Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
This Mediterranean quinoa salad is bursting with fresh, vibrant Mediterranean flavors! It's wholesome, filling, and high in protein.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 398kcal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa* rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 cups arugula
- 1/2 cucumber diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 3/4 cup kalamata olives pitted and sliced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1/3 cup fresh basil finely chopped
- 1/2 Italian dressing recipe**
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa. Add the rinsed quinoa, water, and salt to a medium pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook the quinoa until all the water is absorbed, for 12-15 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Transfer the quinoa to a rimmed baking sheet, spread it into an even layer, and refrigerate until cooled completely, for about 10 minutes.
- Assemble the salad. Add the cooled quinoa, vegetables, and fresh basil to a large bowl and toss to combine. Pour ~ ½ of the Italian dressing over the salad and gently stir until well combined. Taste and add more dressing as needed (I usually use about ⅔ of the dressing the recipe calls for).
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
- Store. Leftover quinoa salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If making the quinoa salad beforehand, store the salad and the dressing separately and assemble before serving.
Notes
*1 ½ cups/270 g of uncooked quinoa yields ~ 3 cups/540 g of cooked quinoa.
**I usually use ~ ⅔ of the Italian dressing recipe and keep the rest in the refrigerator.
**Nutrition information is approximate and may contain errors. Please feel free to make your own calculations.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 4 | Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 18g | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g