25-Minute Greek Quinoa Salad with Feta

This healthy, 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.

This Greek Quinoa Salad is a spin-off of my more traditional Greek Salad with lettuce. Both salads include similar ingredients – cucumber, olives, tomato, red onion, and garbanzo beans, but this new recipe is made with quinoa instead of lettuce.

Quinoa is a super healthy seed that is easy to cook and is a great addition to salads. It’s packed with plant-based protein and really bulks up any recipe, making it satiating and delicious. It’s great in my Kale Quinoa Salad, Beet Quinoa Salad, and this Quinoa Asparagus Salad.

Why you should make this recipe

• Loaded with delicious flavor and texture: You will love all of the bold flavors and fabulous textures in this Greek salad with quinoa. It’s one of those recipes you’ll want to make again and again!
• Great for meal prep: This dish is delightful enjoyed chilled or at room temperature, making it an ideal choice for packed lunches all week long. And it tastes even better the next day as the flavors develop!
• Super nutritious: With a mix of vegetables, plant-based protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats, this is plenty satisfying as a complete meal!

Ingredients needed

• Quinoa: One of my favorite pantry staples, quinoa is a nutritious and tasty addition to meals. It takes on the flavor of surrounding ingredients and adds wonderful nutritional benefits.
• Vegetables: Cucumber, red onion, and grape tomatoes add freshness, texture and flavor.
• Olives: Salty, briny, buttery Kalamata olives are SO tasty. Feel free to use black olives, if preferred.
• Garbanzo beans: Often called chickpeas, they add heartiness and plant-based protein to this salad.
• Feta cheese: For that classic Greek salad flavor. To make this salad vegan, simply omit.
• For the dressing: A simple mix of garlic, oregano, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, sea salt, and pepper dresses the salad for incredible flavor.

How to make this recipe

1. Make the quinoa: 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. Boil for 5 minutes. 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 the quinoa cool to room temperature.

2. Combine quinoa with veggies & cheese: In a large bowl, combine quinoa, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, garbanzo beans and feta cheese. Set aside.

3. Make the dressing & toss: 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!

Expert tips

• Be sure to rinse the quinoa before cooking it. Quinoa has a natural coating called saponin, which can make it taste bitter, so be sure to rinse it before cooking.
• It’s important to let the cooked quinoa cool completely before adding the other ingredients. If the veggies are mixed with the hot quinoa, they could wilt and become overly mushy.
• We recommend buying a block of feta and crumbling it yourself. The containers of crumbled feta typically have powdered cellulose, which causes the cheese to be harder and not taste as fresh. Here’s a guide for buying feta at the grocery store.

Customize this recipe

• Tasty add-ins: We love this Greek Quinoa Salad as written, but it’s a really versatile recipe. You can easily swap out ingredients and include other favorites. Feel free to add chopped avocado, sun-dried tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, and/or artichoke hearts. Fresh herbs and toasted pine nuts would also be welcome additions.
• Dietary needs: This salad recipe is naturally gluten-free and vegetarian. Make it vegan by simply omitting the feta cheese.
• 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.

Frequently asked questions

Storage recommendations

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to about 4 days. Stir the salad and refresh the flavors by adding an extra dash of salt and/or pepper before serving.