I first came up with this salad when visiting my cousin (surrogate daughter) Lis, her husband James and their new baby daughter Addison in Maine while was providing a helping hand and some home cooking after a few months of sleepless nights. I was looking for a side dish to accompany Chicken with Lemon & Olive and was thinking Tabbouli, but Lis indicated she wasn’t a huge fan. She suggested a Mediterranean Quinoa salad and we looked up a recipe on line. I followed it dutifully, but it seemed bland (sorry Bobby Flay), so I decided it needed some jazzing up. His recipe called for a mere teaspoon of Oregano in the dressing, which barely gave it any flavor. I started experimenting and came up with the vinaigrette here, and added some additional vegetables that I thought worked well together. Parsley and mint are naturals, and give just the right amount of brightness to the garlicky vinaigrette. I’ve continued to tweak it and have had great feedback from my willing guinea pigs, so feel it’s ready to share. I hope you enjoy it!
MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD
This salad is so healthy, as it's packed with vegetables and uses Quinoa, which is a super grain that is gluten free and full of protein. Skip the feta cheese and it's Vegan, so sure to hit the mark with any dietary challenged guests. I like to serve this as a side dish to Chicken with Lemon & Olives, Lamb Chops or Roast Chicken, but it works well with just about any meat or fish. This is also a great vegetarian meal on its own, as the quinoa and chickpeas provide protein to all the veggies. This recipe makes a lot, which means it's great for a crowd and for lunch the next day (or all week). My niece, who is a school teacher and loves a "foodie" lunch, makes this on Sunday and brings it for lunch all week, much to the envy of her colleagues in the teacher's lounge.
Equipment
- 1 Sauce Pan, about 2-3 Quart
- Salad Bowl (I like to use a large shallow bowl)
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
- 1 tsp Garlic, shaved on a microplane (1 large or 2 medium cloves)
- 1 TBSP Greek Oregano (dried)
- 1/4 Cup Lemon Juiice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive OIl
Salad
- 1 Cup Quinoa, rinsed
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Cup Red Onion, minced (about 1/2 medium onion)
- 1 Cup Red Bell Pepper, cut into 1/4" dice (1 medium pepper)
- 1 Cup English Cucumber, peeled, seeded & cut into 1/4" dice (1 cucumber)
- 2 tsp Sumac
- 1 Cup Sun Blush Tomatoes or Cherry Tomatos (Sun Blush from antipasto bar)
- 4 ounces Feta Cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes (about 1 cup)
- 1 Cup Chick Peas, drained & rinsed (about 1/2 can)
- 1 Cup Pitted Kalamata & Green Olives, sliced in half
- 1/2 Cup Flat Parsley, chopped finely
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Mint, chopped finely
Instructions
Prepare the Quinoa
- In a 2-3 quart sauce pan, add the water and quinoa and stir to blend.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Make the Vinaigrette
- While the Quinoa is cooking, Whisk the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt & pepper until well blended.
- Add the oil and whisk until well blended. (You can also use a small mason jar, adding all ingredients, cover tightly and shake until well blended.) Set aside while you prepare the vegetables.
Prepare the Salad
- Place the minced onion in the bottom of a large shallow bowl and sprinkle with the Sumac.
- Chop the rest of the vegetables, herbs, olives and cheese.
- When the Quinoa has finished cooking, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes while you finish chopping the rest of the vegetables and herbs.
- Pour the Quinoa over the onions and stir to blend.
- Add the remaining vegetables, olives & cheese and toss with 1/2 of the vinaigrette and allow to sit for about 5 minutes to allow the Quinoa to absorb the dressing.
- Add the parsley & mint and the remaining dressing and toss well.
- You can serve immediately, but it is best to allow to sit for about an hour to let the dressing absorb. Toss again just before serving.
Notes
KTINA’S TIPS
- Don’t be daunted the the amount of chopping, as it’s actually quite easy. You can prep all of the vegetables in advance and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to prepare and assemble.
- You can make this ahead and allow the flavors to meld while you are preparing the rest of your dinner. It is actually better if it is allowed to sit for a bit.
- I prefer the Sun Blush Tomatoes that you can get at the antipasto bar of your favorite grocery store (Whole Foods always has them), as they add a little more moisture since they are marinated in oil.
- If you find it to be a little dry (Quinoa is like a sponge), as a little more lemon juice and drizzle of olive oil.
- I like to use the Greek Olive Mix (pitted) from Whole Foods, which has both Kalamata and Greek green olives (any pitted green olive you prefer and is readily available for you is fine).
- Don’t be tempted (like I was) to use more Quinoa if you think it looks like a small amount when dry, it really expands and goes a long way!
- This is a delicious side to lamb chops, kabobs (lamb or chicken), Chicken with Lemon & Olives, Roasted Chicken, simply grilled (or rotisserie) chicken, fish or shrimp.
- Serve with Roasted Eggplant with Tahini Vinaigrette for a complete vegetarian meal. Omit the Feta for Vegan.
- MAKE IT YOUR OWN – experiement with other vegetables you like. When available, I like to add grilled artichoke hearts cut into bite size pieces. Roased red peppers instead of raw would be delicious. I have even used a jar of pimentos (patted dry with a paper towel) when I found a red pepper in my crisper was beyond its usefulness and I didn’t have time to run to the store.
- NOT FEEDING A CROWD (or want less)? Just cut it in half.
This sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it! Do you have the book, Six Seasons-A New Way with Vegetables by Josh McFadden? I think you’d love it!