Mediterranean quinoa salad
Mediterranean quinoa salad with chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, feta and olives in a lemon-oregano dressing. 10 g of protein a serving, and it keeps 4 days in the fridge.
- 315
- kcal
- 10g
- protein
- 16g
- fat
- 32g
- carbs
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Serves
- 6
Photograph by frank minjarez on Pexels
Ingredients
- 1 cup (170 g) quinoa, rinsed well
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- 1 pint (10 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1/3 cup (45 g) Kalamata olives, halved
- 3 oz (85 g) feta, crumbled
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley and mint
- Salt and black pepper
Method
-
1
Cook the quinoa
Bring the quinoa, water and 1/2 tsp salt to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, until the water is gone. Leave it covered off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
-
2
Cool it quickly
Spread the quinoa on a sheet pan and leave 10 to 15 minutes, until it is no longer warm. Warm quinoa wilts the herbs and softens the feta.
-
3
Make the dressing
Whisk the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, garlic, oregano and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add the red onion and chickpeas and leave them in the dressing while the quinoa cools.
-
4
Toss
Add the quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, feta and herbs and toss well. Taste and add salt, pepper or more lemon.
Cooking quinoa that is not mushy
Most packages say to use 2 cups of water for 1 cup of quinoa. That is enough to make it soft and clumpy, which is fine for a warm side but not for a salad. With 1 3/4 cups, the grains stay separate and slightly chewy, and they hold up better once they are dressed.
- Rinse it, even if the package says it is pre-rinsed. Quinoa seeds are coated in saponins, which taste bitter and soapy. A minute under running water in a fine strainer removes what is left.
- Leave it covered for 5 minutes after cooking. The last of the water is absorbed, and the grains finish cooking in the steam.
- Spread it out to cool. In a bowl, quinoa keeps steaming and gets softer. On a sheet pan it cools in 10 minutes.
To toast it first, for a nuttier flavor, dry the rinsed quinoa in the pot over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until it smells nutty, then add the water.
Why the chickpeas go in the dressing first
Chickpeas have very little flavor on their own. Ten minutes in the dressing with the red onion gives them time to soak some of it up, and softens the onion so it tastes sweet rather than harsh. It is the same step as in our chickpea salad, and it makes as much difference here.
Variations
- Vegan: leave out the feta and add a diced avocado and a handful of toasted pumpkin seeds.
- Higher in protein: add a second can of chickpeas, which brings it to about 13 g of protein a serving, or serve it over grilled chicken or shrimp for much more.
- Tabbouleh-style: leave out the olives and feta, use twice the parsley and mint, and add more lemon.
- With roasted vegetables: fold in a sheet pan of roasted zucchini (as in our baked zucchini dish), red pepper and eggplant in place of the cucumber, for a heartier winter version.
Keeping it
It keeps 4 days in the fridge, which makes it a good salad to make ahead for lunches. The cucumber softens a little and the quinoa absorbs some of the dressing, so stir in a squeeze of lemon and a little olive oil before serving. Add the herbs on the day if you want them bright green.
What it is worth nutritionally
A serving has about 315 kcal, with 10 g of protein, 16 g of fat and 32 g of carbohydrate, including about 5 g of fiber. Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids, which is less common in plant foods, and it is a good source of magnesium, iron and folate. Together with the chickpeas, that makes this one of the more filling grain salads, and a meal on its own for lunch. Most of the fat is from olive oil, olives and feta. It is the kind of meal the Mediterranean diet is built on. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free; for strict gluten-free diets, buy one labeled as such, because it is sometimes processed alongside wheat. For a strictly vegetarian version, choose a cheese made with microbial or vegetable rennet.
