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    Home » Recipes » vegetarian

    Greek Quinoa Salad as a Healthy Side Dish

    First Published: October 14, 2020 . Last Modified: July 1, 2023 lisa15 Comments This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Greek Quinoa Salad

    This Greek Quinoa Salad recipe brings together delicious Mediterranean flavors into a quick, delicious and healthy Greek side dish that is sure to please!

    bowl of Greek Quinoa Salad

    The other night I cooked a whole box of quinoa and stuck it in the fridge.  This grain-like seed is full of nutrition and the perfect food to make a quick weeknight dinner.  I had dreams of making all kinds of healthy dishes but then forgot about my big bowl of quinoa.

    After ordering pizza tonight, I remembered the quinoa in the fridge and thought I'd make this salad as a healthy side dish to balance things out.  Instead of eating half a pizza myself (yes, I can do that), I had a slice (or two) and a nice bowl of this delicious Greek quinoa salad.  It was made before the pizza was delivered.

    If you need a gluten free option for a side dish, this is a good one. Quinoa is a gluten-free grain that is a complete protein and contains essential amino acids. It gets mixed with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, fresh parsley, creamy feta and a lemon vinaigrette to make a vegetarian salad or side dish.  

    I love doing meal prep and making instant pot quinoa to keep in the fridge. The fluffy quinoa is prepped and all ready to use.  Another great thing about this healthy Greek quinoa salad is that it can be served at room temperature making it perfect for a BBQ or summer party. 

    Greek quinoa salad

    Ingredients

    • Tomatoes - You can use really any type like grape tomatoes, cherry tomatoes or roma tomatoes. Chop larger tomatoes into small pieces while you can half the bite size tomatoes. If you prefer you could also use a smaller amount of chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
    • Cucumbers- buy cucumbers that are an even green color and without spots.
    • Cooked quinoa - I love making mine in an instant pot or pressure cooker.
    • Feta cheese - A little bit of this salty cheese crumbled goes a long way.
    • Fresh parsley - Fresh herbs provides lots of freshness to the salad.
    • Garlic powder - Seasoning that gives lots of flavor.
    • Onion powder - More flavor.
    • Lemon juice - The tartness of the lemon makes a great dressing.
    • Olive oil - This is the binder of the salad. Use extra virgin olive oil if possible.
    • Salt and black pepper - If needed for taste.

    See recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts.

    tomatoes for a healthy side dish

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, mix together tomatoes, cucumbers, quinoa, Feta cheese and parsley.
    • Sprinkle with garlic and onion powder.
    • Add the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix together well.
    • Add salt and pepper to taste.

    How to buy and cook quinoa?

    • Quinoa can be bought in frozen bags or boxes in your freezer section of the grocery store. This type is precooked and only needs to be heated up in the microwave before using.
    • You can also purchase quinoa in boxes or bulk. I like to rinse mine before cooking as it gets rid of the earthiness.  Follow the package directions for perfect cooked quinoa. 
    • This is a great ingredient to make a lot of and keep in your refrigerator. You can also cook it then freeze and defrost when you need it. 

     Storing Leftovers

    • Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge. It should last up to 3-4 days there.
    Healthy side dish ingredients

     Recipe Variations and Substitutions

    • There are lots of things you could add in to this Greek side dish for extra flavor. You could do more fresh veggies like chopped red onion, bell pepper or artichoke hearts.
    • Try some chopped green onion and black or kalamata olives for a little bit of extra saltiness and bite. 
    • Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and quinoa pair really well together, and adding them will provide some extra plant-based protein. Instead of a side dish, you could make this hearty salad recipe a vegetarian lunch or dinner entree. 
    • For a pop of color and flavor, chop up some fresh or roasted red peppers and mix in.
    • Change up the dressing by using red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.
    • To make this easy recipe into a more complete meal of Greek Quinoa salad bowls, top with some pan fried chicken tenders, shrimp or Lemon Dill Salmon. 

    If you like this quinoa recipe, also try my Chicken and Quinoa Salad recipe.

