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This Greek Quinoa Salad is easy to make, packed with protein, and bursting with Mediterranean flavors. From salty feta and sweet roasted peppers to briny olives and a tangy homemade dressing, every bite delivers bold, satisfying flavor you'll want to enjoy on repeat.
Greek Quinoa Salad at a Glance
Quinoa is a staple in my kitchen. It is quick-cooking, protein-packed, and incredibly versatile. While I use it in everything from sweet potato chili to veggie burgers, my favorite way to enjoy it is in fresh, flavorful salads like this Greek Quinoa Salad.
- Incredibly Flavorful. If you love Mediterranean flavors, you will love this Greek quinoa! It is salty, tangy, bright, and light.
- Nutritious. High in plant-based protein, fiber-rich, low in fat, and packed with nutrients.
- Potluck-Perfect. This Greek Quinoa Salad, like my Mexican Quinoa Salad and Lemon Spinach Quinoa Salad is a crowd-pleasing recipe that travels well and can be made ahead for easy entertaining.
- Ideal for Meal-Prep. Make this salad on the weekend and enjoy for a simple, nourishing lunch throughout the week.
- Allergy-Friendly. Naturally gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, and soy-free. Easily made dairy-free without the feta.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Notes on Ingredients
- Quinoa: Start this salad by cooking any variety of dried quinoa or use leftover cooked quinoa.
- Greek Dressing: A light, tangy, vibrant vinaigrette made with red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, and capers.
- Feta: While crumbled feta adds a nice salty, creamy flavor, feel free to omit it to keep this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
- Olives: I strongly recommend using Kalamata olives, rather than Spanish olives or black olives, as they impart the most authentic Greek flavor to the salad.
- Cucumber & Tomatoes: Cucumbers and tomatoes add a nice fresh touch to the quinoa salad. I recommend using a seedless or English cucumber and grape or cherry tomatoes for the best texture and flavor. Keep in mind that if using a regular cucumber or vine-ripened tomatoes, you will want to remove the seeds from them to keep the salad from becoming watered-down.
- Parsley: Use flat-leaf or curly parsley to impart fresh flavor to the salad.
- Optional Additions: Feel free to use your imagination and pick and choose any vegetables and herbs you like for this Quinoa Salad. I love to also add roasted red peppers and artichoke hearts for an additional Mediterranean flavor. Diced red onions, pickled red onions, or Giardiniera.
How to Make Greek Quinoa Salad
The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare Quinoa. Rinse quinoa and prepare on the stovetop following the package instructions OR following my foolproof method for Instant Pot Quinoa.
- Prepare Dressing. Instead of simply whisking the components of the Greek vinaigrette together, I recommend using a food processor or mini blender to blend the dressing, which will ensure the capers are fully broken down.
- Dress Warm Quinoa. Before the quinoa has fully cooled, dress it with a bit of the prepared dressing. The slightly warm quinoa will absorb the dressing immediately, flavoring the quinoa from the inside out.
- Assemble. Once the quinoa reaches room temperature, add in the remaining dressing, along with the olives, tomatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers.
- Chill Before Serving. t is best to cover the quinoa salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. And then right before serving, give the quinoa salad a good stir to distribute the ingredients and sprinkle with feta if using.
Recipe Modifications
- Vegan-Friendly: Leave the feta cheese off this Greek Quinoa Salad, and it becomes dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
- Add More Protein: To really amp up the protein in this Quinoa Salad, add diced-up Greek Chicken or canned, rinsed chickpeas to the salad.
- Change up the Dressing: Instead of dressing this quinoa salad with homemade Greek dressing, keep it simple and dress the salad with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and a good pinch of salt.
- Serve in a Pita: Stuff the prepared quinoa into a wrap or pita, along with a dollop or Tzatziki sauce or hummus and greens for a filling and hearty lunch.
