With summer in full swing, tossing together an easy, crisp Greek salad is my favorite thing to make for a healthy lunch. I get in tons of fresh veggies, plenty of protein and lots of flavor. It’s the perfect thing to put together for an easy meal and I find myself making lots of last minute picnic lunches during the warmer months, and a simple salad is one of the best ways to go. The fresh flavors in this Greek quinoa salad make this one a favorite around here!
Quinoa is one of those ingredients that makes a salad more filling and nutritious without weighing you down. Which I love for summer!
Quinoa also has plenty of fiber and protein to keep you satiated longer. I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week and throw it into whatever salad I’m making.
This one can be made ahead of time and brought to work for lunch, the park or pool for an impromtu picnic or mixed together in a big bowl and served at your next dinner party or potluck.
The pepperoncinis and feta take it to the next level in my opinion. If you’re needing a fresh new take on lunch or an out-of-the-box idea for a backyard BBQ, this Greek quinoa salad packed full of Mediterranean flavors is sure to take the cake!
How to Make Greek Quinoa Salad
Like any salad, the recipe is somewhat loose. If you prefer more of one ingredient, add more, if you hate tomatoes, skip them! Love olives, add them (I don’t, so there’s none here!) It’s designed to be customizable and not exact. This recipe is naturally gluten free, one of the other perks of quinoa
Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients
For the Salad
- cooked quinoa, details below
- shredded red cabbage
- grilled or shredded chicken
- arugula or any other lettuce you prefer
- cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
- garbanzo beans or chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- English cucumber or Persian cucumbers—both are crisp and crunchy
- red onion
- crumbled feta cheese
- sprouts, optional (we had them so I threw them in!)
- pepperoncini
- kalamata olives, optional (I don’t care for olives, so you won’t see them here!)
- herbs like fresh parsley, fresh basil or fresh mint (optional)
Dressing:
- red wine vinegar
- lemon juice
- clove garlic, grated
- extra virgin olive oil
- black pepper
- kosher salt
How to Cook Quinoa
Quinoa is such a great healthy pantry staple. It’s easy to cook and doesn’t take long at all. To get fluffy quinoa, start by rinsing your quinoa under cold water, this can help reduce any biter flavor. You can also do this by toasting it in a dry pan with a little olive oil or butter. That being said, I often skip this step and just go straight to cooking and have great results.
So, do one of these preparation steps, or skip—it’s up to you!
To cook quinoa add 1 cup dry quinoa to a pot and 1 3/4-2 cups water and a hefty pinch of salt. Bring it all to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Simmer on low for 12-15 minutes.
When done, remove from heat, and fluff with a fork. I let it cool in the pan but if you need it to cool faster, you can spread it out on a baking sheet and pop in the refrigerator to cool faster.
For the Dressing
In a jar, combine all the dressing ingredients and shake well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This should last 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
Instructions
Once your quinoa is cooked and cooled, it’s time to prep the remaining ingredients. Chop them all up into equal sized pieces. You can do bigger chunks, but I personally prefer them a bit smaller. This way you get all the flavors in one bite!
Layer your bowl with some quinoa and then put piles of each ingredient all around. You can also put it all in a medium bowl and toss together, but for individual bowls, I like the presentation with each ingredient separate!
Greek Quinoa Salad Bowls
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- S&P to taste
Salad
- 1/2 cup quinoa cooked & chilled
- 1/4 cup cucumber chopped
- 1/8 cup red onion chopped
- 1/4 cup tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup arugula or lettuce of choice
- 1/4 cup red cabbage shredded
- 1/4 cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp sprouts optional
- 2 Tbsp feta cheese crumbled
- 2 pepperoncini sliced
- 2-4 oz. grilled or shredded chicken optional
Instructions
- In a small jar, combine all dressing ingredients and shake vigorously until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- In a bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Either mix, or leave in small piles for presentation.
- Drizzle a little dressing on your salad and toss to coat. Add more if necessary and enjoy!
Nutrition
To Store Greek Quinoa Salad
If you want to make this ahead, prep everything and place it in an airtight container. Keep the dressing on the side and toss before serving. You can put it into individual containers for an easy healthy lunch on the go.
These handy salad containers with small dressing containers are perfect and resuable!
More Favorite Hearty Salads
- Healthy Taco Salad
- Heirloom Tomato & Jalapeño Salad
- Grilled Peach, Tomato & Burrata Salad
- Easy Salad Wraps
- Epic Greek Salad
- Soba Noodle Salad
- Healthy Thai Beef Salad
If you’re anything like me, you’ll love the tangy flavors in this salad, and it will soon be on regular rotation for your lunches! It’s easy to make, hearty, healthy and so delicious! Enjoy, friends!
BTW, creamy roasted red pepper pasta (dairy free!), and Asian salmon bowls with coconut rice & chili crisp.
