This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is fresh, flavorful, and packed with healthy ingredients. It’s easy to make and great for lunch or a picnic side dish!
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is my version of the famous Jennifer Aniston salad that’s been going around the internet, ha! The base is quinoa, and then it’s packed with chickpeas, tons of veggies, crunchy pistachios, and fresh herbs. It’s flavorful, delicious, and healthy!
The weather is starting to warm up and it’s salad season! I eat salads all year round, but they are especially refreshing when it’s hot outside. I love having a salad like this on hand to enjoy for lunch or to snack on during the day.
Why Your Body Will Love This Quinoa Salad
- Protein – Quinoa is an excellent protein source vital for muscle health and satiety, and it contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.
- Fiber – I love beans for many reasons, but at the top of the list is their fiber content. The fiber in chickpeas helps digestion (including passing healthy bowel movements) and blood sugar regulation. It binds to toxins and carries them out of our system. Fiber also helps us feel full for longer, contributing to weight management.
- Ode to Olive Oil – Olive oil is one of nature’s amazing elixirs and has been used throughout the ages as a healing balm for the body, inside and out. It reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, dementia, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s. It has anti-inflammatory benefits and can help lower blood pressure.
Mediterranean Quinoa Salad Recipe Ingredients & Substitutions
- Quinoa – I love using quinoa in my recipes because it’s easy to cook and packed with protein. If you don’t like or have quinoa, you can use your favorite grain.
- Chickpeas – Chickpeas go great with Mediterranean flavors, and they add some extra protein. You can leave them out if you like or use white beans in place.
- Olives – I used a mixture of kalamata and green olives, but black olives will work great, too!
- Cucumber – I like to use English cucumbers and scoop out the seeds (optional) to avoid any extra moisture in the salad.
- Sun-Dried Tomatoes – Sun-dried tomatoes have an amazing flavor, but fresh tomatoes work great, too! When using sun-dried tomatoes, I like to use the ones packed in oil. The oil can also be added in as a dressing for extra flavor.
- Onion – I normally use regular raw red onions when I make this salad, but this time, I had pickled onions on hand, and they worked great, too!
- Pistachios – Pistachios add a nice salty crunch to the salad, but any kind of nut will work well. Toasted nuts add even more flavor than raw nuts.
- Red Bell Pepper – I actually used a mixture of red and yellow bell pepper because that’s what I had, and it added a nice color.
- Fresh & Dried Herbs – I used dried oregano and fresh parsley and dill. Any fresh herbs will be great!
- Olive Oil & Red Wine Vinegar – The dressing for this quinoa salad is super simple and made up of just olive oil and red wine vinegar. Feel free to use less or more than I used, depending on your taste.
- Salt & Pepper – Add both to taste.
How To Make This Easy Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Start by cooking your quinoa. Wash your quinoa and add to a medium-sized saucepan. Top with water, cover with a lid, and place over medium heat. Let the water come to a boil, turn it down, and let the quinoa simmer until cooked through and all the water has been absorbed. Turn the heat off and let the quinoa sit with the lid on until cooled.
- Once quinoa has cooled, fluff with a fork and pour into a large bowl. Next, add chickpeas, all the vegetables, pistachios, and fresh herbs. Mix everything together, and then add olive oil and vinegar. Mix again and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Quinoa Salad Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this quinoa salad gluten free? Yes! Quinoa is naturally gluten free and so are all the other ingredients.
- Is this salad vegan? Yes! I almost added some vegan feta cheese but decided not to at the last minute, feel free to add some if you like though!
- Can I use a grain other than quinoa? Sure! I would recommend faro, rice, wheat berries, sorghum, buckwheat, etc…
- Can I make this Mediterranean quinoa salad ahead of time? Yes, it actually develops even better flavor as it sits!
- How long will it keep well in the refrigerator? I would store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Can I add in different vegetables? Of course! This salad is very adaptable and you can easily add in all your favorite veggies and omit any that you don’t like.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below and I will get back to you ASAP!
Looking For More Healthy Quinoa Salad Recipes?
Quinoa Salad with Broccoli and Chickpeas
Roasted Carrot Chickpea Quinoa Salad
Winter Quinoa Salad with Butternut Squash
Quinoa Chickpea Sweet Potato Salad with Curry Tahini Dressing
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Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is packed with so many healthy ingredients and is so flavorful!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dried quiona
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 medium sized red or yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup diced cucumber, I like to scoop the seeds out before dicing
- 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, or fresh tomatoes
- 1 cup diced kalamata olives
- 3/4 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, I used a mixture of dill and parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking your quinoa. Wash your quinoa and add to a medium sized saucepan. Top with water, cover with a lid and place over medium heat. Let the water come to a boil, turn down and let the quinoa simmer until cooked through and all the water has been absorbed. Turn the heat off and let sit with the lid on until cooled.
- Once quinoa has cooled, fluff with a fork and pour into a large bowl. Next, add in the chickpeas, all the vegetables, pistachios and fresh herbs. Mix everything together and then add in the olive oil and vinegar. Mix again and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Notes
Feel free to add more or less olive oil and vinegar, if desired
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Salad, Vegan
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean, American
I don’t see onions mentioned in the list of ingredients for this salad? And if I have only dried dill weed, about how much would you put in?
Thanks
Ooops, sorry about that! I used about half of a medium sized onion. I would start with a teaspoon of dried dill and then taste and see if you want more.