Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Quinoa, chickpeas, and greens, oh my! This Mediterranean masterpiece incorporates all the amazing and tasty standouts of the health-promoting diet, including loads of antioxidant-rich produce, flavorful herbs and seasonings, olive oil, and creamy feta. The result: One giant bowl of good-for-you deliciousness.
![](https://joybauer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_5805-1-1024x683.jpg)
I top it all off with a DIY dressing, my tangy Lemon Vinaigrette, which takes just a minute to prepare and adds a bright and tangy flavor. But you can easily swap in another homemade recipe or bottled dressing if you prefer. It’s total salad satisfaction.
Try my Taco Salad in a Jar.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Salad
- 3 cups mixed greens
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, chilled
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- ½ English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup shredded red/purple cabbage
- ½ red onion, diced (~½ cup)
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
- ¼ to ½ cup crumbled feta
- Optional minced herbs, basil, mint, parsley, cilantro
Lemon Vinaigrette (makes ~½ cup)
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
To make the salad:
- Place the lettuce greens in a large serving bowl. Add the other salad ingredients (except for the feta cheese and lemon juice) and toss.
To make the dressing:
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk until everything is well combined. Season with additional salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. You can make ahead or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Drizzle the prepared dressing on your salad in batches and toss until the veggies are perfectly coated to your liking. Add the feta, and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Love this recipe! Served it at book club with chicken for add-on, and it was huge hit.
Hi Donna. So glad everyone loved it! Hopefully the book was as enjoyable as the food 🙂
I absolutely loved this salad, I didn’t have rice wine vinegar so I used white wine vinegar. After eating the 1st bowl, I added balsamic vinaigrette to the 2nd bowl and it was so good. I will be using this salad when we have gatherings from now on.
Hi Jeri. So happy to hear that you enjoyed it…and that you were able to make tweaks based on what you had on hand!
—Team Joy
How do you prepare your Quinoa?
Hi Renae. Cooking instructions for quinoa can slightly vary so first and foremost we’d suggest reading package directions on the brand you’re using. That being said, in general, here’s how Joy makes it: Add 2 cups water (or broth) + 1 cup dry quinoa to a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 to 13 minutes until water is absorbed. Then, cover the pot with a lid and remove pot from the heat and allow it to steam for ~5 minutes. Fluff it up with a fork. You’ll have ~3 full cups of quinoa.
Note: You can use broth for a saltier, more flavorful dish. And of course, you can flavor your plain, cooked quinoa with any herbs and spices!
Hoping this was helpful—enjoy!
—Team Joy