Quinoa Salad with Feta and Cucumber
Servings: 12
Cost: $15
What I love about Wendi's Mediterranean Quinoa Salad is its forgiving nature. While the core components are quinoa, cucumber, feta cheese, and chickpeas dressed with a zesty lemon dressing, you can easily customize it. Feel free to throw in Kalamata olives for a briny kick, fresh spinach for an extra green boost, or avocado for creaminess. Wendi says that although the recipe calls for olive oil, she finds it delicious without it.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups tri-color quinoa we use Trader Joe’s
- 2 cups Persian cucumbers chopped
- 1 cup Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1 cup fresh mint or cilantro chopped
- 2/3 cup green onion chopped
- 1 cup shelled pistachios or pine nuts
- 30 ounces canned chickpeas rinsed
- 4 lemons juiced
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil optional
- 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Cook the Quinoa: Rinse the quinoa under cold water, then cook it according to package instructions, typically with 4 cups of water for 15-20 minutes until fluffy. Drain and let it cool.
- Prepare the Salad Base: In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with chopped cucumber, parsley, mint, and onion.
- Add Texture and Protein: Stir in the chickpeas and pistachios for texture and added protein.
- Dress the Salad: Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil (if using) for the dressing. Pour over the salad and toss well. The olive oil can be omitted for a lighter version, with lemon juice providing enough zest.
- Incorporate Feta: Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese. If you’re using avocado, now’s the time to add it for that creamy contrast.
- Season to Taste: Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember, feta is quite salty, so go easy on the salt.
- Serve or Chill: You can serve this salad immediately or let it chill in the fridge for an hour or so to meld the flavors.