This chopped Mediterranean quinoa salad is packed with crisp veggies, chickpeas, olives, and creamy feta, all tossed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. A fresh, easy, protein-rich salad perfect for meal prep, lunch, or a light dinner.
This is one of my fave light salads to make as soon as the weather warms up. Overall, I’m not the biggest quinoa fan – But when you turn it into a flavorful bowl like this Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, I change my mind; which is probably not the best way to sell you on making this quinoa salad, but also it should tell you that the fact that I love it, means it must be really GOOD.
The longer this one hangs in the fridge, the more flavorful it becomes with all of its fresh flavors and tangy balsamic vinaigrette! It’s the perfect salad for meal prep with lots of textures and it’s naturally gluten-free.
It’s perfect for lunch prep as-is; in my opinion, but if you’re looking to add more protein, you can chop up a batch of my air fryer chicken thighs and toss them in. This quinoa would also be a great side to my gyro meatballs if you’re looking to round out a menu for dinner or company.
ingredients for this quinoa salad
Like my greek orzo salad, I just cannot get enough of these fresh Mediterranean flavors with loads of texture thanks to the quinoa and chickpeas. It just gets more flavorful, the longer it sits and it’s never soggy, which is probably why I love it so much for lunch prep.
You only need a handful of fresh ingredients, quinoa and balsamic vinaigrette. The full ingredient list is in the recipe card below.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Yes! You can simply skip the feta or use a dairy-free alternative. I don’t always have feta on hand, and can tell you, you’ll still get plenty of flavor from the briny olives, chickpeas, and vinaigrette.
Can I make this quinoa salad ahead of time?
Yes! This is a great make-ahead salad. You can prep it up to 2–3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. The flavors get even better as they sit. If you prefer, wait to add the dressing until just before serving for the freshest texture, but I don’t find it makes a huge difference.
How long does quinoa salad last in the fridge?
Stored in an airtight container, Mediterranean Quinoa Salad will keep well for up to 4 days. Give it a quick toss before serving, and add a splash of extra vinaigrette or lemon juice if you’d like!
more mediterranean flavors to make next
how to make this quinoa salad
chopped mediterranean quinoa salad
Ingredients
Quinoa Salad
- 1½ cups quinoa - cooked according to package directions (sub chicken stock for water, if desired)
- 1 15- ounce can chickpeas, drained
- ⅓ cup cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped
- ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced - slice
- ⅓ cup English cucumber, diced - can also use Persian cakes
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ½ cup olive oil - or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan, cook the quinoa according to package directions. Cool completely. You can make the quinoa a day ahead of time, if you'd like.
- Prep the vinaigrette by whisking the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dried dill and thyme. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Prep, drain and chop veggies.
- To a large serving bowl, add the cooled quinoa, chickpeas, veggies, parsley, kalamata olives and feta cheese. Mix to combine.
- Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with extra parsley and feta, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them help support this website. Please see the disclaimer here.
Yum! This is so perfect for summer.