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Easy and healthy Mediterranean Quinoa Salad recipe with a lemon vinaigrette. Tomatoes, arugula, feta and almonds combine in this make ahead side dish!
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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta

This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta is chock full of fresh vegetables, protein rich quinoa and wrapped with a zippy lemon dijon vinaigrette! Marcona almonds and feta gussy up this  easy to make and easy to take  lunch, brunch or dinner dish!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 526kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa I used red
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 cups english or persian cucumbers chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes I used an heirloom mix
  • 2 cups green beans I used a mix of green and yellow wax beans
  • 4 cups arugula
  • ½ cup marcona almonds
  • ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
  • ¾ cup kalamata olives
  • Vinaigrette
  • 6 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano minced
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, white wine vinegar and a large pinch of salt. Whisk in the honey and dijon mustard, lemon zest and organo. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until the dressing is smooth. Taste. Add additional salt and/or pepper to taste.
  • Set aside - dressing can be made 4 hours ahead - cover and refrigerate. Let come to room temperature before using.
  • For salad: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under running water (if your quinoa is already pre rinsed you can skip this step). Add the quinoa to the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 - 8 minutes until the quinoa is still firm to the bite. Drain quinoa and rinse with cold water.
  • Bring another pot of water to a boil and add a teaspoon of salt. Cook the beans for 3 - 4 minutes until tender but still firm to the bite. Remove the pot from the heat and drain the beans. Rinse the beans with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain on paper towels while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the cucumbers, tomatoes, arugula, almonds and olives and toss to combine. Sprinkle the quinoa over and toss again. Drizzle salad with ½ of the vinaigrette. Taste, adding more vinaigrette if needed. Sprinkle with the feta cheese and serve!!

Notes

  •  This is NOT the usual method for making quinoa and results in a slightly chewier, firmer grain which I prefer in my salads. If you prefer a lighter, fluffier quinoa, reduce the amount of water by 1 cup and simmer for approximately 14 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.

Nutrition

Calories: 526kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 672mg | Potassium: 1081mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1845IU | Vitamin C: 48.2mg | Calcium: 368mg | Iron: 7.4mg