Make it a Meal
While this protein-rich quinoa salad stands alone as a hearty gluten-free lunch, it also makes a fabulous side dish alongside one of the following entrées.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Greek Quinoa Salad
This light and refreshing quinoa saladis dressed to perfection with briny olives, sweet tomatoes, salty feta, and a Homemade Greek Dressing.
Ingredients
For Quinoa
- 1 cup dried quinoa
- 2 cups water or broth, for stove top cooking
- 1 cup water or broth, for Instant Pot cooking
For the Quinoa Salad
- 1 large roasted red pepper, diced
- ¼ cup chopped kalamata olives
- 1 large English cucumber, diced
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ cup artichoke hearts, chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup feta cheese, optional
For the Greek Dressing
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon capers
Instructions
Stovetop Quinoa Instructions
- Combine 1 cup dried quinoa with 2 cups water or broth in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Place a lid on the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered for 10 more minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Instant Pot Quinoa
- Combine 1 cup dried quinoa and1 cup water or broth in the inner pot of the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Allow the pressure to release naturally on its own for at least 10 minutes. Open the pressure cooker and fluff with a fork.
Quinoa Salad
- While the quinoa is cooling, prepare the dressing by placing the 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 clove garlic (minced), ½ teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon capers into a blender or food processor and blending until the capers are broken down and well combined.
- Once the quinoa is cooled slightly (about 10 minutes), pour half the dressing over the cooked quinoa and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Once the quinoa has reached room temperature, pour the remaining salad dressing over the quinoa. Add in the 1 large roasted red pepper (diced), ¼ cup chopped kalamata olives1 large English cucumber (diced), ½ cup chopped tomatoes, ½ cup artichoke hearts, ½ cup chopped fresh parsley, and ½ cup feta cheese. Toss together until everything is well distributed.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together.
Notes
Quinoa: 1 cup of dried quinoa yields 3 cups of cooked quinoa. Feel free to use 3 cups of cooked quinoa in place of starting this recipe with dried quinoa.
Cucumber: If you choose to use a regular cucumber over an English cucumber, be sure to peel your cucumber and de-seed it before adding it to the salad.
Tomatoes: If you use vine-ripened or Roma tomatoes, de-seed before adding the salad as well.
Storage: You can store Greek Quinoa Salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 156kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 471mgPotassium: 209mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 4.6mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1.3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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There are at least a dozen “best” ways to using the stovetop to cook quinoa on different recipe sites. I was a little leery of using my instant pot. Turned out perfectly, not mushy at all, and so easy! Wondering if you rinse your quinoa first. I rinse, as I’ve found some folks are sensitive to “bitter” notes if I don’t. The dressing is delicious. Capers add a lot of flavor. The only item I subbed was an additional 1/2 cup grape tomatoes instead of artichoke hearts. Pretty to look at, and super tasty. Will be on my summer salad rotation often.
Hi Laurie! Yes, I rinse the quinoa--even when it states it is pre-rinsed. I find it can be bitter even then. Thanks for sharing your review 🙂
OMG! I just watched your live a few hours ago, and made this salad with black beans and the veggies I had on hand. My husband and I couldn’t wait and are now eating this salad as a pre-dinner appetizer. Wow!!! The flavors are amazing and my husband (who is not a huge fan of quinoa) loved it! I’ll be bringing it to a block party next week. Thanks so much for this quick, easy and delicious salad. (BTW, I doubled the dressing so we could have it on other salads later. Yum!)
I am just so thrilled you joined my cooking live! And even happier to hear you (and your husband) enjoy the salad! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and review.
I love bringing this quinoa salad to the office for my lunch! It is always incredibly delicious and so easy to make. One of my favorites!
I love hearing this, Sharina! Nothing wrong with a gold old PB&J, but this is so much better 🙂
Love the Greek flavor!! The dressing brings all the flavors together and the quinoa makes it more filling.
I agree, Kristyn! This salad is so flavorful and filling. Thanks for taking the time to share your review 🙂