Mediterranean Quinoa Cucumber Salad (Printer-friendly)
Light, refreshing quinoa and cucumber salad with feta, olives, and a tangy lemon-oregano dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
02 - 2 cups water
→ Fresh Vegetables
03 - 1 large cucumber, diced
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1/2 red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
07 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
08 - 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped (optional)
→ Dairy
09 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
12 - 1 clove garlic, minced
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1/2 tsp salt
15 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse quinoa under cold water. In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and cool to room temperature.
02 - In a large bowl, mix cooled quinoa with diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, parsley, and mint if using.
03 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
04 - Pour dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Gently fold in crumbled feta cheese, taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.
06 - Serve immediately or refrigerate at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It tastes better the next day, which means less work when youre actually hungry.
- You can eat it straight from the bowl standing at the counter and feel like youre doing something good for yourself.
- The textures are so satisfying, crunchy and creamy and fluffy all at once.
02 -
- If you skip rinsing the quinoa, it will taste bitter and ruin the whole dish, trust me on this.
- Add the feta at the very end or it will dissolve into the dressing and disappear.
- Cold quinoa is key, warm quinoa turns cucumbers limp and nobody wants that.
03 -
- Toast the quinoa in the dry saucepan for a minute before adding water, it adds a nutty depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
- If you want the onion milder, soak it in ice water for five minutes and it loses the sharp bite without losing the crunch.
- Always taste before serving and adjust the lemon, salt, or olive oil, every batch is a little different and your tongue knows best.