Description
Experience the essence of summer with our Mediterranean Quinoa Salad, a vibrant and nutritious dish that captures the season’s fresh flavors. This easy recipe features wholesome ingredients like protein-packed quinoa, hearty chickpeas, and colorful vegetables such as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and bell peppers. Tossed in a zesty dressing of lemon juice, olive oil, and aromatic basil, this salad is perfect for casual family dinners or festive gatherings. With its quick preparation time of just 30 minutes, you can spend more time enjoying the sun and less time in the kitchen. Serve it as a refreshing main course or a delightful side dish to elevate any summer meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 can chickpeas (15 oz), drained and rinsed
- 1 medium red onion
- 1 medium yellow bell pepper
- 1 medium cucumber
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup kalamata olives, halved
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- The juice of 1 large lemon
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup basil leaves
Instructions
- Rinse quinoa well under cold water using a fine-mesh colander.
- In a medium saucepan, combine quinoa with 2 cups of water and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Let rest covered for 5 minutes.
- Chop vegetables into bite-sized pieces while quinoa cools.
- For the dressing, mix olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, chopped basil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa with chickpeas and chopped vegetables. Drizzle with dressing and mix well.
- Allow to rest for about 10 minutes before serving to enhance flavors.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg