This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a crave-worthy salad will all the flavors you have come to love! This protein-packed salad can be made ahead, making it a great work week lunch or easy dinner. It is gluten-free, vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan.
Sometimes I feel like this time of year should come with a warning.
Mama, put your helmet and seatbelt on because things are about to get C-razy.”
I know some people look forward to school starting, but to me, summer is a much simpler more peaceful time of year. I love the days of hanging with the kids with no real agenda, hearing them splash at the pool at all hours of the day, and the general relaxed vibe of summer.
All of that goes out the window the minute school comes into play.
Plus, as soon as school starts we all know what is going to happen.
We are going to blink and it is going to be time to start thinking about Christmas shopping.
I mean, people are already talking about Halloween.
I was on a Facebook group for bloggers the other day, and someone mentioned that it was time to start pinning things for Halloween. I know they are right.
I know because I ordered Skye’s Halloween costume this morning. It is so unlike me to be prepared that far ahead, but she has had a very specific idea about what she wanted to be since Christmas, and I know her 5th Halloween is going to be a big one.
(FYI – she is going as a Colorful Princess Butterfly. I bought her a pop up castle that came with butterfly wings for Christmas and she has been butterfly obsessed since then.)
Somehow the same part of me that is in an outrage when I pull up to the grocery store and see fake pumpkins outside in August feels the need to rebel against the idea of Pinning for Halloween in August.
(You can follow me on Pinterest to see how long I hold out. I suspect not too long.)
Annyhoow…
If you are bracing for the insanity that is fall with kids, you are going to need recipes like this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad to stay on track with healthy eating.
Because if you are anything like me, if you don’t have something prepped that you can grab and eat quick, bad decisions are going to be made.
(I’m looking at you chips and salsa.)
This Quinoa Mediterranean Salad is one of my favorites because it holds up so well in the fridge. I can make it on Sunday and have easy lunches or dinners during the week.
(Who am I kidding. I am a complete weirdo when it comes to food and eat salads like this for breakfast all the time. Today I was eating a Kale Salad at 6 am. )
Plus, it is packed with some of my favorite things – garbanzo beans, olives, artichokes and tomatoes.
It is a complete meal by itself, but if you are looking for something a little more hearty (or have a teen boy like I do), I’ve given you some serving suggestions below.
Do you look forward to school starting, or dread it like I do?
Tools To Make Quinoa Mediterranean Salad:
Serving Suggestions for Quinoa Mediterranean Salad
- For an extra kick, serve with a dollop of hummus or a drizzle of a Tahini Salad Dressing. If you can find it, gluten-free flatbread is also great here.
- This salad pairs nicely with lamb. These Lamb Kebabs would be great.
- This salad is great in a gluten-free wrap! I like to spread hummus on the wrap and drizzle with a little extra lemon juice.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is a crave-worthy vegetarian salad will all the flavors you have come to love! This protein-packed salad can be made ahead, making it a great work week lunch or easy dinner during the school year.
- 3 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups garbanzo beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 medium red onion diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 1/2 cup artichoke hearts quartered
- 1/2 cup roasted red pepper diced
- 1/3 cup Kalamata Olives sliced
- 1 cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup dill chopped fine
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Mediterranean Seasoning
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Optional: 1/4 cup crumbled feta or vegan feta
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, garbanzo beans, red onion, grape tomatoes, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper, olives, cucumber, and dill.
- To make the dressing, combine olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, Mediterranean seasoning, salt and pepper in a blender.
- Process until smooth.
- Toss dressing with salad. If desired, top with crumbled feta.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Variations for this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe
- Omit the dill and instead use parsley or cilantro.
- For an extra kick of heat, add in 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dressing. (Use more or less to taste. Be careful with this idea if you have kids who don't like heat.)
- For a heartier salad, add in 8 ounces of shredded rotisserie chicken. Vegan? Gardein and Beyond Meat products are great. Or, use organic Tempeh. This looks like a great marinade to try for Tempeh.
- Add 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts.
- Add 1/2 cup pepperoncini.
Tips for Making Mediterranean Quinoa Salad:
- This recipe may be made up to four days ahead, making it perfect for meal-prep. I like to freshen up leftovers with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- If you are new to cooking quinoa, check out How to Cook Quinoa for stovetop instructions or How to Cook Quinoa in a Rice Cooker.
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I’m still new to quinoa and am loving it especially with salads like this!