa, crunchy cucumber, red onion, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garbanzo beans, and salty feta cheese, all tossed in a simple homemade vinaigrette. It’s a fresh, colorful side dish or vegetarian main that is ready in just 25 minutes.
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If you love the bright Mediterranean flavors of a classic Greek salad but want something a little heartier, this Greek Quinoa Salad is for you! It has all the same fresh, zesty ingredients—tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and feta—but swaps the lettuce for protein-packed quinoa.
The quinoa adds a light, nutty texture that makes this salad naturally gluten-free, filling, and completely satisfying as a healthy main dish or meal prep lunch. It’s delicious both chilled and at room temperature, and the flavors get better as it sits—perfect for busy weekdays or easy entertaining.
Quinoa lovers unite!
Quinoa makes the perfect base for all kinds of healthy salads—it’s light yet hearty, slightly nutty, and packed with plant-based protein. I love using it in my asparagus quinoa salad, and it’s also delicious paired with roasted beets in my quinoa beet salad when I’m craving something a little heartier.
Let’s take a look at the ingredients you’ll need:
The first thing you’ll notice is that they are all bright and fresh! This is part of what I love about this beautiful salad.
Here’s what I’ve learned after cooking a lot of quinoa over the years. Most quinoa brands pre-rinse their grains before packaging, so you can usually skip that extra step.. However, if your package doesn’t specify that it’s pre-rinsed (or you buy it in bulk), it’s worth giving it a quick rinse in a fine-mesh strainer before cooking.
Rinsing helps remove quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which can have a slightly bitter or soapy taste. It only takes a minute, but it can make a big difference in the final flavor—especially if you’re new to cooking quinoa.
Also! I always buy my feta in a block (not crumbles), and suggest you do too!
I’ve learned that block feta has a creamier texture and fresher flavor than the pre-crumbled kind. Crumbled feta often contains anti-caking agents that can dry it out and dull the taste. When you buy it in a block and crumble it yourself, you get that rich, tangy flavor and soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that takes any salad (especially this one!) to the next level.
How to make this yummy recipe
💡Pro-Tip! You will notice a little white ring around each piece of quinoa. This is perfectly normal and nothing to be concerned about. This is the germ, and once it ‘pops’, that means your quinoa is cooked and ready to serve.
If you make this 25-minute Greek quinoa salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment and ★ rating below, letting me know how it turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for me and our Clean & Delicious community (thank you!).
25-Minute Greek Quinoa Salad with Feta
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Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 English cucumber quartered and cut into bite sized pieces
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives sliced in half
- 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbled
For the dressing
- 1 large clove or two small garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse the quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and a pinch of salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. You will notice a little white ring around each piece of quinoa – this is the germ and indicates that the quinoa is cooked. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let quinoa cool to room temperature.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, kalamata olives, garbanzo beans and feta cheese. Set aside.
- To make the dressing, combine garlic, oregano, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and dijon mustard in a small jar. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. If using a mason jar, you can simply put the lid on and shake the jar until well combined. Drizzle the salad with dressing (you may not use all the dressing) and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
A quinoa salad will last approximately 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stir and refresh the flavors by adding an extra dash of salt and/or pepper before serving. I don’t recommend freezing this salad because the veggies will become mushy after thawing, and the overall texture will not be optimal. Dressing option: The homemade vinaigrette is super easy to make and tastes incredible, but if you’re short on time, you can use your favorite bottled vinaigrette instead.
Comments
Kelly Bullock says
DELICIOUS! Could you please tell me the calories per serving of this salad? They show 163 but that canโt be right.
Dani Spies says
Hi Kelly! The calories are accurate for 1/6th of the recipe which is a bout 1/4 cup. Are you thnking they should be higher or lower?
Kim Williams says
The nutrition info states that a serving is .75, so 3/4 of a cup. Is it supposed to be .25 or 1/4 c?
Angela Chakrabarti says
I was delighted to find this recipe as I am trying to incorporate more Quinoa into my weight loss diet , so tasty ,nutritious , filling and easy to prepare. ive no doubt it will become one of my favourites . one to shrae vith my vegan and veggie friends .
Dani Spies says
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Angela! I appreciate your feedback.
Martha Ambrey says
The recipe was delicious! Added avocado and grated carrots along with the other veggies. Dressing was perfect! Thanks for an outstanding dish!
Dani Spies says
It’s my pleasure, Martha! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Sylvia kemp says
Loved this salad and the dressing especially as it was light.