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Greek Quinoa Salad

By Brittany Mullins

4.62

42

Published May 20, 2020, Updated Sep 27, 2023

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GFGluten-FreeVGVegetarian

This healthy Greek quinoa salad features baby spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta cheese and a tangy lemon dressing. Works as a make-ahead lunch option and is a total crowd pleaser at summer cookouts.

I’ve decided that I need to have a go-to quinoa salad recipe for every season. I already have a spring quinoa salad so now it’s time for a summery version. Throughout the summer months our local farmers market is bursting with juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers and gorgeous fresh herbs so I decided to combine all these things into a Greek inspired quinoa salad.

I’ve been making Greek salad for years — namely this white bean quinoa salad — but today’s version is a tad different. The base is essentially the same, but there’s cucumber for a little crunch, feta cheese and instead of fresh avocado I used nutrient-rich avocado oil. You still get the subtle avocado flavor and creaminess, but no brown chunks or mushiness when you serve the leftover salad.

Here’s What You’ll Need

• quinoa – this is the base of the recipe and you can use any type of quinoa you like from white, black, red to tri-color. Any variety will work for this recipe.
• baby spinach – baby spinach has a mild flavor and texture that works perfectly in this greek quinoa salad.
• grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• cucumber and red onion – for some added crunch.
• feta cheese – this adds such a good flavor to the salad. If needed you can use a vegan feta.
• basil and parsley – to enhance the flavors!
• red wine vinegar, lemon juice, avocado or olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper – instead of an elaborate dressing, we’re using these six items to add a light and refreshing flavor to the salad.
• almond slices and chopped avocados – these are optional, but they’re the perfect toppers to bring it all together!

Notes & Substitutions

Red onion – Not a fan of red onion use yellow onion instead.

Beans – Feel free to add white beans or chickpeas for some protein. They’re a great addition — especially if you’re serving this as a main rather than a side dish.

Avocado – Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fats to your salad? Add in some chopped avocado!

Dressing – I love the dressing I paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek Salad Dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.

Serving and Storing Greek Quinoa Salad

I love that this salad pairs well with just about any protein. It’s delicious served with my grilled apple cider vinegar chicken. I think the flavors go really well together. It’s also a perfect side for cookouts and potlucks.

To make it in advance: You can prep the salad the night before and let it chill in the fridge until serving.

To store leftovers: Store any leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

More Quinoa Salad Recipes

• Southwestern Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Broccoli Quinoa Salad
• Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale and Quinoa Salad
• Quinoa Salad with Corn and Avocado
• Quinoa Spinach Salad
• Spring Quinoa Salad
• Chickpea Quinoa Salad

More Summer Salads to Try

• Healthy Quinoa Salad
• Couscous Salad
• Curried Cauliflower Salad
• Blueberry Corn Chicken Salad
• Healthy Pasta Salad
• Pesto Pasta Salad
• Asparagus Salad
• Mediterranean Brown Rice Salad

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4.62 from 34 votes

Greek Quinoa Salad

By: Brittany Mullins

A healthy quinoa salad featuring some of the best produce summer has to offer, feta cheese and a tangy lemon dressing. Perfect as a make-ahead lunch option or a summer cookout side dish.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
• ▢ 2 cups roughly chopped baby spinach
• ▢ 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ▢ 1 cup diced cucumber
• ▢ 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• ▢ 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• ▢ 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• ▢ 1/4 cup lemon juice
• ▢ 1/3 cup avocado oil, or olive oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons maple syrup, or honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
• ▢ 1-2 ripe avocados, chopped (optional)

Instructions 

• Cook quinoa: Cook quinoa in water, according to package directions. Let cool.
• Stir: In a medium bowl, stir together quinoa, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, feta cheese, red onion, basil and parsley.
• Make dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper.
• Add dressing: Pour dressing over quinoa salad and toss to combine. Top with almond slices, if using.
• Chill and enjoy: Serve immediately or let the salad chill in the fridge a couple hours before serving. Add avocado (if using), just before serving. Salad will keep up to 3-4 days in the fridge.

Video

Notes

Red onion – Not a fan of red onion use yellow onion instead. 

Beans – Feel free to add white beans or chickpeas for some protein. They’re a great addition — especially if you’re serving this as a main rather than a side dish.

Avocado – Want to add a little creaminess and healthy fats to your salad? Add in some chopped avocado!

Dressing – I love the dressing I paired with this salad but any dressing would work if you’re in a pinch. Some options: Greek Salad Dressing, white balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of recipe | Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: greek quinoa salad

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