Easy Quinoa Salad
This Easy Quinoa Salad is bright, nourishing, and Mediterranean-inspired — loaded with juicy cherry tomatoes, crisp cucumber, fragrant fresh herbs, and a zippy lemon dressing that ties it all together. It comes together in under 30 minutes, holds up beautifully in the fridge for days, and is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan. Whether you pack it for lunch or serve it alongside grilled protein at dinner, this is the kind of salad that actually keeps you full and satisfied.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan with lid For cooking the quinoa
- Fine-mesh strainer For rinsing the quinoa before cooking
- Large mixing bowl For tossing the salad together
- Chef's knife and cutting board For chopping all vegetables and herbs
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Citrus juicer or reamer For squeezing fresh lemon juice
- Fork For fluffing the cooked quinoa
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cup white quinoa about 170g; rinsed well under cold water
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth about 480ml; vegetable broth recommended for extra flavor
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes about 150g; halved
- 1 cucumber about 200g; diced into small bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup fresh parsley about 15g; roughly chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint about 10g; roughly chopped
- ¼ cup red onion about 40g; finely diced
For the Lemon Dressing
- 1 large lemon juiced; yields about 3–4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil about 45ml
- salt to taste; start with ½ tsp and adjust
- black pepper to taste; freshly ground preferred
Instructions
- Place 1 cup of quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 30 seconds, stirring gently with your fingers. This removes the bitter saponin coating — don't skip this step.
- Add the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water or vegetable broth to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and you see tiny white spirals separating from the grains.
- Remove from heat and keep the lid on for 5 minutes to let the quinoa finish steaming. Then remove the lid and fluff gently with a fork, transferring to a large mixing bowl to cool completely to room temperature.
- While the quinoa cools, halve the cherry tomatoes, dice the cucumber into small pieces, and finely dice the red onion. Rinse and roughly chop the fresh parsley and mint.
- Juice the large lemon to get about 3–4 tablespoons of fresh juice, then whisk together with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Add the cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and mint to the cooled quinoa, then pour the lemon dressing over the top. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated, taste for seasoning, and let the salad rest for 10–15 minutes before serving for best flavor.
Notes
- Always rinse quinoa before cooking — even pre-rinsed varieties benefit from a quick rinse to remove any remaining saponin and prevent bitterness.
- Use vegetable broth instead of water for a more flavorful quinoa base that complements the Mediterranean ingredients.
- Let the quinoa cool completely before mixing in the vegetables — warm quinoa will wilt the cucumber and tomatoes and make the salad watery.
- Use only fresh lemon juice for the dressing. Bottled lemon juice lacks the brightness needed to make the dressing shine.
- For meal prep, store the cooked quinoa and chopped vegetables separately and combine the morning you plan to eat for the freshest result.
- Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Refresh with a small drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon before serving.
- To boost protein, add one can of drained, rinsed chickpeas or top with crumbled feta cheese.
- This salad is not suitable for freezing — the fresh vegetables will become mushy once thawed. Refrigerator storage only.
- If the salad looks dry after a day or two in the fridge, the quinoa has absorbed the dressing — simply add a little more olive oil and lemon juice to revive it.
- For a Greek-style variation, add Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, and crumbled feta for a bolder, brinier flavor profile.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 8gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gSodium: 180mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 18IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 15mg
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