Zesty Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta
Who’s prepared for a burst of Mediterranean sunshine of their meal?
Say howdy to our zesty Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta! This isn’t simply any salad – it’s a flavor-packed journey that’ll transport your style buds straight to the shores of Greece.
Do you know that quinoa accommodates all 9 important amino acids, making it an entire protein? It’s no surprise this superfood is taking heart stage in our summer time favourite!
Get able to dive right into a bowl of nutritious deliciousness that’s nearly as good on your physique as it’s on your Instagram feed.
Let’s get tossing!
Components You’ll Want
- 1 cup raw quinoa
- 1 giant cucumber, diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 pink onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup contemporary mint leaves, chopped
- 1/4 cup contemporary parsley, chopped
- 3 tablespoons additional virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons contemporary lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and freshly floor black pepper to style
Step-by-Step Preparation Information
- Rinse the quinoa underneath chilly water utilizing a fine-mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, mix the quinoa with 2 cups of water. Deliver to a boil, then cut back warmth to low, cowl, and simmer for about quarter-hour or till the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
- Whereas the quinoa is cooking, put together your greens. Cube the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the olives, and finely cube the pink onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- As soon as the quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- In a big bowl, mix the cooled quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and pink onion.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to mix.
- Sprinkle the chopped mint and parsley over the salad and provides it one closing light toss.
- Style and modify seasoning if wanted. Serve instantly or chill within the fridge for an hour to let the flavors meld collectively.
Dietary Advantages of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta isn’t only a feast on your style buds – it’s a dietary powerhouse too!
The protein-packed quinoa helps construct and restore muscle tissue, making it a superb alternative for health fans and vegetarians alike. Our colourful medley of greens is bursting with antioxidants, supporting your total wellness and giving your immune system a contented little enhance.
Let’s not overlook the heart-healthy olive oil in our zesty dressing. It’s filled with monounsaturated fat that may assist decrease unhealthy levels of cholesterol.
And for all you cheese lovers on the market, the feta provides a pleasant calcium enhance, supporting sturdy bones and enamel.
The perfect half? This salad is a low-calorie, high-nutrient choice that’ll preserve you happy with out weighing you down.
It’s the right steadiness of flavors and diet that’ll make your physique and style buds do a contented dance!
Customization Choices and Variations
Among the best issues about this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is how versatile it’s! Listed below are some methods you’ll be able to combine it up:
- Going vegan? No drawback! Swap out the feta for some creamy avocado chunks or tangy marinated tofu cubes.
- Want extra protein? Toss in some grilled hen strips or juicy shrimp for an additional protein punch.
- Seasonal switch-up: Be happy to include seasonal veggies like roasted bell peppers in summer time or roasted butternut squash in fall.
- Gluten-free buddies, rejoice! This salad is of course gluten-free, however all the time double-check your quinoa packaging to make sure.
- Prefer it scorching? Sprinkle some chili flakes or add a diced jalapeño for a spicy kick that’ll get up your style buds!
Serving Strategies and Pairings
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta is a showstopper by itself, however it additionally performs nicely with others! Listed below are some concepts to make it shine:
- Pack it for a picnic or deliver it to your subsequent potluck – it’s a assured crowd-pleaser!
- Serve it as a light-weight lunch or dinner on scorching summer time days whenever you need one thing refreshing.
- Pair it with grilled fish or hen for an entire Mediterranean-inspired meal.
- For a wine pairing, strive a crisp white like Assyrtiko or a light-weight rosé to enhance the salad’s contemporary flavors.
- Presentation tip: Serve it in a big, colourful bowl and garnish with additional feta and a sprinkle of paprika for that ‘wow’ issue!
Meal Prep and Storage Suggestions
Busy week forward? No worries! This salad is meal-prep pleasant:
- Make a giant batch on Sunday and portion it out for grab-and-go lunches all through the week.
- Retailer it in hermetic containers within the fridge – it’ll keep contemporary for as much as 3-4 days.
- For the freshest style, retailer the dressing individually and add it simply earlier than consuming.
- Whereas it’s greatest contemporary, you’ll be able to freeze the cooked quinoa individually for future use.
- Professional tip: Pack some additional lemon wedges to squeeze over the salad simply earlier than consuming for a taste refresh!
There you’ve got it, people – your ticket to a Mediterranean getaway proper in your individual kitchen! Our Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta isn’t only a meal; it’s a celebration of contemporary flavors, wholesome consuming, and summer time vibes.
Whether or not you’re meal prepping for the week forward or wowing company at your subsequent gathering, this versatile dish has bought you lined.
Bear in mind, the important thing to this salad’s magic is within the high quality of components and the love you set into making it. So, what are you ready for? Seize these contemporary veggies, crumble that feta, and let’s flip your kitchen right into a Greek taverna. Opa! 🥗✨
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Feta
- 1 cup raw quinoa
- 1 giant cucumber diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ½ cup Kalamata olives pitted and sliced
- ¼ pink onion finely diced
- ¼ cup contemporary mint leaves chopped
- ¼ cup contemporary parsley chopped
- 3 tablespoons additional virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons contemporary lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- Salt and freshly floor black pepper to style
- Rinse the quinoa underneath chilly water utilizing a fine-mesh strainer. In a medium saucepan, mix the quinoa with 2 cups of water. Deliver to a boil, then cut back warmth to low, cowl, and simmer for about quarter-hour or till the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.
- Whereas the quinoa is cooking, put together your greens. Cube the cucumber, halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the olives, and finely cube the pink onion.
- In a small bowl, whisk collectively the olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
- As soon as the quinoa is cooked, fluff it with a fork and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
- In a big bowl, mix the cooled quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and pink onion.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to mix.
- Sprinkle the chopped mint and parsley over the salad and provides it one closing light toss.
- Style and modify seasoning if wanted. Serve instantly or chill within the fridge for an hour to let the flavors meld collectively.