    More Greek Recipes

    1. Rainbow Greek Chicken Salad
    2. Greek Shrimp and Artichoke Salad 
    3. Greek Turkey Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce via Swirls of Flavor
    4. Greek Shrimp Skewers

    More Healthy Side Dish Recipes

    1. Easy Roasted Veggies
    2. Tomato Chickpea Salad
    3. Marinated Mushrooms
    4. Warm Brussels Sprouts Slaw
    5. Roasted Asparagus with Lemon Zest
    Greek Quinoa Salad

    If you like this healthy side dish recipe for Greek quinoa salad, please give it a 5-star rating below.

    RECIPE

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 5 votes

    Greek Quinoa Salad

    This Greek Quinoa Salad brings together delicious Mediterranean flavors into a quick, healthy, and delicious dish that is sure to please!
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Total Time10 minutes mins
    Course: salad/ side dish
    Cuisine: Greek
    Servings: 5
    Calories: 218kcal
    Author: Jersey Girl Cooks (Lisa Grant)
    Cost: $6

    Ingredients

    • 2 medium ripe tomatoes chopped
    • ¾ cup diced cucumbers
    • 2 cups cooked quinoa
    • ½ cup crumbled Feta cheese
    • ¼ cup Chopped Parsley
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • the lemon juice from one lemon
    • 3 TBS Olive oil
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • In a medium to large size bowl, mix together tomatoes, cucumbers, quinoa, Feta cheese and parsley.
    • Sprinkle with garlic and onion powder.
    • Add the lemon juice and olive oil. Mix together well.
    • Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 182mg | Potassium: 308mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 744IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 2mg

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    Comments

    1. Danielle says

      March 07, 2013 at 10:54 pm

      This sounds amazing!! I love finding new quinoa recipes to keep John and I interested!! Plus, it's healthy so...surprise on him!

      Reply
    2. Danielle says

      March 07, 2013 at 10:56 pm

      PS - who doesn't love a good slice (or 2) of pizza!? 😉

      Reply
    3. Kate says

      March 08, 2013 at 12:29 am

      We do a lot of quinoa around here. I'll have to add this to the rotation.

      Reply
    4. Ramona says

      March 08, 2013 at 10:19 am

      I still haven't gotten use to quinoa. Looks interesting.

      Reply
    5. Lisa Huff @ Snappy Gourmet says

      March 08, 2013 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      Looks delish! Making me wish it was summer already so I could get some decent produce around here!! 🙂

      Reply
    6. Pam says

      March 08, 2013 at 12:14 pm

      I love Greek cuisine. This salad looks wonderful.

      Reply
    7. John says

      March 08, 2013 at 9:13 pm

      This salad was excellent!

      Reply
    8. teresa says

      March 08, 2013 at 10:52 pm

      so fresh, flavorful and healthy. delicious!

      Reply
    9. Kristin says

      March 09, 2013 at 1:06 pm

      5 stars
      This is great. Nice and healthy. And a good option to take to all the summer picnics I am so looking forward to at this point! 🙂

      Reply
    10. Mary@One Perfect Bite says

      March 10, 2013 at 12:07 pm

      What a perfect salad. I don't use enough quinoa and this is a perfect way to incorporate it into our diet. I hope you are having a great day. Blessings...Mary

      Reply
    11. Sues says

      March 11, 2013 at 12:44 pm

      I love Greek salad and I love quinoa, so YES!!!

      Reply
    12. shannon says

      March 11, 2013 at 12:45 pm

      this screams summer 🙂 can't wait for it to get here again!

      Reply
    13. Leslie says

      March 11, 2013 at 2:26 pm

      5 stars
      What a nice little healthy salad!!! I love Quinoa, you can do a billion things with it!

      Reply
    14. Kathy says

      March 13, 2013 at 11:39 am

      Love quinoa! Beautiful salad and so healthy, too!

      Reply
    15. Aggie says

      March 19, 2013 at 8:02 am

      This looks great Lisa. I haven't been cooking up quinoa very much lately, need to change that. So much you can do with it!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Lisa

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